Accent reduction work is a targeted approach in the study of a spoken language that focuses on the specific details that may be difficult for second language speakers. It looks at the areas of speech that are most different between native and second-language speakers. The term also refers to the study of spoken language related to the differences between a regional dialect of a language and a dialect that is considered standard.
“Accent reduction” is certainly a less than perfect term. Even back in the mid-2000s when I first started coaching, I had mixed feelings about the term. One problem I think is that for some people it might have a negative connotation. If an “accent” is something that needs to be “reduced,” then there must be something bad about it. Isn’t that implied in the term? What’s interesting is that many of the people who seek out accent reduction coaching, and hundreds of the people I personally have worked with over the years, speak English at a remarkably high level. It’s astounding to me really when I think about it. When I’m working with these people, I just accept as a given that this is how good their speech is, and I tend to believe that they can do anything. So we never hold back in terms of going for it — striving to do whatever it takes to achieve their goals of speaking exactly the way they would like to.
The main reason I use the term “accent reduction” is because, although it is not perfect, it’s probably the best description of the service that I offer. I want people who are looking for this kind of coaching to be able to find me. There are some other terms that describe the same kind of work — including accent modification, and accent correction. There are more general terms as well, such as “Spoken English coaching.” This is a somewhat accurate description of what I do, but this broad term could be used to describe coaching or teaching at a wide variety of levels. I do have an interest in helping people at all different levels learn English, and even have a program in development designed to help people who don’t speak a single word get started. However, my speciality is in the nuance of spoken English, most specifically American English. At the highest level of my coaching, I work with actors who are not native speakers but are playing American native speakers in a specific role. I call this the highest level as the work is so specific. The actor has the high-stakes job of speaking in this precise way (you could view it as either eliminating their own accent or putting on an American accent) in order to tell a story. In final performance, an actor must be unaware of any technical work they are doing, and seemingly unaware of the scripted lines they are required to say. In order to effectively act in a way that appears truthful to the audience, the words have to seem to come to the actor spontaneously in the moment, and be said without any extra thought or concern. At that point all of the technical work, both acting choices and accent reduction work, is ideally incorporated into the body and forgotten by the conscious mind. So it seems like the actor is doing nothing more than effortlessly living in the moment, responding to impulses, and speaking freely. It’s amazing how much effort can go into creating such a portrait of effortlessness.
I love working with actors and have worked with many over the years, coaching them in acting and accent reduction at the same time, or in some cases only as an acting coach. I have also worked with a great many non-actors. In some cases the goals of my non-actor clients are much less strict than the actors. There is not likely the same level of pressure, such as one mis-pronounced word ruining the illusion of a performance. Or the pressure to consciously “forget” all the technical work and live moment-to-moment for the sake of an organic acting performance. The performances for which I prepare and coach my professional clients might be a speech to a boardroom of a dozen, or a live talk or videoconferencing session to dozens, hundreds, or thousands of spectators. While a successful performance in these venues requires proper rehearsal and attention to detail, there is not the same level of demand that is required of an actor. Whether the speech is scripted, outlined, or completely spontaneous, the most important thing is that the thoughts are clear, the words are understood, and the delivery is engaging both to the speaker and the listener. Unlike the actor playing a native speaker, there is not the pressure to say every sound perfectly or to appear as if these ideas are just coming to the speaker and being spoken spontaneously in the moment. Nonetheless, many of the same principles and rehearsing methods that are used with actors can be used with non-actors to build their comfort and confidence in public speaking. I enjoy sharing certain principles of acting with my professional clients, who have always reponded positively to the work. It makes them more relaxed and secure when it’s time for their meetings, knowing they are well-prepared. And of course being well-prepared and relaxed always makes for a better speech or performance.
Accent reduction work with a private coach takes a personalized approach, in targeting exactly what a specific client needs, and moving at a rate that is appropriate for them. Most of the clients I have worked with are fluent in English, and rely on it in their business and personal life, but there are still areas in which they feel they need guidance to see improvements. Our work focuses on spoken English, speech production, communication and delivery. Occasionally we might also discuss some advanced grammar or word use issues. Most clients request I point out any mistakes I hear or anything in their speech that could be improved. In some cases someone might be mispronouncing a word in a way that its meaning is still obvious to any listener. Or another clear and well-delivered sentence may have a minor grammatical error. If a mispronounced word is always understood, one point-of-view is that correcting it is trivial. On the other hand, I realize that in these cases, the speaker is never getting feedback that there is a mispronunciation, or an error of word use or grammar. So I make sure to bring these issues to their attention so we can address them. Other than these occasional discussions about grammar or word use, most of our work focuses on spoken English and communication.
When I begin working with someone we’ll start with an intake reading and short casual conversation in order to assess their pronunciation and see what areas we might want to work on. They will often have a number of questions and areas of immediate interest— specific words they know they have difficulty with, sounds that are easily mixed up and not clear in their minds, trouble with comprehension of different sounds, or specific words or expressions that people have difficulty understanding when they speak. We’ll discuss these questions, which will often lead to broader discussions on topics that are very important to them. Other work I do with regular clients includes phoneme, intonation, and phrasing exercises; casual conversation; interview preparation; coaching for in-person, phone, or videoconferencing sessions; live performance preparation and coaching; and audition preparation and coaching for actors.
Accent reduction really is a broad term for a wide range of approaches that can be taken in the realm of high-level spoken language instruction. In some ways, much of what I do could be viewed as teaching the American accent. For actors playing a role with an American accent, this can be very nuanced work. How does the accent change in relation to the emotional context of the scene. How does the accent change according to who the character is. How do you prepare such a specific sound and still be available to different impulses in the moment when it’s time for the final performance? Will the accent hold? Or are you holding back because you feel comfortable with the accent, but only if the performance stays within a certain range? Are you prepared enough that you can act without thinking about the technical work at all? Can you act as freely with your American accent as you can in your first language.
For my non-actor clients we can easily adjust our process according to their goals. Some clients specifically want to work to understand and speak with an American accent. They may be living in the US, be raising a family here, like the sound of the American accent, or for many other reasons want to take that approach. Other clients may be more focused on making sure there speech is always understood, and that their communication skills are polished, but may want to keep certain elements of their speech or pronunciation that would not be considered Standard American. Accent reduction work can be approached in whatever way you like to help you find your own true voice.