Have you ever heard someone say I just cant understand Indian Accents? This occurs far too frequently here in Seattle, where some of our best minds in technology, engineering and science are speakers with an accent. Many fluent English speakers with high level skills find frustration when speaking with Americans. Why is this? There are several explanations.
1.MANY AMERICANS ARE SIMPLY NOT VERY GOOD AT UNDERSTANDING ACCENTED SPEECH
I am an American. I am not a typical American, as I have lived abroad, studied many foreign languages, and enjoy speaking and learning in languages other than English. This is not the case for many Americans, and often they have no need to learn another language. They may not have developed the ability to listen to accented speech due to lack of exposure. Whatever the reason, most people who speak with a significant accent may run into communication breakdowns when talking with their colleagues, clients, customers and students.
2.INDIAN ENGLISH IS DIFFERENT THAN AMERICAN ENGLISH
We are speaking two different languages. Yes, American English and Indian English are more alike than different, but we have some different rules for grammar, vocabulary words, and common expressions. Adding in technical language used in science and technology fields does not always help the equation.
3.INDIAN SPEAKERS OF ENGLISH HAVE DIFFERENT PRONUNCIATION OF THE SOUNDS OF ENGLISH
The phonemes or sounds of American English and Indian English are mostly the same, but there are some typical differences in pronunciation, particularly on the sounds. For more information on pronunciation, see this article (http://www.speechmodification.com/1/post/2014/03/tips-for-indian-english-speakers.html) on speechmodification.com, or click the link for the video with this article.
4. INDIAN SPEAKERS USE DIFFERENT PITCH PATTERNS (INTONATION) THAN AMERICAN SPEAKERS
While intonation patterns vary by individuals and context, Americans generally use what we can call a staircase pitch pattern. That is to say, they step up word by word for a phrase, or they step down. A typical Indian accent will have more of a rising and falling within the phrase or even within the syllables of the word. This makes the speech sound odd and disconnected to the American listener. They may interpret the meaning of the words differently based on intonation. For example, a rising pitch on the last word or syllable of the sentence can make it sound like a question to an American listener.
Why does it matter? In some cases, it doesn't. An accent can be a positive part of how you present yourself. But when heavily accented speech leads to misunderstandings and communication breakdowns, it is frustrating for both the speaker and the listener. Research has shown that people with heavily accented speech can be considered less trustworthy. Bias against accented speech happens in job applicant selection and across other areas of society.
What can someone do to improve their pronunciation? Fortunately, there is help. With individualized training and practice, speakers have can have measurable improvements in their intelligibility within 12 weeks. Working with a certified speech language pathologist and accent trainer will help identify the areas where misunderstandings occur and improve communication skills across all contexts.
Christine Dunbar is a certified speech language pathologist and accent trainer working with individuals and groups in the Seattle area and world-wide over the internet. More information on accent modification services can be found at www.speechmodification.com.
| About Author |
|
Christine is a nationally certified Speech Language Pathologist with over 15 years experience working with individuals to improve their communication skills. She received her Masters of Science in Speech-Language Pathology at the University of Washington. She has worked with individuals from around the world to improve their pronunciation and command of American English.
Christine is interested in yoga, travel, hiking and backpacking.
|
Website: http://www.speechmodification.com/
Disclaimer: Please use this channel at your own discretion. These articles are contributed by our users. We are not responsible or liable for any problems related to the utilization of information of these articles.
View All Contributions
|
|
|
.jpg)
.png)
