Changing your Accent (General discussion) Language Learning Forum

Changing your Accent
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21 messages over 3 pages: 1 2 3

yobar
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Message 17 of 21

13 March 2008 at 11:26pm | IP Logged

vanityx3 wrote:

It is possible, although it may be hard if you don't want to move to where there is an accent you like.

My mom used to always talk of how she knew this man when she was growing up and he went into the Army and was stationed in England for a year or so, and when he got back he had a perfect British accent and he didn't mean too, he didn't even know it had happened until people told him when he got back to North Carolina.

I think on a subconcious level when you go somewhere where the accent is totally different in your native language, you mimic their accents to try to fit in, even if you don't realize you're doing it.

I read about this "modeling" phenomenon in neurolinguistics. Sometimes therapists do this modeling/mirroring to gain rapport with a client. Other fields are trying this approach, especially in sales. The salesman will consciously adopt similar accents, speech patterns, gestures, and body position in an attempt to gain rapport with a potential customer.

I guess this would be an excellent survival skill for an individual. Remember, it's nail that stands out that gets hammered. ;)

Edited by yobar on 13 March 2008 at 11:27pm
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badger2
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Finland
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Message 18 of 21

14 March 2008 at 4:23am | IP Logged

The Dad from "Frasier" is originally British. According to him, he completely lost his British accent by shadowing cassette tapes.

In some of the interviews I've been looking at online, he said he lost it serving in the US army, but I remember specifically a talk show 10 years ago where he said "I had these cassette tapes, and I would listen to them, and try to sound exactly like the tapes".

Heh, it's funny the things we remember.
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ymapazagain
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Australia
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Message 19 of 21

14 March 2008 at 5:32am | IP Logged

I am Australian and have been living in England for a few years. The first time I lived here I was based in cambridge and when I returned to Australia after only six months I was amazed at how strongly I had adopted the cambridgian accent. My friends and family laughed at how posh I sounded! I have now been living in London for 2 years and very few people can recognise my australian accent. I have adopted a london accent (not so posh this time!) from the constant exposure I have with my boyfriend and housemate. Next time I go back to Australia my friends are going to find me hillarious!

I have never made a concious effort to speak with an English accent, in fact I would rather keep my Australian one! But simply through hearing it every single day it has snuck into my brain and refuses to leave.

If you don't have the option of completely immersing yourself in the accent you would like to aquire then try to give yourself as much exposure as possible. Movies, radio, television. Mimick what you hear, talk to yourself all the time in the accent you would like (this is how I practice my Spanish hoping to god no one is listening!). It is perfectly possible to change the way you speak.

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vanityx3
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Message 20 of 21

19 March 2008 at 8:08pm | IP Logged

I think I may try to change my own accent. haha I have a southern American accent, but I want a little stronger one. Actually the accent I want is the actor from the movie Sweet Home Alabama. His Southern Accent is more pronounced than mine but it is still clearly pronounced, it's a great combination.

I'll reply to see how this works, I think it will work unless I get tired of people asking why I'm talking differently, if they happen too.

Edited by vanityx3 on 19 March 2008 at 8:09pm
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qklilx
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Message 21 of 21

20 March 2008 at 12:29am | IP Logged

I speak with a mild southern U.S. accent naturally. When speaking to certain people I use African American Vernacular. When speaking to others, I sometimes try to use Hawaiian Pidgin, though I'm still working on that one.

When I was in Korea last year an Australian girl said she was consciously changing her accent at all times because if she didn't then no English speaker would understand her unless they were from her home town. When she demonstrated, she was right; I understood almost nothing that she said.

It's very possible, and in many cases probably very easy, to change your accent in your native language. When it comes to foreign languages, I suppose there could be a challenge...

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