So Many American Dialects to Choose From

Along with understanding the language, one must also understand English has hundreds of different accents and dialects. These accents and dialects vary based on different countries, social classes, or even different regions within a country. If you are planning on, or you are in the process of, learning English, you may be curious about which dialect you should be learning. A dialect is distinguished by varying features of vocabulary, grammar, and pronunciation. The video below is an entertaining way to look at how people use different vocabulary words to express the same action or object and how a person who isn’t familiar with the word or phrase may be confused or surprised.

Think About – Where Will I Use My English?

Although there are more socially acceptable dialects, such as the Midwestern or broadcast-related dialect, there is not an exact form you are required to learn. There may be, however, some factors you may want to take into consideration when you decide to learn English using a particular dialect. These factors may include:

• Who are you mostly communicating with on a daily basis?
• Where are you living or planning to live?
• What is the dialect spoken by your co-workers?
• Will you be speaking English for business, social, or both?

It would be in your best interest to learn the dialect which is most commonly used in your daily life, workplace, ethnicity, and geographic location. Keep in mind, if you plan to learn American English outside of the U.S., you might learn a less accepted dialect, so choose your accent or dialect teacher carefully. Learning English is an important step to successful communication, especially for business.  If you aren’t in Chicago, then we suggest our ever popular one-on-one online accent reduction classes.  Widely used, you can take our classes from the privacy of your own home or office from anywhere in the world.

Many of our clients at Accent Pros have advanced degrees and have excellent command of the English language.  Even so, they sometimes don’t understand the slang language or idioms used by native American speakers.  Based on popular demand, here are some additional common idioms to consider this week.  Misunderstanding or misusing idioms is a caused by a dialect difference and is common for both foreign and regional speakers of American English.

Can’t Hold a Candle To

Definition: to be a poor imitation of someone or something.

Example: Stouffer’s ravioli may claim to be the best tasting frozen entree, but it can’t hold a candle to Maggiano’s ravioli.

Origin: Apprentices were expected to hold candles aloft so that their superiors could carry out their work duties. Those who were unable to hold candles were subjected to scorn and ridicule. The phrase was first used in William Norris’ 1883 work No New Thing, “Edith is pretty, very pretty; but she can’t hold a candle to Nellie.”

Chew the Fat

Definition: To talk excessively about irrelevant things.

Example: “Every time I see Jason online he wants to chew the fat about his car issues.”

Origin: The phrase first appeared in an 1885 publication from India entitled The Life in the Ranks of the British Army, used to describe how senior officers would commiserate with their subordinates about general army difficulties, eventually picking up enough credibility to be included in the 1891 British reference text Slang and Its Analogues by John Farmer and William Henley.

In the 20th century it’s use began to spread in the United States, still retaining its military origins, before further proliferation caused its current meaning. A variation of this phrase, chew the rag, appeared in the Random House Historical Dictionary of American Slang, circa 1876, “Gents, I could chew the rag hours on end, just spilling out the words and never know no more than a billy-goat what I’d been saying.” Later British versions of the phrase still referenced military banter; therefore, “chewing the fat” is likely an American creation.

Close but No Cigar

Definition: When one comes close to achieving a set goal but ultimately fails despite giving a good effort.

Example:  ”I’ve lost count of how many times I’ve told Kyle he’s never going to beat my high score in Pac-Man if he doesn’t learn to use the warp tunnels. He came up about 50,00 points short in this latest effort. Close but no cigar.”

Origin: In the 1940′s and 50′s fair booths offered cigars as prizes to entice passersby into playing a myriad of games, including the now well known test of strength challenge where players swing a sledge hammer in an effort to propel a weight high enough to ring a bell at the top of the structure. If players came up just short in their efforts, booth owners would utter “Close, but no cigar”

Want More Idioms?

Accent Pros has a continuing series on common English phrases and American Idioms.  Be sure to check out other blog posts to find your favorites and learn how to pronounce them with standard American English.  Ready for an accent reduction tutorial or for a complimentary accent evaluation?  Check out the available personable on-line courses for accent reduction students all over the world.

Much research has been completed in the field of aging and the ability of the body to adapt both physically and mentally as its various systems decline, but only recently have researchers begun to address the question of whether or not older adults have a more difficult time understanding accented speech compared to younger adults.

In 2004, the team of Shah, Schmidt, Goral, and Obler set out to determine whether age truly affects the brain’s ability to process accented speech. Previous research had revealed only a minor difference in the way older and younger minds processed accented speech and this evidence was deemed too inconsistent to draw any broad conclusions.

The Brain’s Innate Preference for Unaccented Speech

Shah and her colleagues established 2 groups of older and younger adults and asked them to recite specially formulated groups of sentences, delivered to them by separate speakers, one with a native English accent and the other with a mild Croatian accent. The older adult group had an average age of 75.7, whereas the average age of the young adult group was 21. Overall, there was a noticeable difference in both groups’ accuracy in repeating sentences by a native speaker versus an accented speaker, 92.69 versus 65.3 percent respectively.

Most surprising was how older adults demonstrated a dramatically lower than expected aptitude for the sentences spoken by the native English accented speaker compared to younger adults. The unbalanced nature of these results caused the researchers to speculate that because both groups used for the experiment were relatively small in comparison to similar studies, one individual performance could have unfairly impacted the average score for the older adult group, bringing it up to a deceptively higher number. Another explanation was that the sentences themselves were too difficult for everyone involved and therefore there was little chance of a score more representative of the elder group’s handling of accented speech.

