Accent Reduction Programs: Identifying Regional Accents in the US
Effective communication is a key to success in all industries. Regardless of how efficiently a company is run, any lapse in how information is being shared automatically affects the line of communication between employees and subordinates and vice-versa. Miscommunication can potentially lead to critical misunderstandings. Accent reduction programs stress what an important role your accent plays in any business conversation. In addition, accent reduction programs demonstrate how you can use your accent to your advantage when trying to establish a level of trust and clear communication with clients. Part of this process involves being at ease with any of the regional dialects you may encounter in the United States.
Accent Reduction Programs: Regional Accents in the US
Across different states and regions, local accents vary greatly. Accents are one of the first things that tell strangers about your background, personality, and some even suggest a regional accent can predict your level of intelligence or education. Here is an overview of some regional accents in the United States.
- General American (Neutral) – To the layperson, this accent is free of any distinct characteristics that tie it to a specific region. It also happens to be the type of accent that is viewed as ideal by accent coaches in accent reduction programs. Unlike British English, evidence of the “rhotic” pronunciation is seen, where “r” sounds are clearly pronounced at the end of words in which they appear. This lies in stark contrast to the
New York or east coast accent, where the “R” sound is dropped unless followed by a vowel sound. - Midland – The Midland accent is very close to the General American accent with a few variations. For example, the vowel sound on the word “on” is pronounced similarly to the word “caught” instead of the word “cot”. Some areas also replace the “u” sound with a longer vowel sound, pronouncing words like “root” and “roof” the way native English speakers normally pronounce “book”.
- St. Louis –Although St. Louis and its surrounding areas should ideally be grouped with the Midland accent, the St. Louis accent has its own unique traits. An additional sound, for instance, can be detected in words like “wash” or “Washington”, with locals pronouncing the first syllable as “warsh”. Words like “joint” or “oil” are pronounced like “jawynt” and “awyul”, while words like “that” or “there” are often said as “dat” or “dere”.
- Southern accent – The Southern drawl is probably the most famous feature in this region’s accent and arguably the most well known American dialect worldwide. The word “I” is pronounced as “ah” while words like “can’t” are pronounced as “cain’t”.
Accent Reduction Programs: Addressing Your Personal Needs
There are many other accents and dialects to be found throughout the U.S. besides those mentioned here. As you travel, you’ll notice that not only do the accents change, but that each accent has unique words and phrases, a dialect, that sets it apart of the surrounding areas. Enrolling in accent reduction programs can help you differentiate between American accents and identify those you most frequently come into contact with daily. If your business transactions tend to focus on specific areas or states, it may be wise to focus on the accent and dialects in these regions as opposed to trying to achieve a standard American accent.
Want to learn more about accent reduction programs?
Get started with Accent Pros free accent reduction screening! The screening will rate your accent severity using a 7 point scale: 1 being the most heavy and 7 being very mild. If you’re inclined to take it a step further, check out our various accent reduction programs we have to offer. Accent Pros has an office starter program and online accent reduction programs. Both accent reduction programs have had all clients get a 50% of more accent reduction after 12 sessions-check it out!
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