Foreign Accent Defined
Globalization across all industries has opened the door for business professionals to speak and partner with people from all corners of the world. Speaking or listening to someone with an accent is a part of our everyday business and personal lives. What does having an accent mean? An accent is simply a way of speaking shaped by a combination of geography, social class, education, ethnicity and language. Everybody has an accent. There is no such thing as a perfect, neutral or unaccented language. Accents are usually broken into 2 types:
- Regional Accent – distinct form of language spoken in a particular geographical area. For example, Southern draw, Midwestern Twang, or the Boston accent.
- Foreign Accent – occurs when a person speaks one language using some of the rules or sounds of another one. For example, someone who was raised speaking English will sound different than someone who was raised speaking Hindi and learned English as an adult. Often the rules of the learner’s native tongue are transferred to the new language. This creates a very different sound to the native listener’s ear.
Modifying your accent can be accomplished with the help of a qualified speech-language pathologist, like myself. If you struggle to be understood and have to repeat yourself frequently, the ClearlySpeaking Academy for Foreign Accent Modification may be exactly what you need. Register today and receive access to courses to help you speak English fluently, efficiently, and clearly.
Tags: accent modification, accent reduction, foreign accent, online learning