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printer-friendlyTable of Contents
1.
Can I eliminate my accent
completely?
Yes.
It will probably take some hard, concentrated work, but it can be done.
Actors do this all the time; they take on the accent of the character
they are playing. Rather than
losing your accent, you are acquiring a new style of speech, which is known as
Standard American Speech. Much like
an actor does, you can code-switch between your present way of speaking and the
new style of speech. Eventually you
may feel more comfortable with the new style of speech and use it more often.
Back to Top
2.
Am I too old to change my accent? No.
While it is true that young children often learn languages and how to
speak them with greater ease than adults, persons of any age can learn to
speak a language correctly and with the proper accent. Back to Top
No.
Each person's voice is very unique in the subtle ways in which it
resonates. This is why people
within the same family
a father and son, for example
will often sound very much alike. This
is also why you can usually recognize the voice of another person instantly
even over the telephone and after a long absence. Voice prints can be read and used much as finger prints in
identifying a person. These highly
unique and individual characteristics of the human voice are cultivated and
highlighted in voice training. The
goal is to bring out your best voice. Back to Top
4.
Isn't an accent actually
attractive? Occasionally
a foreign accent may suggest mystery, sensuality, and worldly experience.
This, however, depends on the particular accent, on those listening, on
the other nonverbal attributes of the speaker, and on the specific context.
For example, a film star with a heavy French accent may appear to be sexy
and exotic. However, most of us do
not impress people with our foreign or regional accents. More likely, there may be
unfortunately
a prejudice against the particular accent.
At its worst, people are merely misunderstood, and communicating becomes
a struggle rather than a pleasure. Further,
every language
including English
is a beautiful language when spoken well. An
accent often blocks both the natural beauty of the English language as well as
the full potential of one's own unique voice. Back to Top
5. Is good voice and speech really important? Researchers
estimate that 55% of human communication is transmitted by the speakers People
can tell a lot about you by listening to the way you talk. They make inferences about your level of education,
intelligence, maturity, and sophistication.
They can also sense a lot about your degree of friendliness, enthusiasm,
and empathy. You want to make sure
that the way you sound projects what you want to convey to others about
yourself. You want your voice and
speech to project the kind of person you really are.
Back to Top
6.
Can I have a good speaking
voice? Yes.
Everyone has approximately the same "raw equipment" for voice
and speech: lungs, vocal cords, a mouth, teeth, a tongue, and so on.
It is simply up to each of us how we will use this equipment.
The key is training. This is
why one must study with a voice and speech coach and learn how to relax,
breathe, phonate, resonate, focus the voice, and much, much more.
Many of us have for years been subjected to poor voice and speech
habits. Training will
overcome these bad habits and replace them with good ones.
Many persons who have had a unpleasant voice most of their lives or who
have a soft, undeveloped, child-like voice are quite surprised suddenly to hear
their real "true" voice released in the training process.
It is quite something to get used to!
A pleasant surprise. Back to Top
7.
How
long will it take to reduce or eliminate my accent? The
exact time depends on many factors: how strong your present accent is; how
similar your native language is to English; how motivated you are to change; how
hard you work, and how often you work
one session per week with daily drills or a more intensive two or three sessions
per week with drilling several times a day.
However, the average time is about twenty weeks of solid work
seeing a voice and speech coach at least once a week and working hard every day. Back to Top
8.
Is it worth
the cost involved to change my accent? Yes.
The cost is an investment. It
is made once and benefits you forever. You
will probably succeed more often, get better jobs, advance further in your
career, and move within a better circle of friends if you have excellent voice
and speech. It
is rather ironic that many people spend a lot of money on improving their
appearance
clothes, hair, an expensive attache case, and so on
and yet, when they open their mouths, the Back to Top
9.
Which
is more effective: individual
coaching or a class? Both
are effective. Individual
training is very intensive and efficient because the speech coach focuses on the
individual clients specific problems for an entire hour or hour-and-a-half
with no interruptions or distractions and because time does not have to be spent
on aspects of accent training that are not a problem for that particular
client. Also, the training can be
applied directly to the clients particular job situation and communication
needs. While individual training is preferable to group training, many of the basic aspects of voice and speech or accent training can be taught in a small group of six to ten people. The group also allows individuals to interact with other class members as a part of the training. Back to Top
10.
Is
the process of working to change my voice and speech
such as doing all of the exercises and drills everyday
boring? No, it
doesn't have to be. While there is a certain amount of routine involved in developing good
voice and speech, the daily drills and practice in breathing, relaxation, voice
and speech can all be very satisfying. It
should and does feel good. It is like training the body and remember the
voice is a part of the body; it is "physical."
It is like training for a marathon.
When you have completed the warm-ups and drills, you feel very good
in excellent condition on top of the world!
Ready to meet any challenge! This
is because the voice is connected to both our physical and mental/emotional
processes. If you feel very good,
it is reflected in your voice. But
the reverse is also true: if your voice is in top condition, you will also feel
good and project a confident and energetic personality.
Brian also makes the training fun. He
tailors exercises to each client, often drawing drills and exercises from the
client's own life. He has developed
many highly creative approaches to voice and speech training, which are a lot of
fun. Back to Top Home
R. Brian Loxley
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