Don’t Underestimate the Capabilities of a Seasoned Mind

Age may be used by older adults as a justification for why they can’t do or use something, in a sense becoming a defense mechanism. However with regards to accent assimilation there is no evidence to suggest that advancing age drastically affects one’s ability to comprehend accented speech. Mental slowdown that does occur is merely a result of typical aging and not a diminished capacity for language.  Should we assume that regardless of our age, most of us have a much more difficult time comprehending someone who speaks with a different accent than our own?  To determine your ability to hear the sounds of Standard American English, use the complimentary accent tutorials offered by Accent Pros.

It’s All in the Listening

In order to speak with proper English pronunciation, it may be helpful to listen to various forms of English audio, such as audio books, movies, television, and radio. Utilizing the closed captions on television programs and movies can help you understand the words spoken.  If in the U.S., you will also notice the more you speak with those around you, the more you will pick up on the accent and dialects used. Try to pay attention to the speech of the people you work with, the people you interact with, and even the people having conversations with others.  

After paying attention to how words and phrases are pronounced, you can practice saying them out loud. It will benefit you to practice saying these words and phrases over and over again until you start pronouncing them correctly. While listening to these common words and phrases, also pay attention to any pauses used throughout the sentence, the intonation of the speaker’s voice, and the stress or emphasis that is put on particular parts of the words or sentences.

Listening to the sounds of an individual who speaks with proper English pronunciation will definitely assist you in being able to discriminate among different sounds as well as give you the opportunity to attempt repeating these sounds. Learning to speak or improve your standard American English pronunciation on your own can be a difficult task. Sure, you have the opportunity to hear how words and phrases are pronounced, and you can also try to imitate these sounds, but you may not be able to determine if the sounds you are mimicking are completely accurate. This is where receiving help from an accent reduction specialist would be to your benefit.

Listen How to Pronounce Colors in English

Accent reduction specialists focus on the individual sounds that you need to work on and they will provide you with helpful feedback from your initial accent evaluation. They will also provide you with the necessary tools, instructions, and practice exercises to assist you in your goal of speaking with standard American English pronunciation. Instead of being unsure about the way you are pronouncing English words and phrases, seek training from a certified accent reduction specialist who can provide you with 100% honest feedback and lasting results.

After nearly getting trampled during his New York City Brooklyn bridge commercial shoot last month, the gecko decided to recuperate from this traumatic experience by spending a couple of weeks in Chicago, taking in a game from the Wrigley Field bleachers and taste testing Gino’s East pizza.

The Gecko was heckled relentlessly throughout the game by some bleacher bums who claimed they couldn’t understand his accent, however he seems to have some support.  One longtime season ticket holder remarked, ”I always thought he just read cue cards and looked unassuming in those commercials, but he’s actually fairly intelligent and I think he could teach economics at my son’s high school. I’m just worried the biology department would kidnap and dissect him in the name of science.” 

Last week, the dejected gecko showed up at Accent Pros’ offices in the Hancock Building begging us to help him speak with a standard American accent and talk like a true Chicagoan. With only one day of accent training, the gecko developed a Chicago accent with a twist. Check it out for yourself.

Animals in Marketing

The Geico gecko and Aflac duck are the two foremost examples of an animal mascot being used to sell products. A study on brand recognition discovered that children as young as three are able to quickly identify and retain information in ads if an animal is somehow involved with the advertising.  Therefore the earlier in a consumer’s life a company can make an impression the more likely they will buy a product. The gecko was born out of sheer necessity in 1999 when a screen actors guild strike prohibited the use if live actors.

When he first appeared, the gecko was voiced by Kelsey Grammer with a roughened British accent and a frantic personality to match, as the gecko called a press conference to insist customers stop calling him after confusing the words “gecko” and “Geico”.

In subsequent commercials, steps were taken to find a voice actor who could make the gecko sound approachable with a sense of authority. Dan Kelly portrayed the gecko with a British Australian accent, whereas the current actor Jake Wood has a Cockney accent. Geico representatives believe this accent works because it goes against the high-pitched voice people expect when they see a talking animal on TV. Despite sidestepping one stereotype, the gecko is often mistakenly thought to have a pure Australian English accent.

If you would like to learn more about how to talk like a Chicagoan or if you live in Chicago and want to learn how to reduce your accent, we here at Accent Pros offer classes in the Hancock building, Naperville and support clients worldwide through our on-line one-on-one interactive personal accent reduction training sessions via skype or other online video conferencing tools.

If you are a foreign speaker who decides to learn English from someone who speaks the same native tongue as you, particular sounds and rhythms of the native tongue will most likely be carried into the new language. Although you may be receiving the information required to be able to communicate with native English speakers, you will still lack the true sound of a native English speaker. The variations in accents derive from particular sounds existing in one language but not in another.

This may be an issue of personal preference in teaching and learning styles, and one should obviously choose to learn a new language in the way that suits him or her best. However, when it involves learning the proper, standard, American English pronunciation, it would be most beneficial to seek help from a qualified speech-language pathologist who specializes in accent reduction classes and is already a professional, native English speaker.

Learning Second Languages from Native Speakers

A study was conducted on how well students learn second languages from teachers who speak with accents similar to their own, and the results suggested students have an easier time understanding new material from a teacher with the same accent. This was primarily due to the students not having to spend time trying to understand the English in a different accent. For example, Hispanic individuals studying English would find it easier to learn from a teacher with a Spanish accent.

