So, I'm learning German. And I'm worried that as I learn the accent and pronounciation, my Japanese will start to sound strange. I have perfect, like-native pronounciation and accent, as confirmed by every Japanese person I've talked to (I am mistaken for a Japanese person unless I tell them otherwise), and I definitely do not want to start sounding like a gaijin. I'm asking this because when I started speaking Japanese fluently, I developed a Japanese accent when I said a word in any language besides English (usually). So is it possible to loose your pronounciation in your second language when you learn a third? Even if you speak that second language daily? Or am I just worried for nothing.
When I picked up German, my Spanish, French and English accents did not change in the slightest. If anything, your problem will be that your accent in German may occasionally slip into Japanese rather than English, which can sound odd.
I speak two Chinese dialects at home and English everywhere else. My accent in those two dialects are starting develop an American accent because I use English way more than Chinese since I don't speak to my parents unless I'm spoken to and I usually speak English to my sister unless we're hiding a secret from the public. If you use another one way more often than the other, you'll develop an accent in the latter. Since you seem to be living in an environment where Japanese is commonly used, then I don't believe that you'll lose the Native-like accent. However, it's not exactly a fast process. It could take years for you to lose that accent, especially if you live in a very Japanese environment. Organize your desires, is Japanese more important to you, or German? If one is part of your everyday life, then you won't easily develop an accent in that one language. Hope this helps!
I'm not living in a Japanese environment, but I speak with Japanese people regularly online, and am constantly speaking Japanese to myself (I talk to myself frequently). I'm also always listening to music and singing in Japanese (though I've been doing that more in German these days), and watching Japanese films. Japanese is more important to me, because I am planning to live in Japan. I'm learning German because of the huge gothic scene in Germany (which I'd love to visit) as well as I just like the sound of the language and would like to write songs in it one day...
Depends. I am fluent in Spanish (native-level fluency), but my Spanish can come off as very "gringo-like" at times. I also did learn French and in some words in English and Spanish a very slight nasal pronunciation can be detected. Likewise, my English sometimes has a Spanish accent with my s's and then very harshly turn slightly southern (especially when with allergies or I just got out of bed). I did learn all three languages before puberty, so maybe that is different from someone who leaned it post-puberty (not sure, maybe how vocal cords are "set"). Just a hunch :lol: I suppose that depending on how the brain works it's very possible for you to mix up some phonology.
I'm fluent in (Mexican)Spanish and (American)English...The people I talk to in Spanish say that I speak Spanish in the same way an American does...I honestly don't hear it...
Okay thanks for your answers. Ultimately Japanese is more important and I don't want to start speaking like a gaijin, so, I am probably just sticking with being only bilingual.
I highly doubt that will happen, NingyoBroken. =) Look, if you were to learn both Spanish and Catalan as foreign languages, then yes, you might occasionally slip a Catalan pronunciation in Spanish (and the other way round) since they share words and similarities. But Japanese and German..? =) Japanese is a story of its own, being in the the Japonic language family and resembling little to none similarities to other major languages. =) Especially the pronunciation of vowels and sentences (pitch accent) is quite different, so I don't think you'll all of a sudden lose the ability to speak Japanese fluently. :icon_bigg
Well I studied Spanish until high school. Never became fluent. Then I begna to study Japanese in high school; still not fluent. But whenever I try to recall a word in Spanish I recall the Japanese word :s
I'd say stich with German! I speak Swedish (native), English (near-native level) German (meh, haven't been using it in a long while) and Japanese (vocabulary needs some building, but otherwise ), and I've no problem with what you described. The only thing is, you should use ALL your languages as much as you can. For example, I go to an all-English program in school (Internatioanal Baccalaureate), and when I go on holiday for a month or so and don't speak any English, English can feel a bit uncomfortable in my mouth the first day or so So just keep at it, it's really not a problem! Cheers!
It's not possible. 99% sure about it. But...a few more importanr things: It really depends what is your native/mother tongue. In my case, I speak a hard-sounding eastern european language and think I can master Japanese with a good pronunciation since Japanese is also a 'hard' language (go ahead envy me ). But a french guy learning Japanese? The "r" will be a challenge, just like I can't pronounce "r" "the american way", since in my language +20 others "r" is pronounced very hard unlike in English/American. The same applies and to other consonants/sounds: like "t" and "e" <- notably. Personally I speak Bulgarian, Russian, English and know just a bit of German but would gladly "trade" my knowledge in German in exchange for knowledge of Japanese OR Hebrew. Since I am planning one day to live in either japan/israel. Good luck with Japanese btw, I am sure it's pretty hard...
Very good point, however it is possible to confuse the phonology of two languages especially when they are related. I'm multilingual and found that the best way to maintain a native tongue is through continued exposure to native speakers of that language. Maybe you already knew this?
In my experience, if the first language is more or less "settled" in your brain (which takes around 2-3 years of daily practice), learning a new language shouldn't mess up the other. From what you said, your Japanese seems to be solid enough, so I don't see any problem here, but it's up to you. Moreover, German is totally different from Japanese, which makes all the "switch" process easier for your brain. It wouldn't be the same if you were trying to harmonize two very similar languages (like spanish/castilian and italian). To me learning a 2nd language improved my ability to learn new languages. Suddenly I seemed easier to catch the fine little sounds of every language. It improved my "ear" so to speak. By the way, you are right about the goths here... It's a huge scene. Not all of it is good (as in original, not just another copycat), but there is enough to keep everybody happy.
I speak English and Italian fluently and neither accents have invaded each other. I have an Italian accent when I speak Italian and an English accent when I speak English. Shouldn't be a problem for you. Also what Michael above me said about German being totally different from Japanese is also correct.
