Shadowing Practice: What Happens to Language When AI Can Speak for Us? - Learn English Speaking with Video

If AI can learn any language for us, will we eventually stop bothering to learn them?

And I think that raises a bigger question here because AI changes not only the way we learn language,

it's also changing the way we use language.

Most people already use AI to write emails for them, sometimes figure out even what they want to say.

And I've noticed some of the language of AI even start to infuse what we say.

Phrases like no fluff, which weren't that common before, have started to become widespread.

And all of this makes me wonder and raises a really terrifying question.

What happens to language when machines become better at using it than most humans?

Scary thought, isn't it?

Now today's video, as you might have noticed, is a bit different.

I am literally taking you on a walk with me just a walk through the woods

and I'm going to try and mainly do this unscripted and unedited which I've never done that much before.

I usually have a vague script in front of me.

All of those things that I've talked to you about in videos things like fillers, pauses,

um sort of those I usually edit out of my videos

because I like my videos to be quite polished I want you to get the best of something

but they then miss out

that really fundamental bit of conversation the bit where you trip

over what you're saying where you stumble where you use fillers

you will notice through this video I use quite a lot of fillers

but actually it's really useful for you to see that

because then you learn you get more of an idea of

how we really speak you need to let me know by

the end this video whether you like it do you like this raw unscripted unedited walking style of video

and if so i won't make every video like them but i can definitely include them also sorry

i started this walk quite fast i'm used to walking quite fast

and when talking at the same time it makes me a little bit out of breath

so i'm going to slow down as you can see i'm in the woods

and it's raining which feels appropriate it feels authentically British

so let's carry on shall we um and

so a topic I thought would be interesting is AI how

but this isn't going to be one of those ones about how AI can help your language learning

because there are lots and lots of YouTube videos about that

and I'm sure you're already aware it's more about how AI affects language itself

and the repercussions of

that AI has been a lot on the news recently in the UK I don't know

if it's the same for you and

so anyway it's been on my mind a lot and obviously language

and AI overlap a lot

so that's what I'm going to be discussing with you sorry

I just need to show you look at this view isn't

it beautiful the colours are starting to change in the UK autumn is one of my favourite seasons

so I'm planning an autumn video for you let's start with the obvious

Are we even going to need to learn languages in the future with AI?

Think about it.

If you had the opportunity for your mother tongue to be translated in real time to someone else,

is there a need to learn the language if it can be done at that moment and it can bridge that gap?

But I suppose when I think about it, I don't know about you,

but I probably wouldn't want to sit in a restaurant with a friend from another country and have our conversation

slipping between us through a machine just doesn't feel doesn't feel very connected does it to the other person

and so actually maybe it's not as simple as that

because language isn't just about transferring information is it well I don't think it is there's

so many more layers to it than that as you know i speak italian

and my husband also speaks italian he speaks it as though

it's his mother tongue as though it were his mother tongue

which i'm quite envious of i can speak it

but obviously i cannot speak it at the same level

that i speak english

because i didn't grow up there i wasn't raised there anyway he speaks italian to our children

and so do i i try to although it's easy for me to slip back into English

because obviously English is my mother tongue so it's what I naturally defer to

but actually why why do we need why do they need

to learn Italian why do we want them to know Italian

and actually when you think about it that way it's not just about their ability to communicate to people in Italy

It's also that the language carries the culture, the identity, the sense of belonging.

And so much would be lost if people, if humans didn't learn others.

Sorry, I'll rephrase.

If humans didn't learn the language of others.

I don't know if you've ever found this, but if you've ever watched, if you are bilingual and you watch the subtitles on certain films,

sometimes they're not accurate or they miss a really key point

so much of how we communicate is more than just words

it's also the humor how we flirt little tiny things

that you don't think about but actually they are things

that would be lost on a machine

so yes you can just translate to what somebody has said

but that's different from actually knowing their language sorry it's very

um there's a lot of foliage as you've probably noticed so I'm

trying to navigate through holding the camera so it's a bit of a duck

and dive the next thing I really want to discuss

and it is something that terrifies me is the effect

that AI well is already having

but will continue to have on writing I am also a writer I haven't spoken

that much about it on the channel

but I have mentioned my background is in literature

so I did an undergraduate and masters

and already I'm starting to notice there is a generic way

that people are starting to write and I'm finding it easier

and easier to be able to tell when something has been written by AI.

So what will happen to the skill of writing if there's not a need for it?