This may be the case when it involves learned a second language, but learning the correct pronunciation of a language would be most beneficial to learn from a native English speaker. Even though the study suggested otherwise, many people who have had to learn English as a new language have voiced their opinions. The majority of them believed learning a new language from a native speaker would be most beneficial. This way, not only would you receive the proper education in learning the new language, but you would also be hearing everything taught to you in the correct pronunciation.

If you are a professional seeking assistance on how to properly speak Standard American English to become a stronger asset to your classroom or organization.  Accent Pros offers a wide variety of language speaking tutorials in over fifty languages to help you.  Take advantage of our free accent screening to see how we can best help you achieve your classroom goals.

Common American English Phrases 

Jump on the Bandwagon

Basic Definition: The act of doing what everyone else is doing simply because it is popular.

Example sentence: I decided to jump on the bandwagon and buy a Ford Focus since most of my coworkers already  had one.

Origin of Jump on the Bandwagon: Circus owner P.T. Barnum invented the term “bandwagon” to describe the horse drawn vessel that carried his circus band from town to town, as first depicted in Barnum’s 1855 autobiography, The Life of P.T. Barnum, Written by Himself. Barnum would orchestrate elaborate parades in public areas which would invariably attract the attention of the masses, a technique soon adopted by politicians on the campaign trail. Teddy Roosevelt is believed to be the person responsible for giving the phrase universal applicability when remarked in his 1899 piece Letters, “When I once became sure of one majority they tumbled over each other to get aboard the bandwagon”. Roosevelt’s imagery of individuals literally falling over one another to support whomever they believe best represents their beliefs in a perfect illustration of how quickly human conviction can erode without support from others, as well as the desperate lengths they will go to avoid feeling cognitive dissonance

On the Ball

Basic Definition: A form of praise regarding someone’s preparedness or alertness.

Example sentence: Over the years Matthew has talked me out of investing in plenty of stocks that seemed invincible but ended up failing. He’s always on the ball.

Origin of On the ball: During the earliest days of organized baseball journalists and broadcasters urged batters to stay “on the ball” so as to not be deceived by the many pitches that were being devised at the time by pitchers, either through the use of pure talent or by “doctoring” the ball, rubbing it with a foreign substance to induce added movement. The late movement was especially noticeable on curveballs, sliders and other pitches that broke just before entering the batter’s hitting zone. In addition to sports the phrase is mainly used in a business context to describe people who are able to foresee unexpected outcomes and change course at a moment’s notice.

Jump the Shark

Basic Definition: The point at which a popular, normally long running TV show, book series or otherwise established piece of popular culture enters an irreversible period of decline, either because the initial concept or nature if the series has been radically changed to prolong its marketability or because the audience has stopped caring about it as they once did. Determining exactly why or when something jumps the shark is totally subjective and often a point of contention among fans and critics.

Example sentence: Both Audiences and critics seem to agree that The Office has jumped the shark since Steve Carell left the cast.

Origin of Jump the Shark:  The phrase derives from a three part Happy Days episode in which The Fonz character played by Henry Winker literally waterski jumps over a shark on a dare. The episode ran during the series’ fifth season and although the series lasted another 6 years, ultimately going off the air in 1984, this action would come to define the show for many in retrospect. Serving as a clear sign that the writers were out of original ideas that fit well with the shows premise and characters and were now more than willing to embrace outlandish stunts to keep the audience’s attention. The phrase is now exclusively part of US lexicon and is frequently used by TV columnists and fans as a shorthanded way of expressing that some aspect of the show, or perhaps the show itself,, is failing to live up to previously high standards.

Trouble Understanding Each Other?

Problems with communicating can frequently lead to problems with dating. If your communication difficulties lead to avoiding social interaction, frustration from having to constantly repeat yourself, low self-esteem, or people focusing more on your accent than the content you are trying to express, this may very well have a negative effect on your dating life.

There is a solution available; however, to affect your dating life in a positive manner – accent reduction classes. With the instruction and guidance of a certified speech-language pathologist who specializes in accent reduction, you have the opportunity to learn to speak with a standard American accent and be on your way to a more successful social life.

The improvement of your standard American accent and the confidence you will gain from receiving this kind of training will make way for many more opportunities in your social life, and especially in your dating life.

Accent reduction training will positively affect your dating life in ways including:

• A boost in confidence when speaking

• More of a will to communicate with others

• An ability to communicate equally with a similar standard American accent

• Others will be interested more in what you are saying than how you are saying it

Speaking with a neutral accent is a method to open the communication doorway between you both.  Accent Pros can’t help you with dating advice, but we can help you speak American English with a standard American accent.

The great vowel shift refers to a period roughly from the twelfth century to the eighteenth century in England when all of the long vowels in English were raised–with the most substantial development coming in the 15th and 16th centuries–creating a drastic shift away from the pronunciation methods found in middle English.

Origins of the Vowel Shift

Many linguists believe France’s ruling of England during the Hundred Years’ War (1337-1453) inspired the English to differentiate their pronunciation from the French in an act of defiance, thus creating a modern standard. A counter theory by Matthew Giancarlo in Seth Lerner’s book Inventing English: a portable history of the language, hypothesizes this standardization came through social conditioning. Consequently, the vowel shift itself is seen as one of many possible dialects that could’ve been adopted during this period and ultimately may have been adopted to meet the needs of an increasingly print oriented society.

