Do Accents Matter?
How to Speak Clearly Without Losing Your Identity
I must have been around 5 or 6 years old when one day I came home from school beyond excited; we had learned a new song! Even after asking three times, my mum still didn’t understand what song we had learned. I remained adamant: it was a song about a “krentmodder”. It turned out it was a song about visiting your grandmother. Clearly my English wasn’t up to scratch yet…
In the Netherlands we learn English from a very young age at school. Many people that I met even think it’s our second language since so many Dutch people are good English speakers. That doesn’t mean though that the Dutch don’t have an accent in English, I’m sure many are familiar with it. It’s very hard, especially when you learn a second language at a later age, to speak that language like a native speaker would. Research suggests that adults may be able to learn new soundsbut will often produce them with an accent due to the “speech sound categories” in their native language that are difficult to override.
We all have some kind of accent. Whether it’s in your mother tongue, showcasing which part of the country you’re from, or in a second (or even third) language. Your accent is part of who you are and your identity. I personally think accents are beautiful because it shows some of your personality. I’m therefore in no way advocating that people should lose their accent completely. However, there is one thing to consider.
A few months ago, I participated in a Toastmasters contest. One of the judging criteria in such a contest is correctness, which includes grammar, pronunciation and word choice. When judging a participant on pronunciation, the guideline is: points cannot be deducted for speaking with an accent unless it significantly hinders the audience’s ability to understand the speaker.
Sometimes that can be an issue. If people frequently ask you to repeat yourself and you know you have a strong accent, it may be helpful to become more aware of when your accent makes it difficult for your audience to understand you.
The good news is: a lot can be done by articulating better. Articulation can significantly enhance your communication, regardless of your accent. There are practical techniques to improve articulation and, consequently, your accent. For instance, you can do exercises that involve exaggerating mouth movements to promote clearer speech. Speaking in front of a mirror is another technique that allows you to observe how your lips, tongue and jaw move. By implementing these techniques and practising regularly, you can improve the clarity of your speech whilst retaining your unique accent.
Want to learn more about how to improve your communication through relevant exercises? Send me a message!
A great example of someone who has achieved a near-native English accent is the Brazilian singer Anitta. She is renowned for her impressive command of multiple languages including English, Spanish, Italian and French. Her proficiency in English is particularly notable, as she often speaks with a near-native accent. This achievement is the result of dedicated study and practice.
In interviews, Anitta has mentioned that embracing new languages requires humility and a willingness to start from zero again:
“I’ve got to do it all over again in Spanish then in English and it’s a lot of work. You’ve got to have no ego.You can’t be scared of risking or failing.”
I love learning new languages myself. I currently speak four languages and am learning the fifth. For me, the most important part of learning a new language is not being afraid to make mistakes. Only by practising will you be able to master it.
Anitta says listening to other singers and trying to sing with them was a great way to learn another language.
What are some techniques that you have used to learn a second or maybe even third language? I’d love to know!