Why do people reduce their accents

Do you want to learn the the most important concepts, consonants and vowels that will help you:
communicate clearly and confidently
sound more American​
overcome unconscious bias
Go to dialectwork.com/links to learn more about the American Accent Fundamentals (AAF) course.
#learnenglish #learnaccents #accentreduction #accenttraining

[@gabrielnunesprof]

Thank you, awesome video!!!

[@illillyillyo]

You’re 100% right, but I’m wondering, why have you chosen to refer to it as “accent reduction” instead of “accent modification,” considering that everyone in the world has an accent?

[@DialectWork]

I’m personally not attached to which term is the most correct to use. I think both make sense but most of my students specifically approach me to “reduce” their accent or to “get rid of it”. The term reduction just implies we are “reducing” towards a common standard (in this case a “standard” or “neutral” American Accent - or perhaps “standard” British or “Received Pronunciation”). Technically, modification could imply we’re working towards a different chosen accent. When I was personally reducing my own accent, all of the verbiage I encountered said “reduction” as opposed to modification. I do see the term modification used online as well but, like I said, I don’t have any particular attachment to one over the other. I just go with what my students describe the most often. Generally speaking, the term I’ve encountered when students request to work on speaking in other accents (e.g. Cockney, Southern, Irish, Scottish, Boston, etc. - or foreign accents) is “dialect coaching”. The students that seek out this service are almost all actors.

[@kimjong-un8543]

you have such an interesting accent, you've clearly put in work to make it sound so native

[@Krishicher]

I am native to the US, but my family is from Appalachia. In K-12, my peers had their own Southern accents, but mine was one of the hardest to decipher. When I was accepted as a Student DJ at the only 100% student-run, 100,000 watt university station in the US, I heard my recorded voice for the first time. I was mortified because I sounded hillbilly, which I was, and gay, which I am. I decided to change my voice to sound 13:29 like a professional DJ. My journey was just listening to radio. I took no class, no tutor. Now, 40 years later, I’m asked where I was born in Indiana. Goal accomplished. Cheers!

[@angiebee598]

I'm from KY (Louisiville) as well and modified my accent many years ago. It comes back when I'm on the phone with my sister who still lives there.

[@DialectWork]

That's awesome! Always cool to hear people's own journeys. Changing the way one speaks is a difficult process, even for native speakers. And yes, hearing your own voice for the first time is very jarring for most people! Thanks for sharing. 🙂

[@Jabberwockybird]

Random reason I have heard. Telephone scammers will sometimes reduce their accent to avoid being hung up on.