Do you know how to learn accents but are skeptical about the methods? If so, you’re reading the right article.
From this post, you will acquire information about the proper ways of learning accents and the knowledge of the platforms as well. Since learning new accents the right way is crucial to sound authentic, we have recommended several factors that you must focus on.
5 Steps To Learn Accents
If you follow the mentioned steps, we promise you’re good to go.
Learn Phonetics
The six aspects of learning accents are vibe, meaning, grammar, stress and rhythm, melody, and phonetics. One of the crucial factors, phonetics focuses on classifying and producing the world’s speech sounds. The idea is to use various vocal organs to generate specific sounds.
Familiarizing with the Language
The best way to learn a new accent is by getting familiar with the language, and when we say familiar, we mean practically, not theoretically. We understand that speaking a new language is difficult, but once you start, you’ll realize the amount of exposure you get. While there are several ways to become familiar with the language, it is best to pick conversations with native speakers.
Listen to the Language
Speaking a language requires listening – if you don’t know what a particular accent sounds like, you won’t be able to make proper pronunciations. Thus, we recommend listening to the language you are learning as much as possible. And although grammar and vocabulary are essential, you should also focus on intonation, breaks, and rhythm while listening.
Eventually, you can adjust the audio’s speed based on the extent you can grasp it. For instance, if you can understand correctly, you may accelerate. However, if you find it challenging to catch the accent, you should slow down.
Practice Reading Aloud
Reading can prove to be your good friend while learning a novel accent. Whether you’re more into digital content (e-books and articles) or actual books, reading written content will help you realize how fluently you can pronounce words and speak sentences. Moreover, if you become habitual in listening to language, you will also know when you sound weird while reading.
Which Accents Are The Hardest To Learn?
According to research done by Shawacademy, the hardest accents to learn are British, Irish, American, Russian, Australian, Greek, and Scottish. The British accent is the hardest accent any Hollywood actor or voice actor has to imitate. But in a recent film, Knives Out – The Glass Onion, actor Daniel Craig performed in the perfect British Accent, though some might say he is an English actor. Many English people can’t speak with a proper British accent.
The actor can also speak perfectly in an American accent as he did in the Bond movies. You can master an accent with ease only if you give it proper time and get proper training from a native or someone who can speak well in the accent you want to learn. You have to be patient and do a lot of practice to speak authentically in the accent you’re learning.
Where Can You Learn a New Accent?
Since there a numerous ways of learning a new accent, you should go with the one that works best for you. If you’re unsure of these, don’t worry. We’ve listed below some of the cookie cutters that will help you to a great extent.
- Talking to a Native: As stated previously, talking to a native is the most appropriate way of language acquisition. This is because you will observe their rhythm, melody, and pronunciation. Further, they can also guide you when you go wrong.
- Hire a Voice Coach: Hiring a voice/accent coach will be expensive, but it is the fastest solution to learning a new accent.
- Using Online Apps: If you’re looking for budget-friendly solutions, then applications like The Accent Kit and The Real Accent can be pretty beneficial. While some of them aren’t for free, they’re less expensive than hiring a voice coach.
- Radio Stations: Listening to native songs can help grasp the accent. Thus, radio stations are a plus since you even hear radio jockeys’ dialogues.
- Movies: Want to make learning a novel language fun? What could be more entertaining than watching a movie?
In How Much Time Can You Master an Accent?
The time taken to master an accent can vary from one individual to another. While it depends widely on the person’s ability to grasp the language and pronunciation, several other factors play a significant role. For instance, key contributors consist of the platform used to learn accents, the amount of time given to learning, the extent of practical exposure, and the native accent.
The Bottom Line: How to Learn Accents
Learning an accent requires dedication and practice to ensure that the learner can speak in the novel accent in a non-stereotypical and authentic manner. If you are someone who wishes to grasp more than one accent, we recommend you start with British and Southern accents first. Then, as you go further down the lane, you can learn more accents you’re comfortable with.
FAQs
Can you teach yourself an accent?
Truth be told, the best way to learn any accent is by speaking that particular accent. So if you know about the phonetics of a specific language and are well-versed with the sounds, you can teach yourself an accent.
What is the easiest accent to learn?
If you are an English speaker, the most effortless accents to learn are Norwegian, Swedish, Spanish, Dutch, and Portuguese, respectively.
Is accent worth learning?
Learning an accent is valuable, mainly because of its connection with culture. Knowing a native accent changes the way people communicate with you because it makes you more authentic.
What is the hardest accent to learn?
The Great British accent has been proven to be the most challenging of all accents to imitate, particularly regional Cockney and Yorkshire pronunciations.
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