Articulation Points of English Words

The vowel shift did not affect short vowels; however each of the long vowels–classified as either low, mid, high or back depending on where they are pronounced in the mouth–moved up a pronunciation class. For instance low vowels became mid vowels and high vowels became diphthongs, a syllable containing two distinct vowel sounds. Back vowels were also moved forward, infringing on the pronunciation space of other vowel groupings until both front and back vowels were pronounced similarly. Latin etymologies served as a basis for the respelling of a plethora of English words. In some instances the pronunciation of a given word was modified to phonetically reflect the new spelling, while other written words retained one or more silent constants. These changes necessitated the construction of a modern alphabet which diverged from Latin.

How the Vowel Shift Impacted Spelling

Although the shift encompassed all of Britain and eventually the world, the transition to modern English occurred at varying speeds . The dialects which once defined a given area faded away as the London standard dialect gained traction with the advent of print. Modern English also spread throughout the world on account of Britain’s colonization and trade efforts and previously foreign words from Spain, Portugal and the Netherlands were integrated into English. This flexibility was not present in Old English, characterized by a lack of word endings and a dependency upon rough translations for foreign words. Printers in different areas had contradictory pronunciation guidelines, leading to many English words being spelled non-phonetically.

Are you a business professional trying to improve your communication?  Do vowels cause you frustration and confusion?  When you are ready to get rid of your accent, Accent Pros can help find the best accent reduction training program suitable for you and your lifestyle.  Please take our Free Accent Screening to determine the severity of your foreign accent and examples of what you could do in order to speak with an American accent.

Learn the Symbols

Before you actually begin speaking the sounds, it is important to first be able to recognize all the different sounds and be able to discriminate among them. Once you learn which phonetic symbols are associated with particular sounds, you can start practicing the sounds on their own (in isolation), followed by practicing the sounds in words, then in sentences, and ultimately in more challenging speaking formats.

Understanding the International Phonetic Alphabet

Understanding the IPA symbols and their associated sounds will also come in handy when you are unsure of a pronunciation of a particular word. Dictionary.com contains the phonetic breakdown of every word, making it a bit easier for you to learn and even contains audio samples for words, giving you a pronunciation you can hear. This is a great way to practice as it makes for fewer mistakes in your pronunciation when you can actually hear and imitate the correct sounds. The dictionary may contain the phonetic transcription and pronunciation of a word you search, but it does not provide you with a list of the most commonly used English words and phrases.

Examples of Common English Phrases

As you communicate more frequently with native English speakers, you may be able to pick up on certain phrases more commonly used than others. For example, you may recognize some of the common English phrases in the video below.

Common English Phrases in the Workplace

You may also notice particular phrases more commonly used among your colleagues.. The video below provides you with examples of some expressions you can expect to hear around the workplace.

 Practice Makes Perfect

 If you are looking to learn and practice thousands of commonly used English words and phrases, you can visit englishspeak.com.  This website gives you the opportunity to hear thousands of the most common words and phrases used in the English language, and it is also a great way for you to practice speaking with more of a Standard American Accent. When you are ready to seriously learn how to speak better English and get rid of your accent, Accent Pros can help find the best accent reduction training program suitable to you and your lifestyle. Until then, practice, practice and more practice.

Hearing the American Accent is the First Step

When first beginning an American accent tutorial, you should strive to hear sounds accurately by developing the ability to differentiate between to or more different sounds. You can do this by asking a friend or relative to help you with this exercise. Log in to our free accent tutorials and while you are not looking, have someone click on an individual sound. To test yourself, write down the letter you believe to be associated with that sound. This will help you determine which sounds you know and which sounds still need to be learned. Once you achieve 80% accuracy in naming the sounds you hear, you should be ready to start practicing them out loud.

Our tutorial offers a number of different languages to choose from and you should select your native language.  In each tutorial, we list the sounds typically most problematic for others who speak the same language. Once you determine which sounds you should begin to improve, you can get started. Because vowels are a bit more difficult to learn than consonants, you may want to begin with the consonant sounds.

Voice and Voiceless Consonants – Does this impact an American Accent?

There are both voiced (produced when vocal folds vibrate) and unvoiced (produced without vocal fold vibration) consonants. It is recommended you start by learning the voiceless, and most tutorials should separate all consonants by voiced and voiceless. When you feel your voiceless consonants have improved, you can move on to voiced consonants. Practice all sounds by first saying them over and over again on their own and then eventually try using them in words and sentences. The same advice goes for vowels. If there is ever a time you feel unsure about how you are positioning your articulators (lips, tongue, teeth) to produce a particular sound, use the video sample provided.

Overall, American accent tutorials are great tools for helping you reduce your foreign accent and improve your American English. As long as you know the basics of where you should begin, as well as understand how to maneuver throughout the tutorial steps, they should be fairly simple to use. If you still feel you need further assistance, seek training from an accent reduction specialist. He or she will help you reduce you accent even more and provide you with one-on-one attention, useful tools, helpful feedback, and significant results in speaking with more of a standard American accent.

• Some linguists have advocated for an interpretation of the dialect map which doesn’t make clear distinctions between midland territories and instead uses the generalized terms north and south.

The cot/caught vowel merger causing both of these words to be pronounced similarly in the western and eastern part of the country has not completely taken hold in the Midwest, where each sound is distinct. This is an integral feature present in the Northern cities vowel shift as it continues to progress along the east coast of the country, thus preventing  the merger from becoming universal across all American dialects.

