Speakmethod.com: Learn English Pronunciation
Here are some questions and answers about accent/voice change. Learn more: A Brief History of American English Pronunciation, Choosing Your Voice and Milestones in Changing Your Voice.
Why learn standard American English pronunciation?
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Accents can be beautiful and
many Americans enjoy diverse culture. You want to reduce your accent if
you have daily difficulties on the phone or in your career.
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Understanding the rules of standard American English pronunciation can help you feel more
confident. Even if you do not use them all the time, you can use them
for important moments.
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American
English is a very relaxed language. Knowing the
pronunciation rules helps you to understand the differences between formal and informal speech.
Why
do people have
accents?
All
languages use different sound groups. The sounds give each language its
character. Languages are never complete--they change with the lives of
the people who speak them. Because it is not always easy to tell the
difference between a dialect and a language, the number of languages in
the world is estimated to be between 3,000 and 8,000.
Rather
than thinking about having an accent or not, it may be more beneficial
to realize that English has many forms depending on where it is
spoken. There is standard American English, New Jersey American
English, Texan American English, British English, Brazilian English,
Indian English, Chinese English and so on.
People
have accents because they do not study the pronunciation
differences of the region--or they have not yet had time for
this. A few people, those with naturally excellent listening
skills, will mimic the speakers around them and blend in with seeming
effortlessness. They are the few, however. Most people need to learn
the new rules. (Only children, generally 12 and younger, adapt to new pronunciations easily.)
Can
people
truly change their voices?
The
voice is basically made up of sounds and rhythmic patterns.
These can be altered
with commitment. All of my students have reported
positive feedback from family or coworkers. I provide daily practice
exercises that target the sound groups each student needs most. If you
practice, you will certainly improve.
How
long does it
take to reduce an accent?
This
depends on the place where the
person begins. Advanced speakers may require only one to three months. People with heavier
accents need about 6 months of concentrated effort to have
long-lasting accent change. This should be followed by a reduced
level of effort, such as a review once or twice a month. Accents do tend to come back when people are under
stress. This
sometimes causes people to think that speech work is useless.
However, a backslide can be corrected by reviewing the rules and
renewing the effort.
Should ESL learners study pronunciation?
Of
course! It is unfortunate that many English as a Second Language
classes do not stress pronunciation enough. The sooner you learn
pronunciation rules, the better.
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Speakmethod.com: Learn English Pronunciation, Seattle, WA