About Mika's language and accent

[Susan_xian]

I'm a language freak, although I'm terribly in French, the only foreign language I know except English. btw my native is Mandarin Chinese and I learn all English and french in this country, never live oversea.

 

For a language freak, Mika is always an interesting topic.

 

My questions is his french accent. it's sounds to me very french french! But I found on a Chinese website that a French teacher of some Chinese student says his french has british accent actually.

 

Are there any native speakers? what's ur opinion? becuse I'm a french beginner and I don't want to be misled.

 

And what about his spanish? I read on our FAQ that he speaks english and french and has knowledge in spanish. But in wiki it says he speaks both french and spanish fluently. And it is also in this interview

 

http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Magic-Mika-Singer-talks-Twitter-bullying-and-drinks/42139.html

 

So I guess he speak spanish?

[BiaIchihara]

He can speak Spanish, but says he forgot that because of the italian lessons (his head is small) :mikacool:

[Susan_xian]

He can speak Spanish, but says he forgot that because of the italian lessons (his head is small) :mikacool:

 

LMAO

 

where is this come from? if there is an interview I'd like to watch really!

 

I think maybe the 2 language are too similar so he got confused?

[mikaforever!]

I just know that he speaks English,Spanish,French and italian, and just like BiaIchihara said he is studying spanish because he forgot it when he was studying italian, and I'm not sure but I think that he is studying french too,because of the tv program The Voice.... and that's all I know (oh,and he has studied Spanish for ten years)

[Susan_xian]

I just know that he speaks English,Spanish,French and italian, and just like BiaIchihara said he is studying spanish because he forgot it when he was studying italian, and I'm not sure but I think that he is studying french too,because of the tv program The Voice.... and that's all I know (oh,and he has studied Spanish for ten years)

 

He actually speak French long before the voice, in many early interviews. He lived in Paris before 9. And I think French is kind of his mom's native language. I need to know if he has a britishaccent for his french.

[guylainem123]

He actually speak French long before the voice, in many early interviews. He lived in Paris before 9. And I think French is kind of his mom's native language. I need to know if he has a britishaccent for his french.

 

Though he does make some mistakes, his accent is french from France.

I hear no British accent whatsoever when he speaks

 

As far as i know, his mother's native language was not french, it was english... american english

though i could be wrong

[Susan_xian]

Though he does make some mistakes, his accent is french from France.

I hear no British accent whatsoever when he speaks

 

As far as i know, his mother's native language was not french, it was english... american english

though i could be wrong

 

Merci! It's nice to know native speaker's opinion. His mistake in French is in grammer, vocabulary? If not pronunciation?

 

His mother is from Lebnon. I think many lebaneses speak french.

 

btw I've never been abroad but one of my Europe friend says I speak Canadian french. dunno where this come from. Maybe my teacher.

 

French is driving me crazy because to my chinese ear, almost everyone pronounce a little different in some word. dunno who I should learn from.

[guylainem123]

Merci! It's nice to know native speaker's opinion. His mistake in French is in grammer, vocabulary? If not pronunciation?

 

His mother is from Lebnon. I think many lebaneses speak french.

 

btw I've never been abroad but one of my Europe friend says I speak Canadian french. dunno where this come from. Maybe my teacher.

 

French is driving me crazy because to my chinese ear, almost everyone pronounce a little different in some word. dunno who I should learn from.

 

His mistakes in french are sometimes grammar, sometimes vocabulary, but his accent is definitely not British

 

i believe his mom is American of Lebanese origin. Her mother tongue may be french, i'm not sure... I don't pay much attention to his parents

 

Is your teacher Canadian?

[Susan_xian]

His mistakes in french are sometimes grammar, sometimes vocabulary, but his accent is definitely not British

 

i believe his mom is American of Lebanese origin. Her mother tongue may be french, i'm not sure... I don't pay much attention to his parents

 

Is your teacher Canadian?

 

So it sounds he makes not just a few mistakes? Wow that's new to me because he sounds fluently!

 

my teacher is Chinese. She might have lived in Canada. dunno.

 

And I pronounce like what the textbook told me. I have a friend who is Algerian but live in London since 12. He told me that I sounds more Canadian. But textbooks should be France french as far as I know. My friend sounds quite alike Mika actually. I have listenning materials in which even the man and women sounds a little different! So that's really confusing for me as a beginner.

 

As a beginner, actally I don't know what a real Canadian accent is like. Do u guys have problem in understanding French people?

 

And the t,d/ p,b/g,k pronunciation in french and spanish really bother me a lot! I still can't get the difference! In English it's never a problem.

Edited January 26, 2014 by Susan_xian

[guylainem123]

I never said he makes many mistakes. He is fluent in French.

You asked me if his mistakes were grammar or vocabulary... I said both, but that doesn't mean he makes many

[Jimjims]

LMAO

 

where is this come from? if there is an interview I'd like to watch really!

 

I think maybe the 2 language are too similar so he got confused?

 

Yeah, last year he went to Spain while he was in the middle of learning all of that Italian and this is what happened...