• Northern shift speakers enunciate the short /a/ sound by placing the tongue near the front of the mouth, also utilizing this same procedure for the short /o/. Dialects that feature the merger pronounce this sound near the back of the throat.

Both the New York and Boston American accents are influenced by received pronunciation of the non-rhotic British accent. Therefore the [r] sound is dropped at the end of all words in which it appears unless followed immediately by a vowel.  These dialects also add an intrusive r when a word ending in a high vowel is followed consecutively by a vowel. 

• The elongated diphthong vowels in these dialects may come off with an unintended abrasiveness to those more accustomed with the mid-western accent for instance. Note how the /r/ sound is dropped on the words “parked” and” car” in  this councilman’s Boston accent.
• Similar to the traditional southern accent, the New York accent has begun to wane in certain areas due to a population shift involving  people from out of state, while some younger children and teens have dropped the accent altogether, either because it is not spoken among their peers or they have made a conscious decision to avoid speaking like their family members.
• There is  a perception that the new York accent varies slightly amongst its 5 boroughs. However as this video illustrates, diphthong vowels and pronounced similarly throughout the city, regardless if they are mainly pronounced in the throat or through the nose.

If you want to learn the standard American accent and you speak with a foreign accent you may want to consider private accent reduction training.  It will provide you with individualized attention as well as the tools, guidance, and feedback you would need to speak with the most neutral American accent.

To these Miami natives, they themselves do not have an accent, but to many outsiders, they do have particular pronunciation patterns. These outsiders who hear the Miami accent sometimes say it sounds similar to a Spanish or Cuban accent, however, it is really neither of the two. According to Norene Bini, a dialogue and dialect coach in Miami, the Miami accent does exist and “it’s a cadence, a rhythm that’s superimposed on the English language that is borrowed from Spanish-speaking, even if they’re not speakers of Spanish.”

Whether these natives grew up in Spanish-speaking homes or have been surrounded by Spanish speakers their whole lives, they have developed a way of speaking that incorporates Spanish pronunciation rules with American English. For example, some Miami speakers will utilize a rolled “r” sound in place of a standard American “r” in words such as throw or truck. The differences in pronunciation all stem from differences in movement of the primary articulators (lips, tongue and teeth).

Miami Accent Similar to Spanish Cuban Accent, but Not Really

As the case is for hundreds of regions and social classes across the country, Miami speakers also use particular dialects. An individual may find slang spoken on the streets of Miami and a completely different style of speech spoken on the beach or at clubs and bars. Dialect is all involved with the speaking style and vocabulary used during everyday speech. A myriad of accent dialects are found throughout the Miami, Florida area and surrounding cities.  Some accents are barely noticeable, whereas others are almost unintelligible.

Like other regions throughout the country, Miami is one containing a particular accent and dialects from those who have resided there for quite some time. It doesn’t matter where you live or where you’re from, everyone has an accent or a particular style of speaking. The Miami accent and dialect is just one example of the many that exist. If you have a strong regional accent or dialect and you would like to learn to reduce your accent, try out our free accent reduction tutorials today in over fifty languages, or contact us to speak with an accent reduction specialist to help you meet your own speech goals.

English – The Global Business Language

The English language has become the universal mode of communication used throughout the world, and this is why at least knowing the basics of it will help you function more easily in today’s society.

Learning American English can benefit an individual in a number of ways, some including:

• Improvement of communication skills
• Receiving information and knowledge non-English speakers are unable to obtain
• Gain of confidence
• More career opportunities
• More entertainment opportunities (films, books, movies, etc…)
• Traveling experiences become easier

Although learning the English language will be a challenge, it is possible for anyone to do. There are particular steps one should take in learning to speak American English, just as there are steps in learning to do anything new. First off, it is important to strengthen your English vocabulary so you can understand instruction as well as words people will be using during your daily interactions. Once you feel confident in using basic English vocabulary, you should begin to focus on the basic grammar aspect of American English.

Learning American English – Where to Start

In order to catch on to the grammar concept in the most efficient way possible, one should first consider practicing the repeating of correct sentences. This way, you won’t be overwhelmed with too many rules and logic. This is, after all, the way children first learn to speak – they listen to their parents and mimic what they say, then they learn to read and write. The truth is, even most English speakers don’t know all the technical rules of grammar. They key to learning the English language is memorization. When you have memorized what you want to express, you will say it without hesitation. When you first begin the learning process, start with words and phrases and you will eventually be able to move to sentences.

Once you feel comfortable with using speech that is commonly used in American English you will want to become familiar with the basics of grammar. These basics include not only knowing what subjects, verbs, predicated, and articles are, but knowing when and where to use each of them when speaking. If you feel like you have the basics of American English down, but you still have a foreign accent while speaking, you have the option of seeing an accent reduction specialist. He or she will provide you with all the necessary tools you would need to improve your pronunciation and become one step closer to speaking true American English with a true standard American accent.

Free Accent Language Tutorials from Accent Pros

Difference Between Rhotic and Non-Rhotic

Rhotic accents pronounce the hard /r/ sound at the end of words such as “car”, and all other places in which the letter [r] appears in each word. Non-rhotic accents do not emphasize this sound unless it appears at the beginning of a word or when followed by a vowel.