Similar to how 50 years ago everyone's mental arithmetic was

so much better because they couldn't whip out a calculator

and calculate something on the spot our mental arithmetic is much

worse now will the same thing happen to our writing skills I am happy

that I developed my writing skills before AI evolved I did my undergraduate

and master's degree before AI so I had to learn

how to research how to structure a line of argument how to unfold it into a cohesive sorry

how to unfold it in a cohesive logical way how to think critically

and how to write persuasively to try

and convince somebody of what i was saying

100

and then obviously i also write both fiction and non -fiction

101

but what happens now I don't know what do the students who are studying literature not have to do

102

that anymore I'd want to know what university is like but

103

and so it's not just the ability to write itself it's also the ability to think critically

104

and that's you know I have small children I really want

105

them to be able to think critically to not just be told what to think by a machine

106

and already so many of us I think are deferring to AI

107

because it's just easier in

108

that moment almost not to have it tell us what to think

109

but to do the critical thinking for us and

110

that I think is really dangerous because well if human beings can't think critically

111

you know that's a problem that's a problem and

112

if everyone uses AI then I'm sorry there'll be one homogenized

113

voice what will happen to individuality will individuality be able to

114

shine through anymore i'll tell you what's absolutely terrifying actually there are a few things

115

when ai first came about i tested it by asking it

116

to produce something like the poet ts elliott whose ts elliott is one of my favorite poets

117

and he i wrote my dissertation on him

118

and the first go was fine it sounded absolutely nothing like him it sounded like a cheap imitation

119

it was really reassuring because i read

120

that thinking no way would anyone ever in a million years think

121

that ts elliot wrote that and gradually since then it's got better and better

122

and although now it refuses to do an outright imitation

123

if you write you know

124

if you ask it to write in the style of ts elliot's poetry we're only

125

so far into the advancement of ai

126

and already how much it's developed in the last few years

127

is extraordinary just to experiment i uploaded a whole bunch of my writing onto um chat gpt

128

and i included both fiction i'd written and non -fiction poetry

129

and i wanted to see how realistically it could recreate my voice my unique writer's voice

130

and I have to say

131

when I read what it came back with a chill ran down my spine

132

because it could have been me that wrote that who wrote that And again, we're only at the beginning.

133

The CEOs have just said, oh, we need to slow down because advancement is going too fast.

134

What's going to happen to human creativity?

135

Anyway, though, I don't want to be all doom and gloom

136

because I do want to acknowledge that AI can be used for good.

137

It can be really useful.

138

And I'll admit, I use AI in certain areas. For example, my video descriptions on YouTube it saves me a lot of

139

time I don't have to write them all out however many hundreds of words

140

so I'm not being hypocrite I just I think this is a very complex topic

141

and it's not simple enough to say oh yes the benefits outweigh the risks

142

or the risks outweigh the benefits

143

because we genuinely don't know not even the experts know what it's going to look like

144

and the rate of change in the world at the moment

145

it's just alarming it's terrifying you think about 10 years ago

146

if someone said oh yes no you'd have this thing called chat gpt on your phone

147

and it would sound like a real voice

148

and it would be talking back to you as though it were human

149

and almost could convince you that it's human it would sound like something out of a sci -fi film

150

we're already there

151

so what does the next 10 years hold i think we

152

need to accept though there is a difference between using AI to help you express yourself

153

and your thoughts and having it essentially doing the thinking for you

154

because well I think I remember doing a lot of critical educational theory

155

when I was doing my PGCE which in the UK is

156

when you get your qualified teacher status to teach in secondary school

157

so when I taught teenagers in secondary school um I did a lot on educational theory

158

and one of the critics i can't remember his name exactly

159

but he made the point that human beings don't like thinking thinking is challenging

160

so we will find ways to avoid

161

that we'll find shortcuts like we always do and ai is the ultimate shortcut isn't it means

162

you know why do i need to think for myself

163

when actually this machine can think for me and

164

and it has access to all the information and more than what I need.

165

I don't want to be too cynical and pessimistic about it

166

because I think the world is scary enough nowadays without adding another burden to worry about.

167

Just food for thought and I thought it would be an interesting topic and now you've heard how I really speak uninterrupted.

