Some time ago I wrote a post about the need for accent reduction training that was expressed by some students I had worked with. And today I stumbled upon an article from the New York Times that talks about exactly the same issue, only it is not students who are expressing the need for accent coaching, but professionals from legal, business and science fields. People from different language backgrounds seek the help of language coaches, either because they have realized themselves that their speech isn’t always clear to their interlocutors, or because their business partners have pointed that out. Some large companies now pay their employees to undergo this training. It seems that voice and accent coaching field is growing. The term “accent reduction” is not an ideal one, and has specific cultural presuppositions. But the need for this training is real, and as with many language-related things, the earlier you start working on it, the better the outcome will be.
About
CAC.OPHONY is a weblog on communication-intensive instruction at the college level and its implications for students about to face the challenges of writing and speaking publicly in professional settings. CAC.OPHONY is written and edited by the Fellows of the Bernard L. Schwartz Communication Institute, Baruch College, City University of New York.
Baruch College is the 2008 recipient of TIAA-CREF Theodore M. Hesburgh Award in recognition of the Schwartz Institute's outstanding faculty development programs.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 Unported License.
I totally agree with Yana’s comments. I actually work as a pronunciation coach for many different professionals from various places, including Africa, India, and Asia.
Many of them have very high-level positions, but are sick and tired of having to repeat themselves over and over in order to be understood. Often they can’t figure out, on their own, why people find them hard to understand. It takes a good coach, one who can not only analyze the problem, but can also come up with various ways they can compensate for their lack of intelligibility. Often it is the stress patterns of American English that they need to master, but more often then not it is a combination of rapidity, stress errors, lack of intonation,segmental errors of specific sounds, and uneven rhythm patterns. I currently work with a lot of folks who come from Lehman Brothers, who actually send their employees for help with speaking English clearly. I think that more companies should invest money in helping their employees be easily understood.
I also never use the term “accent reduction” - accent “addition” would be a better term, since no one is losing anything. What is being enhanced is their ability to be understood WITH their home accent.
Reply to joyce mandell
Please send more information about the cost of the accent reduction class. Thanks
Reply to Oscar Arguello
Joyce, can you please send me information about the accent addition class. My email is superwilson81@hotmail.com
Reply to Ryan