The upper class, in Southern England, initiated a movement which permanently changed the standard British accent by speaking in a non-rhotic manner.  This gained universal acceptance among Brittan’s high society and infiltrated regional dialects. The majority of American Accents retain their rhotic quality.

What Dialects Started the American Accent

After the United States won independence from Britain, American Accents emerged in the 1700′s combining British English, non-English language phrases and slang terms to create four distinct dialect regions. These include – The Puritans, Royalists, Quakers, and The Scots-Irish.

The Puritans maintained a level of respect for British English; therefore, the New England American dialect and its New York variation are characterized by the pronunciation of caught and bought with an O instead of an A, and an avoidance of the letter R when it is found at the end of words, similar to non-rhotic British speech.

America’s first generation of children spoke with an accent and dialect heavily influenced by their parent’s speech patterns. In modern society, a child’s accent develops first from influence from their parents, but more so by their local classmates, friends, and regional American dialects which have evolved since the 1700’s. There are numerous examples of children born in the United States who develop an American accent despite influence from parents who speak English with a foreign accent.

Research indicates there are between three and twenty-four officially recognized American dialects, although many of the small towns and communities within each dialect region have attributes unique to itself.

If you want to learn the standard American accent and you speak with a foreign accent you may want to consider private accent reduction training.  It will provide you with individualized attention as well as the tools, guidance, and feedback you would need to speak with the most neutral American accent.

How Can Accent Reduction Classes Help?

Once executives are confident their foreign accent will no longer negatively affect them, they can focus on important issues such as: the message they want to impart upon individual clients, and answers to potential client questions.

English is the international language of business. Many individuals in business share a love of sports. When American business people inadvertently speak using American sports idioms, international clients are sometimes confused.

 Many Americans assume the idioms can be understood throughout the world and pepper their speech with them, thinking they will be more persuasive than straightforward language. Actually, foreign executives are usually unfamiliar with these terms and they serve as another barrier to effective communication.

Accent reduction courses provide executives with a working understanding of American business idioms such as  ”Covering all the bases” and “Step up to the plate”.  Similarly, most Americans do not have a working understanding of the British and Australian sports related idioms, which have crossed over into each respective business language.

How Can They Get Away With Discrimination?

•  Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects individuals from discrimination by their employers, based on their accent. Unfortunately, this branch of protection does not extend to employer hiring practices.
   
•   Some employers make judgments about an applicant’s intellect, qualifications and communication if the applicant speaks with an American accent that is not native to the region, or uses terms from an alternate American dialect when answering questions.

In a survey of over 5,000 employers and staff members by the recruitment firm Peninsula, sixty-three percent of the respondents used accent modification methods during interviews because they feared being discriminated against if they spoke in their normal accent. Corporate executives who have taken accent reduction classes themselves, most  likely will not let a potential employee’s accent influence their hiring decision.

Accent reduction training is becoming more common among people across the world who want or need to improve their standard American accent. There are a number of different reasons an individual may want to reduce his or her foreign accent.

One reason that has been growing drastically over the years is the desire to gain more of an American accent for work-related purposes. Whether you are an employee who wants to earn a promotion or an individual who is interviewing for an important position, it is increasingly important to have a clear, American accent in order to be considered for the opportunities you are seeking.

If you are a corporate executive with a foreign accent, you may exhibit the following feelings:

• Misunderstood by co-workers and clients
• Self conscious when speaking in front of a group
• Your accent decreases your opportunities for professional advancement
• You are not comfortable in certain social contexts

How Accent Reduction Can Help Enrich Your Career

If any of these feelings pertained to the way you feel at work, there is a solution. Accent reduction specialists can teach you to reduce your foreign accent by training you to speak with a standard American accent. Enrolling yourself in an accent reduction course is guaranteed to improve your American accent and will lead to significant benefits and advantages including (but not limited to):

• An increase in self-confidence
• Enhanced social interactions
• More opportunities for professional advancement
• Reduction of misunderstandings from listeners

The stronger your confidence level is, the more courage you will possess to speak up in important business meetings. This will influence people to become more engaged in what you have to say, as well as influence your superiors to consider you for better, professional opportunities. Often times, accent reduction training is even sponsored by the company if you are willing to put forth the effort to receive the proper training. Either way, receiving professional training from an accent reduction specialist can only be beneficial to you in the end. It will make for a better career, and a happier, more confident lifestyle.

What is the Pronunciation Book?

 The Pronunciation Book is a YouTube channel in which English words and names are pronounced for the purpose of helping non-English speakers. The videos have been added steadily for over a year since it began on April 14th, 2010.  Here is an example video. More can be found on YouTube.

What is the Pronunciation Manual?

Pronunciation Manual, on the other hand, is a You Tube channel with ridiculously incorrect pronunciations that look just like the videos from Pronunciation Book’s original video series.  In the video, each featured word is mispronounced intentionally for comedic and trolling purposes.  If you are learning how to speak English properly, these videos are not going to help you in anyway.

Learning American English – Don’t be Spoofed!

To the average, everyday American these videos can be hilarious.  We love to hear our words spoken by a foreign accent.  But let’s be serious for just a moment.  Learning American English is difficult and we here at Accent Pros want to help you understand the differences between the Pronunciation Book and Manual.  The book videos are for real.  The manual videos… they are just for fun.  Might be in your best interest to steer clear of the videos until you have a strong command of the English language.

How Do You Pronounce That Word?