 

Its really cute though, I love him because he tries really hard, and I know that his spanish can be nearly perfect, like 6 months before that with this interview

 

He has an amazing accent, it is genuinely nearly perfect, I have a British-French friend who lived in Spain for 6 years when she was little and she has a much worse accent!

[Susan_xian]

I never said he makes many mistakes. He is fluent in French.

You asked me if his mistakes were grammar or vocabulary... I said both, but that doesn't mean he makes many

 

Got it! Thank u.

 

Sorry for my poor understanding in English.

[Susan_xian]

Yeah, last year he went to Spain while he was in the middle of learning all of that Italian and this is what happened...

 

Its really cute though, I love him because he tries really hard, and I know that his spanish can be nearly perfect, like 6 months before that with this interview

 

He has an amazing accent, it is genuinely nearly perfect, I have a British-French friend who lived in Spain for 6 years when she was little and she has a much worse accent!

 

 

wow! Thank you very much! Although I understand nothing actally. Looks really intersting!

 

I notice on youtube that he's been on this tv show earlier in 2009. He spoke English back then. So it means he learns spanish recent years?

 

It is nice to know he's accent in spanish is also good!

 

He set a great model for me! I must work harder on my French.

 

BTW you European people are really amazing in languages! Even with the accents!

[Mikasister]

He actually speak French long before the voice, in many early interviews. He lived in Paris before 9. And I think French is kind of his mom's native language. I need to know if he has a britishaccent for his french.

 

His mom speaks many languages, at least english, french maybe arabic and a very good spanish. About Mika, he spoke spanish but those last times with his work in Italy he said he forgot spanish but I know from a very good source he didn't and don't think that "source" was lying to me only that he's focussed in his italian more than spanish because XF

[camille*]

About his French, as Guylaine said, he doesn't have any foreign accent to me, British or other, he sounds 100% French from France, the only thing is that in a way you can hear like a child speaking, not because the sentences are too simple or something like that, but in the tone he uses. If you notice his voice is generally lower when he speaks in English.

 

And about mistakes, there are some grammar ones (which generally make him super cute to the ear of French speaking ppl), sometimes he doesn't know a special familiar word used by others, but really there aren't many and there are less and less with time.

[macboll]

About his French, as Guylaine said, he doesn't have any foreign accent to me, British or other, he sounds 100% French from France, the only thing is that in a way you can hear like a child speaking, not because the sentences are too simple or something like that, but in the tone he uses. If you notice his voice is generally lower when he speaks in English.

 

And about mistakes, there are some grammar ones (which generally make him super cute to the ear of French speaking ppl), sometimes he doesn't know a special familiar word used by others, but really there aren't many and there are less and less with time.

 

I totally agree with you Camille

[Susan_xian]

His mom speaks many languages, at least english, french maybe arabic and a very good spanish. About Mika, he spoke spanish but those last times with his work in Italy he said he forgot spanish but I know from a very good source he didn't and don't think that "source" was lying to me only that he's focussed in his italian more than spanish because XF

 

wow, his family is amazing in laguages! In the interview I mentioned, he said that his sisters speak Arabic, Chinese, Italian, Spanish, French and English. They are almost all languages in the world!

 

I believe your source too!

[Susan_xian]

About his French, as Guylaine said, he doesn't have any foreign accent to me, British or other, he sounds 100% French from France, the only thing is that in a way you can hear like a child speaking, not because the sentences are too simple or something like that, but in the tone he uses. If you notice his voice is generally lower when he speaks in English.

 

And about mistakes, there are some grammar ones (which generally make him super cute to the ear of French speaking ppl), sometimes he doesn't know a special familiar word used by others, but really there aren't many and there are less and less with time.

 

Like child speaking? Sounds really cute! He uses simple sentences is good news for a beginner like me. Maybe because he speak the same French while he live in Paris? I remember he left Paris at 9? Wish my french is better so I can notice this. I think he's English is cute enough actually.

[amneris]

I'm a language freak, although I'm terribly in French, the only foreign language I know except English. btw my native is Mandarin Chinese and I learn all English and french in this country, never live oversea.

 

For a language freak, Mika is always an interesting topic.

 

My questions is his french accent. it's sounds to me very french french! But I found on a Chinese website that a French teacher of some Chinese student says his french has british accent actually.

 

Are there any native speakers? what's ur opinion? becuse I'm a french beginner and I don't want to be misled.

 

And what about his spanish? I read on our FAQ that he speaks english and french and has knowledge in spanish. But in wiki it says he speaks both french and spanish fluently. And it is also in this interview

 

http://www.windycitymediagroup.com/lgbt/Magic-Mika-Singer-talks-Twitter-bullying-and-drinks/42139.html

 

So I guess he speak spanish?

 

Hi, nice topic this one! I love it!

I am italian mother tongue but I studied English & French at high school, I used to work with languages in my early "office" days, & then I spent some years in my native country, Brasil, when I was 25 ys old (I went back to Italy with my family when I was only 11 month of age, so I didn't learn portuguese at that time) and obvioulsy I learnt to speak portuguese fluently.

