Accent Related

[Unregistered]

I am a student .I want to learn neutral accent . Please tell me all the possible way to learn it..

Thanks

Suneel Mishra

[Eden Darien]

I am a student .I want to learn neutral accent . Please tell me all the possible way to learn it..

Thanks

Suneel Mishra

If you mean native accents...
Either go to Britain or The States.
And perhaps Australia? Depends on which accent you are fond of.

If you mean neutral (English which everybody can understand you), just buy some books accompanied with CDs and listen to them, do some practise frequently and ask guidance from experts. That will do, I guess...

[Raymott]

I am a student .I want to learn neutral accent . Please tell me all the possible way to learn it..

Thanks

Suneel Mishra

There are no neutral accents.
You probably should try to identify what sounds you are making that people have trouble understanding and change them until they are not a problem. You'd probably need someone else to tell you which of your sounds are difficult to understand.

[nikjames]

It is hard to say if there is a worldwide neutral accent.... I would say there is not... No matter how you speak, people will generally know the area of the world you are from (or that you sound like).

I would say a fairly neutral accent comes from the Western United States (especially in the larger cities).

The site American English | Learn English | Learning English has some pretty good examples of native speakers from this area. This is my favorite clip... it is fairly clear and easy to understand and has subtitles and the idioms used in the clip listed on the right side of the screen... American Accent | American English | Learn English

[jackolantern]

As others have said, there is no neutral accent. There are basically two major categories of accents, broken down into many different varieties. British English is one, and American English is the other. In British English, the largest variations are Scottish, Irish, England proper and Australian. They all share more of a soft, flowing pronunciation. There are many different regional dialects and accents through each of those. American English does not really have any related country accents, outside of Canada and countries that speak American English but have accents from their other native languages. American English can sound harder, with more defined "cuts" between letters.

Typically, with American English, the West Coast (California, Oregon, Washington, etc.) is seen as having a "neutral accent". This is fortunate for people learning English, because almost all actors in Hollywood movies have a neutral American English accent, unless the movie calls for a different accent (such as Southern, Northeast or Mid-west). You could try watching some movies and working on imitating how they speak. Just be sure that they are speaking how you are accustomed (from language learning CDs, class, etc.), or they could be speaking with a regional accent. But most will be neutral. That is, of course, if you want to try to cultivate an American accent.

[Eden Darien]

As others have said, there is no neutral accent. There are basically two major categories of accents, broken down into many different varieties. British English is one, and American English is the other. In British English, the largest variations are Scottish, Irish, England proper and Australian. They all share more of a soft, flowing pronunciation. There are many different regional dialects and accents through each of those. American English does not really have any related country accents, outside of Canada and countries that speak American English but have accents from their other native languages. American English can sound harder, with more defined "cuts" between letters.

Typically, with American English, the West Coast (California, Oregon, Washington, etc.) is seen as having a "neutral accent". This is fortunate for people learning English, because almost all actors in Hollywood movies have a neutral American English accent, unless the movie calls for a different accent (such as Southern, Northeast or Mid-west). You could try watching some movies and working on imitating how they speak. Just be sure that they are speaking how you are accustomed (from language learning CDs, class, etc.), or they could be speaking with a regional accent. But most will be neutral. That is, of course, if you want to try to cultivate an American accent.

a piece of good advice/opinion from jackolantern like always... Thanks pal...

[JeffM]

We teach accent reduction. Our software uses voice recognition technology. It works on standard deviation so if your accent is not neutral enough, it will immediately indicate this by showing the word you are saying in red. If you say it right the word turns green.

While there are many ways to reduce your accent, as other people have already said, such as listening to audio and trying to imitate that, this is the only method I know that actually corrects you.

We teach the standard American accent, not British. If you are looking for a British accent, try to search accent softening.

[rosie maum]

I have another question related to pronunciation:
What is it called when someone takes on an accent of someone else? For example, I do not have a strong southern accent. When I am around someone who is VERY southern, I find that my southern accent becomes more pronounced. What is that called?

[jackolantern]

a piece of good advice/opinion from jackolantern like always... Thanks pal...

Thank you :)

As for your question, Rosie, I have never heard that called a specific name. I looked around online, and could not find anything. I am the same way, however. I think it is because I used to do a lot of theater when I was younger, and often had to pick-up an accent for a role. So if I am around people with a strong accent for a long period of time, I will unknowingly pick it up.

That is all I have ever heard it called: "picking-up an accent".

[Raymott]

I have another question related to pronunciation:
What is it called when someone takes on an accent of someone else? For example, I do not have a strong southern accent. When I am around someone who is VERY southern, I find that my southern accent becomes more pronounced. What is that called?

This called accomodation in linguistics. You accomodate your accent to your conversational partner. It works with grammar and vocabulary, etc. as well.