Accent Coaching: Dispelling Common Myths
Accent Coaching is a valuable process that helps many people speak with greater clarity and confidence. Despite its benefits, many misconceptions persist as to what accent coaching is all about. In this blog, we’ll address some of these misconceptions and shed light on the true purpose and process of accent training.
Myth #1: Having an accent – any kind of accent – is bad
Having an accent isn’t necessarily a ‘bad’ thing! In fact, your accent says something about you and your identity. If you have an accent, it may mean that you’re well-traveled or that you’ve lived in more than one country. Your accent is part of your life story, which makes you who you are.
However, a strong or heavy accent can prevent others from understanding you, and interfere with your ability to communicate effectively. A strong accent can also distract the listener and detract from your message. The goal in accent training is to make sure that one’s accent is not a barrier to communication, and that people don’t pay more attention to your accent than they do to your message. Everyone should be able to communicate successfully and with confidence.
Myth #2: Accent reduction training means completely eliminating my accent
The objective in accent training is not to get rid of an accent! Each language has its own unique inventory of speech sounds and its own set of intonation rules and patterns. When we learn a new language as an adult, we typically apply rules from our native language, rules that don’t always work well in our new language. Accent training is about learning the accent rules and patterns of our new language and incorporating them in our speech.
However, people don’t completely “forget” the accent patterns of their native language, and the good news is that it isn’t necessary. The goal in accent training is to communicate successfully, so that others understand us and can focus on our message. Communicating effectively is key to confidence in social and professional interactions.
Myth #3: Accent training will cause you to lose your identity
You will not lose your identity! Learning to speak with a more American accent is like learning any other skill. At AccentAccurate, you will learn how to pronounce American English speech sounds more accurately, and you will also learn how to incorporate the rules and patterns of American intonation in your speech. But using these newly acquired accent rules and patterns will always be your choice.
Our goal at AccentAccurate is for our clients to speak confidently and connect authentically. When you communicate effectively, you’re able to share your values, culture and many additional things that are related (or unrelated) to your identity with others.
Myth #4: Accent training is a quick fix
Accent training is not a quick fix! Just like learning many other skills, modifying an accent requires high quality instruction, the commitment to attend sessions consistently, and a willingness to complete home practice assignments between sessions.
A high-quality accent training program is not about having random words in your speech corrected or modeled for you by your coach. Rather, it involves learning and gaining an understanding as to the principles of American English accent and pronunciation, and then integrating them into your daily communication. Accent training is not a quick fix, but as many can attest, it is well worth the effort!
Myth #5: It’s no big deal, I can find an app or website for help with my accent
There are many things you can learn via apps, websites, or YouTube videos, including some accent-related concepts. That said, working with a trained accent coach offers distinct advantages, as they can assess your speech patterns and provide personalized guidance as to which accent and pronunciation errors are most important for you to modify, and how to do so. Additionally, an accent coach will provide you with personalized feedback, which is essential for integrating new speech patterns into your everyday communication.
Myth #6: It’s not possible to modify an accent later in life
True, children learn differently than adults, and many children who learn a new language will be able to speak it with little to no foreign accent. But adults who are motivated to modify their accent, regardless of their age, can learn the accent rules and patterns of American English as well. How successful people are in doing so will depend on a number of factors, including how motivated they are, how much time they devote to practicing their newly acquired accent skills, how consistently they attend their accent sessions, how individualized the program is to their needs, and more.
Myth #7: Accent coaching is just about learning how to pronounce difficult sounds, such as the /th/ or the /r/ sounds
When people think about an accent, they often focus on the pronunciation of consonants that are unique to the English language, such as the “th” sound (as in “think” or “this”) or the “r” sound (as in “rain” or “car”). Yet, vowels actually carry more information than consonants. Although we have only 5 vowel letters in written English, we have over 20 vowels sounds in spoken English (depending on how you count). Learning to recognize and accurately pronounce the vowel sounds in English is often times a key focus of accent training.
Another important area to focus on is intonation, which refers to the use of pitch, stress and rhythm in our speech. Similar to vowels, intonation also carries a great deal of information and is therefore another important area of focus in accent training.
Accent coaching is not a quick fix! Learning the patterns of American English accent and pronunciation is challenging, but with the right approach, you can make significant progress. Remember, the goal is to communicate clearly and successfully, and with practice, you can achieve that.
Looking for an accent coach to help you with your American-English accent? Get in touch!
