SHADOWING

A simple and kind of fun language learning technique is called shadowing. The basic idea is to listen to a native speaker and repeat (or "shadow") what is being said as closely as possible.

First, select a recording of an English native speaker. This could be a podcast, audiobook, or any other audio material with clear and natural speech. Of course, select a voice of your gender and someone that you like the sound of. Start with a relatively short recording (eg 5 sentences). Pay close attention to the speaker's pronunciation, intonation, and overall speech patterns. As you listen, try to repeat what the speaker is saying as accurately as possible. Focus on matching their rhythm, tone, and stress patterns. Try to pronounce the recording almost simultaneously with the native speaker. Replay the same segment multiple times, practicing until you can closely replicate the native speaker's speech. Once you can say the recording in parrot mode you can record yourself and listen back. If done well, you will be surprised how different your overall prosody is compared to when you speak Dutch. For instance, it can help you understand the concept of stress-timed rhythm better (see Eat your Vowels).

On a related note, back in 1985 the magician Paul Daniels had a guest on his BBC show (season 7, episode 7) called Frank Rains. His amusing act involved speaking simultaneously with members from the audience. We could not find back that clip but you can see him performing on the Tonight Show in 1976 below. Shadowing next level!