Accent Reduction: An Interview with Zelda
We spend a lot of time writing about singing, but loving your voice is so much more than making music; it’s caring for you body and speaking with confidence. For some of us, speaking with confidence means learning how to talk to a crowd, but for many of us it means reducing our accent. We sat down with Zelda to learn the basics of accent reduction from a pro.
Love Your Voice: Why do people seek out accent reduction?
Zelda: Most people seek accent reduction for professional reasons. One of my most memorable clients was a woman from Spain who started a job in airport security. After becoming increasingly frustrated with customers and coworkers asking her to repeat herself or clarify what she said, she reached out for accent reduction training.
She was so frustrated that she couldn’t be understood, and that’s basically everyone’s story
I’ve worked with clients from Nepal, Saudi Arabia, China, and the United States who all sought to reduce their accents to feel more confident at work. Whether someone has learned English as a second or third language or has a heavy regional accent, accent reduction can allow them to speak more confidently to clients and coworkers alike.
LYV: What does an accent reduction lesson program look like?
Z: The lessons are tailored to the individual student’s needs and goals, but the introductory lesson looks pretty similar from client to client.
It starts with measuring - and I do the same for singing. Rather than measuring vocal range or pitch matching ability like in a voice lesson, the focus is on listening for which English sounds the client finds most difficult. In speaking, I have clients go through the phonetic pronunciation of all the letters used in English then I rate their accuracy compared to standard English pronunciation. Then I get them to tell me a story about themselves: where they’re from, what their family is like, what they’re doing in America, where they’ve lived. So then I’ll hear them speaking and we’ll have two baselines; the phonetic alphabet and their story. The story is just me listening, circling inaccuracies of their accent.
With these baselines in place, the ensuing 45-minute lessons are tailored to help clients master the sounds they found the most challenging as individuals - and they provide a great benchmark to measure the student’s progress as they continue with lessons and practice.
LYV: How did you start teaching accent reduction?
Z: It was teaching voice that first sparked my interest in accent reduction: I was teaching some Chinese clients to sing. It was really weird; their speaking voice was totally different from their singing voice. So, they could sing in English with less of an accent; but then when it came to speaking, there were all sorts of inaccuracies.
My curiosity over the differences between sung and spoken English took me on a journey that culminated in the development of the accent reduction program I teach today.
LYV: What’s your favorite moment in the accent reduction process?
Z: The magic moment where a new concept suddenly “clicks” for a student isn’t just for singing lessons. For accent reduction students, those magic moments happen all the time.
I love when someone gets it! All I have to do is put my tongue there instead of there. And it’s really difficult because, except for the “th”, we can’t really see where our tongue is landing.”
With so much of how we form sounds hidden inside our mouths, it can be especially challenging for students to learn to make new sounds not found in their native language. While many English speakers struggle to learn to roll their r’s, those who’ve picked up English as a second or third language find other sounds more challenging.
The most difficult for people learning English as a second or third language is the th and the r. They’re the most complex and the most uncommon.
LYV: What recommendation would you make to someone looking to start accent reduction?
Z: A hand mirror. It’s all about the shape of the mouth and where your tongue can be.
I recommend students slow down their speech and watch their mouth in a hand mirror as they speak to better understand how their lips and tongue are moving to create sound. Close listening to both native speakers and a your own speech is another invaluable tool for accent reduction. Listening, is the secret to accent reduction.
LYV: How has your own language learning journey impacted how you teach accent reduction?
Z: Currently I’m a student of Mandarin Chinese and learning a new language is confirming a lot of theories I’ve been applying to lessons for years.
Children learn accents from their parents and their environment. They’re speaking before they can even read and they’re actually making all those sounds first by babbling, They’re hearing all the sounds and imitating them. So that’s how I’m learning Chinese: I’m learning to make the sounds before I’m even learning what the words mean.
Research actually backs this up: while children across the globe start with the same first sounds, they begin to only respond to sounds from the language(s) spoken by their caretakers at about 6 months old - even if their first word is months away. Babbling is a way for infants to practice the sounds that will eventually coalesce into their first or native language.
Whether you’re learning a new language or just a new accent, practicing making the sounds without worrying about word meaning is a great technique - especially when confronting difficult sounds not found in your first language.
LYV: So how are you enjoying your foray into Mandarin?
Z: It’s very complicated. I love the tones! If you use the wrong tone on the wrong word, it’s a totally different word,. But, the challenge is part of the joy.
Book Your Accent Reduction Lesson Now
Whether you’re seeking to speak a new language with more confidence or are looking to reduce a regional accent, accent reduction can be a useful tool to help you better love your voice. We hope this quick look at accent reduction answered some questions and maybe even inspired you to pursue a new language! If you have questions about the process or want to schedule a lesson, you can contact Zelda here.
Get in touch with Zelda to start reaching your accent reduction goals!
Mention this article for a 20% discount on your first lesson.