English pronunciation
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Here are some questions and answers about accent/voice change. Learn more about Choosing Your Voice and Milestones in Changing Your Voice.

Why Learn the American Dialect?

Why do people have accents?

  1. People pronounce several key sounds differently, such as R, L, Th, T or vowels like A or I. These sound differences are based on region or native language.
  2. They learned the British style of English rather than the American style. 

  3. They learned English overseas. This usually means that another second-language speaker, someone with an accent, served as the teacher.

  4. People who struggle with accents are typically visual learners. Visual learners depend on spellings which can be very unreliable in American English.

  5. They believe they will always have an accent and so never learn some of the rules of American English that polish speaking skills.

    People who come to America as adults and easily drop the accent tend to be highly social and naturally enjoy mimicking the way that others speak. People who come as children, before about age twelve, usually do not develop accents.

Can people truly change their voices?

The voice is basically made up of sounds and rhythmic patterns. These things may seem difficult, but they can be altered with commitment and practice. All of my students have reported positive feedback from family or coworkers. It is also helpful to remember that actors learn many accents: anyone can change the way they see the language and thereby improve clarity of speech.

How long does it take to see a difference?

This depends on the place where the person begins. Advanced speakers who enjoy social occassions and speak frequently 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. Others need a year or more. 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.

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