One tool you can use to determine how to correctly pronounce a word comes from Forvo.com.  Forvo is the largest pronunciation guide in the world. Ever wondered how a word is pronounced? Ask for that word or name, and another user will pronounce it for you. You can also help others by recording your pronunciations in your own language.  In the meantime, you can also check out our very large and extensive accent tutorials here at AccentPros.com. 

Over the years, and especially today, people have developed particular opinions about people who speak with accents or dialects different from their own. These views are frequently influenced by the actions, behaviors, or personalities of the speakers. These views have led to numerous stereotypes and prejudices toward a variety of accent and dialects, and have ultimately caused certain accents and dialects to be more accepted than others.

What Are the Accent and Dialect Stereotypes?

The accents and dialects that are least accepted are most likely due to the stereotypes that have been developed overtime. For example, a New York accent and dialects may be interpreted as loud, rude, and disrespectful, making it less acceptable than the standard American accent you would typically hear in the Midwest or from a news broadcaster. People may also associate those who speak with middle-eastern accents with the unfortunate events that have occurred in the U.S. relating to terrorism.

It is unfortunate that some accents are more accepted than others, especially since we are all just people living in the same country. However, the truth is, people believe speaking with a standard American accent provides stronger credibility and more opportunities for advancement such as speaking during a job interview, communicating at work, or simply interacting with others.

If you speak with a foreign accent and you want to avoid the unnecessary, stereotypical judgments and prejudices, you may want to consider private accent reduction training. It will provide you with individualized attention as well as the tools, guidance, and feedback you would need to speak with a standard American accent.

There is no universal consensus on a specific origin date language was brought into the world. Although there is evidence that suggests humans existed hundreds of thousands of years ago, there are still debates regarding the specific origin of language. There have also been a number of different theories developed regarding language origins, but the origin of the first language has been broken down into two main beliefs. These beliefs are those of divine creation and natural evolution.

The belief of divine creation suggests language was the gift of the gods to the humans, and humans were created from the start with the ability to use language. This belief has been influenced by references made to particular verses in the bible involving God speaking to others.

The belief  language was developed through natural evolution suggests throughout humans’ development overtime, they have “acquired a more sophisticated brain which made language invention and learning possible.” In other words, the vocalizations and gestures first used by our ancestors to communicate were inherited by the future generations and eventually developed into a creative and complex system of language.

How Language Might Have Been Invented?

Several hypotheses have been developed to portray how language may have been invented by humans. A few of these hypotheses include:

• The ‘bow-wow’ theory – Suggests that noises made by the first humans began to acquire specific meanings
• The ‘ding-dong’ theory – Suggests that language began when humans began labeling objects and actions according to the sounds they made (what we know today as onomatopoeia)
• The ‘ta-ta’ theory – Suggests language developed when human speech organs (the main articulators of the mouth) began to imitate hand gestures
• The ‘yo-heave-ho’ theory – Suggests language was developed by humans who chanted while working together to complete a task

Some of these hypotheses are hard to believe due to the fact that language is so much more complex than simple noises and chants. The origin of language is still considered and will always remain mysterious, but we do know that it has developed into thousands of different forms over time, and will continue to advance in the future generations.  Of those forms, we now have many country languages of origin.  From those languages have derived accents and dialects which have grown through the ages.  As we move into a global society, our language is evolving yet again to an American English standard for Internet communications.  Please take a moment to peruse our free accent reduction tutorials in order to help you accomplish your global language goals.

There are several different American accents that are used across the nation and there are even more dialects. Some people believe accents and dialects have the same meaning, but they are actually quite different. Accents are strictly related to the pronunciation of sounds in speech, and dialect involves not only pronunciation, but vocabulary and grammar as well.

Throughout the different dialects, different vocabulary terms can be used when describing the same object. Also, some Americans speak and write using a proper, grammatically correct, form of English. Other Americans, depending on location of residence or social group, use a less formal version of the English language. This form of dialect can be considered a type of “slang” of English.

Several of the major dialectal regions of the U.S. include:

• Northern New England
• The North
• Greater New York City
• The Midland
• The South
• North Central
• The West

These major dialects may also include particular sub-dialects. The major dialects can be used to determine where a person might have been raised within the U.S.  If you hear a person label an object using a word you are not familiar with, he or she, might have formerly resided in a different part of the U.S. Overall, dialects help distinguish people and their origins from one another.

An accent is a form of pronunciation that is distinctive to the speech of a particular person, group, or region. Everyone who speaks English in the United States speaks with an American accent. However, there are people from certain areas of the country who are saying the same words, but pronouncing them differently. Many different accents exist among native English speakers. This is why it is usually simple to tell whether a person is from Boston or from Texas. Also, non-native speakers of English tend to carry over the intonation and phonemic inventory from their mother tongue into their English speech, causing the difference in accents. Different accents stem from the variety of ways one can shape sounds and stress syllables. An accent is simply about the way a person sounds when they are speaking.

It’s All In How You Say It!

American dialect is similar to the American accent because both involve pronunciation. Certain characteristics are important to understand how a dialect differs from having an accent. Not only does American dialect refer to differences in accent, but also differences in grammar and vocabulary among different versions of the English language. For example, people from different areas, who happen to be talking about the same object or action, may each have their own unique words to describe the same attributes. The combination of differences in pronunciation and use of locally accepted words may make some American dialects almost unintelligible to speakers from other regions.

