I have had the pleasure to meet quite a few Algerians with beautiful spoken English, masha’Allah. Their pronunciation is very good, and frequently their vocabulary is quite extensive. Even more impressive, the way that they use English idioms, slang and phrasal verbs is right on – not an easy feat to master when one doesn’t have much chance to speak English.
Time and time again, I’ve asked these people how they’ve managed to do so well. At first I always expected that this person studied English at Bouzareah (which I’ve since been told is just not enough), or perhaps they took intensive English classes for quite some time. Or, maybe they spent a year or two in the US, or in England. Surprisingly, this is usually not the case. Most Algerians who speak English beautifully have watched a lot of TV and movies.
I have to admit that personally, I’m virtually anti-TV. I’ll use almost any excuse to turn the boob-tube off, as my children will readily attest to. But for English language-learners, I cannot recommend either watching TV or films highly enough. ”But,” you might protest, “I don’t understand everything! They speak too quickly – and there’s all that slang!” While this certainly is true in many cases, there are some techniques you can use to seriously acquire English – especially with movies.
First, chose a movie that you are willing to watch a few times – something that you are very keen to see. Next watch it in Arabic or French (which ever is more comfortable) so that you really understand the film. Next, watch it again, but in English, but with Arabic or French subtitles. Next, watch it again in English, but with English subtitles. Finally, for a real challenge, watch it a fourth time, in English (obviously) but without any subtitles. My guess is that by the time you’re done, although you might be completely sick of the movie, you will understand the English vocabulary that was used, and that you will probably remember it, insha’Allah!
There are some excellent sources for finding films that may be of interest to you. One of the best I’ve encountered is Rotten Tomatoes. Dozens upon dozens of movie critics from all over the US submit their film reviews to this website. You’ll get a chance to read their comments if you’re interested, and you are also given a sort of average of what the film critics in general thought, and also what the audience thought. Films are reviewed from the beginning of the film industry up to the most very current, so you can really get a sense of what’s out there, insha’Allah.
Another way to find good information about movies is be visiting the Common Sense Media website. Although primarily geared toward those parents who want to know what they will find in a movie before letting their children watch it, this is a great resource for you to find out what you will see. Do you dislike excessive violence? This website will tell you what you can expect, insha’Allah. Are you offended by overtly sexual content? This also is mentioned. So, if you have any qualms about what you are going to get before you buy or download, take a minute and check this site out. It’s fairly comprehensive so the chances are pretty good that you’ll be able to get the information you need, insha’Allah.
For subtitles, I’d recommend Subscene which has a very comprehensive selection of subtitles in multiple languages for a wide variety of films. Just be careful that the subtitle you’ve selected is in the same format as the film you’re watching.
Another fun challenge for those who want practice with their reading skills, would be to watch a movie in either French or Arabic with English subtitles. While the translation probably won’t be exact (it usually never is), the gist will certainly be there, and the practice of reading quickly will be a good exercise, insha’Allah.
Having said all this, what’s your favorite film?
I have too many favorites to mention, but perhaps my favorite recent film was the much acclaimed King’s Speech. It’s beautifully acted, is a compelling and poignant true story, and has the added benefit of being fairly “clean”. So, for your viewing pleasure, check out this YouTube review below which includes a trailer for the film.