After researching various accent reduction programs and the various forms they take (online conference sessions, in person office visits, audio CD or mp3 programs centered around repetition of sounds, words, and basic concepts, or client directed accent reduction programs in which you work through the individual stages of an accent reduction program independently), you're likely [...]
Accent Reduction Programs: What does your accent convey? Each year, thousands of people around the world enroll in accent reduction programs. They wish to learn how to communicate in American English as effectively as possible. During the consultation portion of many accent reduction programs, accent coaches will often ask potential clients to provide them with [...]
Accent Reduction Programs: How Social Media Contributes to Accentism Researchers at the University of Manchester broadly define accentism as, " the frustration a person with a foreign accent experiences after modifying their accent, believing they are conceding to public pressure when they adopt a speech pattern that makes them sound different than they are accustomed [...]
Accent Reduction Programs: A Matter of Perception People have various reasons for their interest in accent reduction programs. Often the desire to change one's accent is financially motivated. There is a school of thought that by reducing a foreign accent, the person in question can relate to their co-workers conversations more easily and become empowered [...]
Accent Reduction Programs: Canadian Prairie Speech In the first article of our series on Canadian accents, we discussed how linguist Charles Boberg was inspired by the Canadian accents featured in the 2002 movie Fubar to delve deeper into Canadian English. The result of these efforts, a book entitled The English Language in Canada: Status, History [...]
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 [...]
Accent Reduction Programs: Canadian accents The Canadian accent is one of the most widely mocked by comedians who base their act around pointing out racial, cultural and linguistic differences. Although jokes of this nature may get consistent laughs from audiences all over the world, they have the undesired effect of perpetuating and reinforcing stereotypical beliefs. [...]
Accent Reduction Programs: The Rise of Telemarketing Robots In the first article in this series, we discussed how TIME Washington Bureau Chief Michael Scherer was contacted by what he believed to be a telemarketing robot operating under the name "Samantha West". What was most surprising to Scherer and his colleagues was the voice used by [...]
Accent Reduction Programs: Are telemarketing robots learning the standard American Accent? It ranks up near the top of the list of universal human experiences, occurring almost daily. The caller ID displays a random number you don't recognize. You pick up the phone and are greeted by a monotonous, blatantly robotic voice asking you to take [...]
Accent reduction programs: What can Japanese teach us about American English? As a non native speaker of English, you are more conscious than most people of how your particular accent comes across to others, as you attempt to enunciate words as clearly as possible to avoid drawing attention to your accent. However have you ever [...]