If people have difficulty understanding you when you speak, you should consider improving your accent by taking accent reduction training with a qualified trainer. Even though having an accent is completely natural, many times it makes people hesitant to speak in certain situations. You can reduce your foreign accent and improve your American accent drastically by receiving professional training from an accent reduction specialist.

Accents Help to Paint the Picture 

On many occasions, the mocking of other accents is used not only for entertainment purposes, but also for the listeners to receive a more descriptive picture of the topic being discussed. For example, actors and comedians will sometimes speak with different accents to give their audience a better understanding of a character, a more descriptive idea of a culture, as well as greater listening pleasure. American actors also need to learn and utilize certain foreign accents to be able to play particular roles in movies. The actors are not speaking with different accents to make fun of them, but they speak with them to sound as realistic and authentic as they can to the culture being depicted.

Some Good ~ Some Not So Good

Unfortunately, there are instances where Americans do, in fact, mock other accents with the intentions of solely making fun of them. This happens in situations such as movies, comedy shows, plays, songs, and everyday social interactions. The individuals who mock other accents with the intentions of hurting the peoples’ feelings are careless and inconsiderate in comparison to the people who are mocking for other reasons.

However, Americans are not the only group of people who “make fun” of foreigners and the way they speak or act. Individuals who speak foreign languages also make fun of way Americans speak. It is simply human nature to “make fun” of other people, whether it is in good taste or bad. However, there is not one individual reason that explains the need for Americans, or anyone for that matter, to make fun of other accents.

1. Improves your intelligibility
2. Improves your intelligibility with your elders
3. Promotes friendships
4. Expands dating potential
5. Provides a perception that you are well educated or a polished professional
6. Builds trust and credibility for you with new acquaintances
7. Reduces prejudice for you with some Americans
8. Advances your career
9. American English dominates the world as the international language
10. Presents a remarkable image considered total packaging

1. Stop repeating yourself. If you speak with a heavy accent, chances are you are asked to repeat yourself multiple times each day. Many Americans only speak English; therefore, they are not accustom to hearing and comprehending other languages, intonation patterns, and accents. Increasing your intelligibility with your friends, co-workers, clients, and/or patients should be your number one priority when making the decision to change your accent when speaking American English.

2. As individuals age, they typically tend to begin losing some hearing acuity. These individuals mean well, but are at a great disadvantage when expected to hear and comprehend all sounds including speech. When you speak with any individual who has a hearing loss, young or old, they will have a much more difficult time understanding you if you utilize different prosody or accent than they are used to hearing in American English.

3. It will be easier to make friends if you can accomplish accent neutralization. First impressions count in all societies and the United States is no different. When you meet someone for the first time, they will be making decisions immediately to determine if you are the type of individual whom they would like to be associated. Unfortunately, individuals who speak American English with an accent other than a Northern Midwest accent may be associated with many negative stereotypes. This is even true for Americans who speak using other “American accents.” If you work towards eliminating your accent you’ll have one less obstacle to deal with when meeting others.

4. Going out on a date could be easier with a reduced accent. Instead of being preoccupied with how your date will perceive your accent, you can spend the time being yourself and are more likely to be perceived well by your date. In an environment where everything you say has the possibility of being analyzed for hours or days afterward, you want to make sure that your full intentions come across and that nothing is misinterpreted due to your accent.

5. Speaking with a Northern Midwest American Accent is widely accepted as the preferred norm for Americans who are well educated. Developing the skill to speak with this particular American accent may provide you the competitive edge you desire in your specific profession.

6. In general, we as human beings trust other individuals based solely on how similar we are to each other. Beginning and developing personal or professional relationships with others is always heavily rooted on trust. When other individuals identify with you, one aspect they will consider is your language and accent. The key to your credibility may be expressed in the manner by which you project yourself as a speaker. Utilizing an American accent when speaking English with individuals, patients, or clients who only speak American English may build credibility. They may not know that you speak other languages and will perceive you as more like themselves. Speaking American English with an accent other than standard American English may be a disadvantage.

7. Unfortunately, prejudice in all societies is still prevalent and the United States is no different. Individual prejudices vary depending on the region or city, but continue to be wide spread. Some American citizens believe all individuals who live in the United States should speak English with an “American accent.” Those same Americans make judgments regarding individuals who do not meet their own self created criteria for appropriate speech patterns. The only way to avoid this potential prejudice is to learn the skill of speaking American English with a Northern Midwest American accent.

8. Speaking American English can improve your career. Get higher paying jobs and achieve the career you have always wanted. Communication is a cornerstone of almost every profession in the United States and the world. If you are identified as a skilled communicator in addition to the remainder of your admirable qualities, you will get chosen for promotions before all others who do not possess the same level of communicative prowess.

9. In the age of globalization where connecting to the outside world can be done with a slight touch of a finger, communicating with an American accent may be a great advantage. American English is still dominating the world as the international language of choice and will continue to be the mode of communication exchange all over the globe for a long time to come. Being able to speak and understand American English is indeed an added feature in one’s image and corporate agenda.

10. Many individuals believe that ninety percent of communication is non-verbal and only ten percent is verbal. With this idea in mind, one must consider every aspect of their personal appearance.  The next and most crucial step for all individuals includes the language and manner in which that language is spoken. Of course, language and vocabulary are cornerstones of communication, but the accent in which you speak makes a surmountable difference in how you are perceived by others. Creating a remarkable image including all aspects of professional appearance and speaking pattern are part of total packaging for any individual.