| English is often said to be one of the most difficult | | | | different than sounds in the native language, sounds |
| languages to learn. This is due to several reasons: | | | | cannot be matched exactly. This creates an accent |
| 1)words in English are often pronounced differently | | | | and is why we can generally identify a person’s |
| than they are spelled, 2)even though there are rules | | | | native language by their accent. For example, one can |
| for pronunciation, there are many exceptions to the | | | | easily tell a Spanish accent from a Chinese accent |
| rules and 3) some types of words (irregular plurals, | | | | because of the sound differences and intonation |
| irregular verbs) change completely and do not follow | | | | patterns. |
| grammar rules (ex: goose-geese, see-saw). Because | | | | There are certain sounds that tend to occur frequently |
| of the many exceptions to pronunciation and grammar | | | | in English and affect the American English accent |
| rules, many words and grammatical forms must be | | | | more than others. The “r” sound is one of these, |
| memorized. This creates a language that can be very | | | | and is probably the most noticeable. It occurs in English |
| difficult to master! | | | | as a consonant and vowel, and is also present in |
| The standard American English accent is considered | | | | blends and diphthongs. It seems like the "r" is |
| the professional accent of the language and does not | | | | everywhere! The American English “r” sounds |
| exist naturally in the United States. This is the accent | | | | like “er” and is formed by rounding the lips and |
| that is taught to professional speakers, such as news | | | | raising the middle of the tongue high in the back of the |
| broadcasters, public speakers, actors, etc. The region | | | | mouth. The tongue tip curls up, but does not touch the |
| of the United States that comes closest to having the | | | | roof of the mouth. In many other languages, the |
| standard or “neutral” American English accent is | | | | “r” is formed by keeping the lips flat and placing |
| considered to be the Midwest, around Michigan. | | | | the tip of the tongue just behind the upper front teeth, |
| Not everyone who speaks English as a second | | | | so that it sounds like a very quick “d” or several |
| language has an accent. Learning a new language | | | | quick “d” sounds together. This is often called |
| comes easily to small children and children under the | | | | “rolling” or “trilling.” Because it sounds so |
| age of about 12 or 13 years old. This is because the | | | | different from the American English “r”, listeners |
| part of the brain that is responsible for learning | | | | often need more time to process and interpret this |
| language is not fully developed until the early teen | | | | difference so that they can understand accents, such |
| years. As we get older, it becomes more difficult to | | | | as Spanish, Russian, and Arabic, for example. |
| learn a new language. An adult learning English, | | | | Other consonant sounds that can significantly impact |
| therefore, will always have some accent. The amount | | | | an American English accent include differences in |
| of the accent will depend on several factors, such as: | | | | “t”, “d”, “th”, “w”, and |
| the age at which English was learned, the ease of | | | | “v”. Accented vowel sounds also affect |
| learning new languages, and how much exposure the | | | | American English, as heard in individuals from Africa |
| individual has with English. | | | | and Jamaica, for example. These sounds also occur |
| We can often tell where a person is from by their | | | | frequently in American English and can make a |
| accent. This is because each language has its own | | | | significant difference in speech intelligibility. |
| specific sound system and intonation patterns. When a | | | | The goal of accent reduction isn’t necessarily to |
| person learns a new language, they naturally take their | | | | eliminate an accent, but to improve spoken English so |
| sound system and intonation patterns with them. They | | | | that speech is clear and easy to understand. The |
| try to match the sounds from the new language with | | | | bottom line is that an accent should not get in the way |
| sounds from their native language. Because the new | | | | of communication, and the individual should feel |
| language naturally contains some sounds that are | | | | confident when speaking in any situation. |