168

I'm not going to make it smoother, i'm going to keep in my fillers and all the things

169

that i trip over autumn is sorry i'm looking at the view i accidentally pressed stop record there

170

but i meant to flip the camera around

171

yeah autumn's coming the leaves are starting to change color oh

172

my favorite time of year now how does this affect you

173

who are learning english i'm not going to tell you not

174

to use ai ai can be a really useful tool to help you hone your language

175

and be a language partner help correct you give you feedback help you with conversation exchange

176

but just don't replace it sorry don't replace the human element with it because so much of human interaction

177

can't be captured in ai i don't think i'm hoping not anyway yes i suppose that's the real question

178

and I want you to answer this truthfully in the comments.

179

If AI could reliably and accurately translate exactly what you are saying in real time,

180

would you even still want to learn English? Is it worth learning? Who knows?

181

Right, I hope you enjoyed this different type of video this

182

unscripted fairly unedited version where I'm talking more naturally in my talking head videos especially less in my vlogs

183

but in my talking head videos all those little fillers I

184

cut out to make it more smooth I want it to be as smooth as possible

185

but that's not how real language talking is is it it's

186

language talking that's not how real language is it's not how everyday languages it's messy

187

which is good celebrate the mess it's going uphill again

188

so i'm going to leave it there i also would love

189

to provoke a discussion in the comment section what do you

190

make of ai i know it is talked to death at the moment

191

so maybe i shouldn't have chosen that as a subject

192

if you did enjoy this style not even like my vlogs um

193

but this raw unedited mainly unscripted type of speaking with no music yeah let me know

194

because they are a lot easier to make let's say okay right thank you for coming with me

195

and I will see you in my next video

📺 Same Channel

Fluent English Without Freezing | 🇬🇧 Shadow This British Conversation Pattern (Small Talk)

Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students

✨ Recommend Video

268 sentences

3 Things That Feel Like Progress But Aren't

Business EnglishDaily ConversationUniversity Students

257 sentences

Is AI About to Change Movies Forever?

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

79 sentences

Can you learn English with AI?

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

152 sentences

8 THINGS EVERY LANGUAGE LEARNER SHOULD DO DAILY

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

409 sentences

I think AI slop is about to trigger a renaissance, actually

Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults

126 sentences

I speak English at native speed

Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults

14 sentences

Video 1

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

46 sentences

You Have to Write Every Day. ChatGPT Won’t Save You.

Daily ConversationWorking Adults

150 sentences

How to Think in English (Stop Translating in Your Head)

Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students

185 sentences

How much REAL English can you understand? (native speed)

Daily ConversationUniversity StudentsWorking Adults

233 sentences

How to Speak English Without Making Grammar Mistakes

Business EnglishDaily ConversationHigh School Students

103 sentences

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

This video has 195 sentences and 2442 words to shadow. The speech runs for 15:03. The speaker talks at a natural 162 words per minute, close to everyday conversation. 83% of the words are among the 3,000 most common in English; the rest is worth studying before you start.

Key vocabulary in this video

15 words from the video worth learning, with pronunciation and meaning:

Word	Pronunciation	Meaning
fiction noun	/ˈfɪkʃən/	Literary type using invented or imaginative writing, instead of real facts, usually written as prose.
critically adverb	/ˈkɹɪt.ɪ.kə.li/	In a critical manner; with, or in terms of, criticism.
topic noun	/ˈtɑpɪk/	A subject; a theme; a category or general area of interest.
smooth adjective	/smuːð/	Having a texture that lacks friction. Not rough.
autumn noun	/ˈɔtəm/	Traditionally the third of the four seasons, when deciduous trees lose their leaves, and temperatures and daylight hours decrease; typically regarded as…
translate verb	/tɹænzˈleɪt/	To change spoken words or written text (of a book, document, movie, etc.) from one language to another.
naturally adverb	/ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/	In a natural manner.
poetry noun	/ˈpoʊ.ə.tɹi/	Literature composed in verse or language exhibiting conscious attention to patterns and rhythm.
scary adjective	/ˈskɛə.ɹi/	Causing fear or anxiety
slip verb	/ˈslɪp/	To lose one’s traction on a slippery surface; to slide due to a lack of friction.
convince verb	/kənˈvɪns/	To make someone believe, or feel sure about something, especially by using logic, argument or evidence.
poet noun	/ˈpoʊ.ət/	A person who writes poems.
communicate verb	/kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/	To impart or transmit (information or knowledge) to someone; to make known, to tell.
undergraduate noun		A student at a university who has not yet received a degree.
advancement noun	/ædˈvæns.mənt/	The act of advancing; promotion to a higher place or dignity

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Word	Meaning
slow down verb	To decelerate.
figure out verb	To come to understand; to discover or find a solution; to deduce.
grow up verb	To mature and become an adult.
miss out verb	To miss an experience or lose an opportunity, etc. that should not be missed.
run down verb	To hit someone with a car or other vehicle and injure or kill them.
walk through verb	To explain (something) to (someone), step by step.

