Your Accent Is Not The Problem!



The woman in the following video, Amy Walker, is an actress, writer, singer, and dancer. She amazingly imitates (copies) 21 different English accents from around the world.


After watching the video, you may be impressed by her performance and ability to imitate the various (different) English accents. You may also be fascinated by the number of native-English accents that exist in North America and the United Kingdom.

People sometimes wonder if they have a good accent. It is surprising to hear how many people feel ashamed (feel ridiculous or embarrassed) because they think their accent is horrible.

We all speak English, but differently. Our accent adds charm and character to the language. As Paddy Kennedy explains in the video below, your accent is not the problem!



When you communicate in English, focus on the 3 BEs instead of your accent:
  • BE comprehensible 
  • BE confident 
  • BE natural

PRACTICE AND THINK IN ENGLISH

What do you think of Paddy Kennedy’s advice?

Have you ever tried doing any of the things she suggests in the video?

What else would you advise doing to improve your pronunciation?


Tell me by leaving a comment below or in a message by E-mail at kaufman.terry@gmail.com, if you like.

To learn how to leave a comment, please click for instructions in English or click for instructions in French. It is not necessary to have a Google account. After you type your comment, click on the menu, "Comment as" ("choisir une identité") and choose "Name" or "Anonymous".
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2 comments:

  1. AnonymousMarch 14, 2015 at 10:29 AM

    Hi Terry,
    very impressed by Amy Walker's performance.
    Yes, I often try to imitate accent who I am listening to and catch native expressions but often the point is that when he speaks too fast, I am so concentrate to translate or understand what he is saying (unfortunately, I am still translating and not totaly thinking in its language) that I loose some parts of the conversation.
    For me, that's right, accent is not a problem. Few or irregular practice it is.
    Philippe

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    Replies
    1. Terry KaufmanMarch 14, 2015 at 6:00 PM

      Hi Philippe,

      Thank you very much for your comment.

      I understand the challenge you have when native English speakers speak fast. Believe it or not, we native speakers also have the same problem understanding people who talk like a high-speed train. Consequently, we use different expressions to help us understand better.

      If native speakers speak fast on the phone or during a meeting, you could use the following expressions to tell them to reformulate:

      - Sorry?
      - Sorry, I didn't catch that.
      - What did you say exactly?
      - What do you mean?
      - If I understand well, .......

      Best wishes,

      Terry

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