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Forvo

While I try hard not to butcher anyone's name no matter how alien and unpronounable the sound is to me, sometimes I end up doing it anyway. It just helps to hear it said right over and over again until I am able to learn it. I often end up not saying a name because I just can't get it right and it feels really awkward to ask the person to teach me over and over again.

Those of us who don't have a natural flair for languages and accents are at obvious disadvantage in social situations compared to those who just need to hear it once to be able to replicate it perfectly.

Forvo seems to be just the thing I have been looking for even though its does not help me correctly pronounce a French co-worker's name that I have been struggling with. I am hoping the database will grow with time and help out pronunciation challenged people like myself.
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