<p>Probably, most of us on this forum have an accent. I’m not an exception. I have REALLY strong Russian accent and I want to lose it. So, what do you guys do (or maybe did) to lose you accent.</p>
<p>Thanks :)</p>
<p>How old are u? After the age of 16-17 it is impossible to gain a different accent . Also your accent is part of who you are- why do you wanna lose it?</p>
<p>Are you trying to lose your strong accent so to as improve your english and make it easier for people to understand you, or as an attempt to assimilate into a foreign society?</p>
<p>You can improve your accent if you are willing to put in the work. Look for an English teacher or speech therapist who specializes in “Accent Reduction”. There also are some decent home study materials. The best one for mastering a standard US accent that I know of is “American Accent Training” by Ann Cook. The book and CD set costs about $30 and you should be able to order it through Amazon. I like this a lot better than “Clear Speech” by Judy Gilbert. AAT makes a much stronger emphasis on getting speech rhythms correct, and then works toward individual consonant and vowel sounds. It also includes specific advice for ways that speakers of different first languages can approach their particular set of language challenges.</p>
<p>Wishing you all the best!</p>
<p>Also if you are an undergrad, join a lot of clubs and hang out with a lot of americans. Do weird stuff like watch American football, TV shows with americans of course- so u can get a hang on their mannerisms. Do not hang out too much with people from your country. Like you would be tempted to speak Russian to them. And do not hang out exclusively with international students either- this is pretty common. </p>
<p>However, dont forget girls think accents are hot so its a win-lose situation (I personally dont understand why girls like accents)</p>
<p>Still I think your purpose should be to try to speak with a high degree of articulation and clearly as opposed to losing your accent</p>
<p>Is it really impossible to lose an accent after 16-17? I find my accent keeps changing - form British, to Indian to “international school” depending on where I live. I try to stick to my Indian accent (which is my “true accent” in my mind) but my accent automatically changes according to the situation I am in. And btw, agree with sefago. As long as you are clear, an accent can be part of your identity.</p>
<p>^ It’s the same with me! My accent is now a mix of British, American/Canadian and Asian. :D</p>
<p>well as long as you’re not in the south, americans are pretty neutral when it comes to accents.</p>
<p>I don’t think you can change your accent easily. If you speak slow, you will never have any problem with your accent. Everyone understands a slow English, whatever the accent maybe.</p>
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<p>The fact that your accent changes depending on your environment shows you have not lost it. You have just altered it to assimilate. After 16/17 you must consciously make an attempt to lose your accent. Like actually put the effort. Those under that age, lose the accent naturally.</p>
<p>Yes, your accent like your grammar and your vocabulary will continue to change. This is perfectly normal. Human brains are hard-wired for language acquisition so most of our language skill are gained without conscious effort. For fun reading on this topic, pick up a copy of “The Language Instinct” by Pinker and a copy of “Second Language Learning and Second Language Acquisition” by Krashen.</p>
<p>Get a dialect coach - though you shouldn’t stress about your accent too much.</p>
<p>I’m from South Africa, moved here when I was 10. I’m 17 now, and still have a strong accent. I dont’ think i will ever lose it completely. I love it! It’s part of who I am, plus it sets me apart from everyone, which is very useful when applying for jobs/colleges etc. I do say a lot of things the American way, but i still have a noticeable accent.</p>
<p>ps, girls love a strong accent!</p>
<p>And i’m in the South. Most people love my accent, so i’m not sure what the previous poster meant.</p>
<p>Well, I’m a girl, so I don’t really care whether other girls like my accent or not. hehe
Dionysus58, I want to lose my accent so people can understand me better, but I also want to assimilate into a foreign society. So, it’s kind of both.</p>
<p>I’m 17 and I live in US since I was 15. So, it’s two years already and I’m trying to do everything, but I still have a stong accent. Not that I don’t like it, it’s just kind of annoying when you ask teacher a question in the class and everyone turns around to look at you.</p>
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<p>LOL, that happened to me all the time in college. However, its possible because they want to hear you as opposed to your accent. People generally look at people in their clas who are asking questions. Maybe you might be a little self conscious. Yeah its kind of irritating. But instead of being worried- just keep talking confidently and ignore them.</p>
<p>However, try and imitate how your classmates talk or watch how they pronounce words. If you have money well you could take a dialect coach as suggested.</p>
<p>I am able to switch accents easily and imitate them i think its all in the ear lol. If you have a good one you will get it in less than 6 months, if not don’t worry is always cool to be unique and easily identified because of your strong accent. Dont worry rather enjoy it ;D</p>
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<p>This is ridiculous.</p>
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<p>Interesting question. Some theories are that it signifies that the person is from further away, and so will have genes that are different from theirs. More genetic diversity=better for offspring.</p>
<p>Another is that you have to be in pretty good shape (physical, social, economic) to travel far away, so the fact that you are elsewhere indicates your high desirability.</p>
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really ? you’re telling me people from the south do not have strong accents ?</p>