Grammar in this video

The structures the speaker uses most, with the exact words from the video:

Structure	In the video
Conditional sentences if + clause, will/would + verb — a condition and its result	if so i won't make · if someone said oh yes no you'd have
Present perfect have/has + past participle — a past action that still matters now	I've noticed · have started · I've never done
Passive voice be + past participle — the focus is on what happens, not who does it	be translated · can be done · wasn't raised

Pronunciation to watch

The speaker uses 75 contractions and reduced forms, such as I'm, don't, isn't. Say them the short way, as you hear them.

The “th” sounds: smooth /smuːð/, bother /ˈbɑðɚ/, breathe /bɹiːð/, arithmetic /æɹɪθˈmɛtɪk/, truthfully /ˈtɹuːθ.fəl.i/
The “sh” and “zh” sounds: fiction /ˈfɪkʃən/, capture /ˈkæp.(t)ʃɚ/, essentially /ɪˈsɛnʃəli/, interaction /ˌɪn.təˈɹæk.ʃən/, polish /ˈpɑ.lɪʃ/
Long words — get the stress right: critically /ˈkɹɪt.ɪ.kə.li/, naturally /ˈnæt͡ʃ.(ə.)ɹə.li/, communicate /kəˈmjuːnɪkeɪt/, essentially /ɪˈsɛnʃəli/, experiment /ɪkˈspɛɹ.ə.mənt/

How to practise with this video

Listen to the whole video once without speaking and note the words you do not know.
Start at 0.75× speed, shadow it sentence by sentence, then go back to normal speed once it feels easy.
Record yourself and compare with the original, paying attention to words like fiction, critically, topic.

What is the Shadowing Technique?

Shadowing is a science-backed language learning technique originally developed for professional interpreter training and popularized by polyglot Dr. Alexander Arguelles. The method is simple but powerful: you listen to native English audio and immediately repeat it out loud — like a shadow following the speaker with just a 1–2 second delay. Unlike passive listening or grammar drills, shadowing forces your brain and mouth muscles to simultaneously process and reproduce real speech patterns. Research shows it significantly improves pronunciation accuracy, intonation, rhythm, connected speech, listening comprehension, and speaking fluency — making it one of the most effective methods for IELTS Speaking preparation and real-world English communication.

Shadowing technique: read the full step-by-step guide →

Shadowing Practice: What Happens to Language When AI Can Speak for Us? - Learn English Speaking with Video

British People Never Say "I Like you" - They Do This Instead

Learn Real English on a Slow Countryside Walk 🌿

Spend a Day in the Most Beautiful English Village 🇬🇧 (Real British English)

You’re Welcome? Here’s What We Actually Say

Spend a Day With Me in the English Countryside 🇬🇧 | Learn Real English

15 Things British People Secretly Judge You For 🇬🇧

Learn Everyday British English Exploring the British Seaside in Summer 🇬🇧

25 British Phrases Natives Say Every Day (Speak Real English) 🇬🇧

Why Your English Still Doesn't Sound Natural...

Real British Conversations in Bath (England’s Most Beautiful City?) 🇬🇧

Why You Understand English But Can't Speak Fluently

Fluent English Without Freezing | 🇬🇧 Shadow This British Conversation Pattern (Small Talk)

3 Things That Feel Like Progress But Aren't

Is AI About to Change Movies Forever?

Can you learn English with AI?

8 THINGS EVERY LANGUAGE LEARNER SHOULD DO DAILY

I think AI slop is about to trigger a renaissance, actually

I speak English at native speed

Video 1

You Have to Write Every Day. ChatGPT Won’t Save You.

How to Think in English (Stop Translating in Your Head)

How much REAL English can you understand? (native speed)

How to Speak English Without Making Grammar Mistakes

Wild times we live in

Vocabulary and speaking notes for this lesson

Key vocabulary in this video

Phrasal verbs you will hear

Grammar in this video

Pronunciation to watch

How to practise with this video

What is the Shadowing Technique?