 

French has always been my favourite language. I loved to speak, to study it although its grammar is difficult (even for a neo-latin spoken mother tongue language) and I always had to be very keen and attentive to some of its rules, but I gave to French a special devotion to it. And when I learnt portuguese, which is a gorgeous language, it gives you enormous satisfaction either to understand it or to speak it, well, it happened the same thins as to Mika with italian and spanish: portugues kicked off french from my brain and I completely lost it. This happened almost 20 years ago. The nice thing is that when listening to Mika's interviews in french, his songs in french and reading all articles in that language, French came back in a quite consistent way and now I have both, portuguese and french in my mind again.

 

I cannot tell you how Mika's speaking French because to me he speaks beautifully, but I can tell you how he speaks italian: he's great. He almost does not have an accent, at least he has not the typical accent of british people speaking italian: 3 of my children's professors are british, and they all speak the same, with same accent which is very charming, I must say, I love it, but Mika has not. Of course he makes mistakes, but they are very charming mistakes italian people start to love and to imitate.

 

I think that since he has such a good hear to music and languages are preeminently a question of intonation and musicality (grammar too, of course) he has a natural predisposition to learn them and to pronounce them practically without accent and using the correct intonation.

 

[camille*]

Like child speaking? Sounds really cute! He uses simple sentences is good news for a beginner like me. Maybe because he speak the same French while he live in Paris? I remember he left Paris at 9? Wish my french is better so I can notice this. I think he's English is cute enough actually.

 

I said he can sound like a child, but NOT because he uses simple sentences. He uses normal complex sentences I'm pretty sure there are French people who don't speak such an elaborate French

[Susan_xian]

I said he can sound like a child, but NOT because he uses simple sentences. He uses normal complex sentences I'm pretty sure there are French people who don't speak such an elaborate French

 

Ya. You said not because he use simple sentences. I understand it automatically as not only because...Sorry for my poor English.

 

In laguage I think the accent is the most difficult part because we are all influenced by our native language. It is almost inevitable.

[Elwendin]

LMAO

 

where is this come from? if there is an interview I'd like to watch really!

 

I think maybe the 2 language are too similar so he got confused?

He told it many times, the last one was during Le Invasioni Barbariche, on 17th of January, if I recall properly (? I'm watching too many vids these days, I'm lost)

Even if we all like him whenever he does some mistakes in italian, he's very demanding to himself and gets mad when he doesn't know how to tell some words. He wants to be almost perfect and doesn't want to feel like a joker people laugh at.

Once a journalist asked him in what language does he dream, he told he mostly dreams in english, but sometimes switch to french. I suppose now he switches to french more often.

Since I love languages very very much, I have two questions as well:

 

- it seems to me his accent was more british when you was younger, now it's more american. Am I wrong? I suppose it can also change according to the period: when he comes back home it could turn into a more british one again...

 

- on the interpretation of those two sentences:"You never make no sense, screaming at me in French" "Who you screaming at in French"

We can suppose that he usually switches to french whenever he argues? I used to have a close friend whose mother was from Manchester, he was totally bilingual and when they got mad to each other they always switched to english. So I wonder if when someone gets emotional switches to the language od his childhood?

[Elwendin]

 

In language I think the accent is the most difficult part because we are all influenced by our native language. It is almost inevitable.

Yeah, though some people are just more talented than others.

I know people who can imitate an accent almost perfectly, when I just suck at it. I can never practise it, I just write here, I never speak english in my real life and I'm just terrible. I have no natural talent, so I have to struggle and the results are poor. That is also true for my listening skills.

[Susan_xian]

He told it many times, the last one was during Le Invasioni Barbariche, on 17th of January, if I recall properly (? I'm watching too many vids these days, I'm lost)

Even if we all like him whenever he does some mistakes in italian, he's very demanding to himself and gets mad when he doesn't know how to tell some words. He wants to be almost perfect and doesn't want to feel like a joker people laugh at.

Once a journalist asked him in what language does he dream, he told he mostly dreams in english, but sometimes switch to french. I suppose now he switches to french more often.

Since I love languages very very much, I have two questions as well:

 

- it seems to me his accent was more british when you was younger, now it's more american. Am I wrong? I suppose it can also change according to the period: when he comes back home it could turn into a more british one again...

 

- on the interpretation of those two sentences:"You never make no sense, screaming at me in French" "Who you screaming at in French"

We can suppose that he usually switches to french whenever he argues? I used to have a close friend whose mother was from Manchester, he was totally bilingual and when they got mad to each other they always switched to english. So I wonder if when someone gets emotional switches to the language od his childhood?

 

The dream thing is intersting. Thank you for sharing! I think the interview u mentioned is in Italian?

 

For the English lyrics Emily, just guess. I think it's Mika's mom. It is obvious that people will switch to their original language when they get emotional. I can't remember where but I do remember I read from soewhere that Mika's mom screams at him in french. I'm not saying the song is about his mother because it make no sense. But it might just be a random idea of putting the sentice into lyrics. And it is actually related to the original french version Elle me dit.

 

Anyway just my guess.

[Sherlocked]

I love this thread. I love studying foreign languages myself, and I was wondering pretty much the same thing that you asked in the first post about Mika's accent when he speaks French, so...