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KiwiRob
Joined: 05 Feb 2013
Location: Wellington, New Zealand.
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 Posted: Mon Mar 11, 2013 11:58 pm Post subject: How do I speak in a North American accent? |
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Hello so as you can probably tell from my name I am a kiwi and I am from New Zealand.
Iv'e been told that if I want a job in korea i need to learn how to neutralize my accent and speak more like a North American.
Has anyone been through this? How on earth do I do that? |
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comm
Joined: 22 Jun 2010
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| Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 1:02 am Post subject: |
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| KiwiRob wrote: |
| Iv'e been told that if I want a job in korea i need to learn how to neutralize my accent and speak more like a North American. |
That's not really true.
However, the majority of English which students are exposed to is of the General American dialect. It was popularized by the crisp, clear pronunciation of figures like Walter Cronkite and spread throughout American media to this day.
Therefore, students have a much easier time understanding this accent. I've actually seen students groan when a listening exercise featuring a British accent comes up, because it's much harder for them to understand.
However, regional American dialects can be just as difficult for students to understand as any other country's English. So the most important thing is to speak slowly, space out your words, and pronounce them as clearly as possible. But remember, the further your accent deviates from the General American accent, the harder it will be for your students (or your prospective employer) to understand you. |
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Squire
Joined: 26 Sep 2010
Location: Jeollanam-do
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| Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 1:23 am Post subject: |
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| Speak slowly, don't use overly long sentences, use simple language that will be easily understood, enunciate clearly, occasionally stress important words and don't use slang. You don't have to start adopting a silly semi-North American accent. It's important for students to hear different accents- there are actually a lot of Koreans that spend time working and studying in Australia, and don't forget a lot of people Koreans will speak English with won't even speak English as a first language. Learning to understand only one accent when the English language is used so widely by people of all different accents would be be unhelpful |
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schwa
Joined: 18 Jan 2003
Location: Yap
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| Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 2:17 am Post subject: |
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Kiwi vowels, to my well-traveled Canadian ears, sometimes make understanding difficult.
Pardon?... Again, sorry, pardon? |
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Cacille
Joined: 05 Oct 2011
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| Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 2:31 am Post subject: |
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OP, I just came back from a 2 week trip to New Zealand. North Island, specifically, staying a lot in Wanganui where my friend resides. We've talked for years so I can give you some tips. I'm from the USA myself.
1. Get REALLY good at the hard R sound. Make suRe you use it in eveRy woRd with an R.
2. Lose the h in herb. We just say ERb
3. TT in a word sounds like D. butter = budder
4. The ae sound does not sound like ah. It's more like "Ack!"
5. Z is not named "zed". It's Zee.
That's some things off the top of my head. |
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CrikeyKorea
Joined: 01 Jun 2007
Location: Heogi, Seoul
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| Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 2:35 am Post subject: |
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Great tips Cacille, i can't even remember how many times i have been fired for saying zed not zee... but that goes for all the other non-standard american accents, the blanket ban on people from Boston and their crazy Irish/American style of speaking...
don't worry mate, just don't speak in heaps of slang and you;ll be right,... |
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cj1976
Joined: 26 Oct 2005
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| Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 2:47 am Post subject: |
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| I've never once tried to change my British accent and I have never had any problems. Just enunciate more than usual and slow it down. |
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KiwiRob
Joined: 05 Feb 2013
Location: Wellington, New Zealand.
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| Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:34 am Post subject: |
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Thanks for all the input guys some great advice  |
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ttompatz
Joined: 05 Sep 2005
Location: Kwangju, South Korea
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| Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 4:42 am Post subject: Re: How do I speak in a North American accent? |
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| KiwiRob wrote: |
Hello so as you can probably tell from my name I am a kiwi and I am from New Zealand.
Iv'e been told that if I want a job in korea i need to learn how to neutralize my accent and speak more like a North American.
Has anyone been through this? How on earth do I do that? |
I give up.... what is a "North American" accent?
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young_clinton
Joined: 09 Sep 2009
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| Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 6:20 am Post subject: Re: How do I speak in a North American accent? |
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| KiwiRob wrote: |
Hello so as you can probably tell from my name I am a kiwi and I am from New Zealand.
Iv'e been told that if I want a job in korea i need to learn how to neutralize my accent and speak more like a North American.
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Rubbish. