Accent Reduction for Foreign Born Professionals
Accent Reduction for Foreign Born Professionals – How to Speak English with Greater Clarity and Confidence
Are you a foreign born professional looking to reduce your accent? Would you like to speak North American English with greater clarity and confidence?
How are accents formed? When we’re young, the muscles we utilize for speaking are more flexible, adapting easily to new speech patterns. This is why children under the age of twelve can often speak two or three languages fluently. By the time most of us reach adolescence, the muscles we use for speaking become less flexible. They form relatively rigid patterns and develop “memories” based on the movements of our native tongue.
An accent occurs when, as adults, we try to speak a new language with our old muscle patterns. For example, if you’re from Singapore (or another foreign country) and speak Mandarin Chinese as your mother tongue, when you speak English you’re actually speaking it with your Mandarin muscle memory. Your muscles are not used to the movements required, and cannot stretch in the directions demanded of your adopted tongue. It is this muscle inflexibility which forms your accent. The greater the pronunciation difference between your mother tongue and English, the more likely you may have an accent.
The good news is that many foreign speakers can experience a dramatic improvement in their English pronunciation. This is usually achieved in about one-hour by practicing specific exercises designed to expand the foreign speaker’s existing muscle patterns. The exercises are different and customized for each foreign speaker, depending on the individual’s native tongue and thickness of accent. The result is often a noticeable reduction of accent and an increase in clarity.
In my private coaching sessions with clients on accent reduction, I often tape record the client’s “old” pronunciation at the start of the session, guide the client through various vocal exercises, and tape the “new” pronunciation towards the end of session. The tape recorder is played back and the client gets to hear the improvement for her- or himself. The smile that often appears on the client’s face as she listens to her own improved English says it all. After the session, the client can progressively internalize the improvement through daily practice of prescribed vocal exercises.
For more information on reducing your accent and improving your North American English pronunciation, please contact me at commsuccess@nipreston.com.
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Preston Ni is a professor of communication studies, Fortune 500 trainer, executive coach, and organizational change consultant. Write to Preston at commsuccess@nipreston.com, and access free resources at www.nipreston.com.
© 2009 by Preston C. Ni. All rights reserved.
