Pronunciation Lesson from Arnold Schwarzenegger

Generations of people worldwide grew up watching Hollywood blockbusters such as Terminator, Red Sonja and Total Recall.  What all of these have in common is a well-known action figure – Arnold Schwarzenegger.

The life and the careers of this famous figure are more or less known to all movie lovers.  Arnold Schwarzenegger is an Austrian born bodybuilder who had had quite an interesting life path.  From a famous bodybuilder he had become an actor recognizable for playing tough guys in the movies that brought significant sums of money to Hollywood producers.  Somewhere at the peak of his acting career he had decided to turn to some serious social issues, so he became the governor of California.  We all know where this led.

SEE ALSO: American English Pronunciation Lesson for German Speakers

As much as his life may be interesting to his fans worldwide, there is another thing that will eternally mark the image of Schwarzenegger – namely, his specific English pronunciation.  Besides his distinct face and well defined body form, his accent has much contributed to forming a public image of Arnold Schwarzenegger.  One can even argue that it was precisely his accent that has made his movie lines popular.  Though he does have some notable skills and talents, we at Saundz see him as a person who has never paid much attention to practicing English pronunciation.

Despite this comic representation of Arnold Schwarzenegger, Saundz team truly admires his talents and his successful career.

However, to us he is a perfect example for the claim that pronunciation skills are not as important for non-native speakers of English to advance in their careers.  What’s more, Arnold Shwarzenegger may even be said to demonstrate how language skills are completely irrelevant in this regard.  Still, this doesn’t mean everybody should follow his example.

On the contrary, chances are that even if you possess some excellent qualities and professional skills they won’t be clearly seen if your pronunciation resembles Schwarzenegger’s.  If you don’t want to be mocked for poor speaking skills and funny English, you should definitively dedicate some time to practicing pronunciation.  Despite the Schwarzenegger’s example, you are more likely to succeed in your career if your pronunciation skills are excellent.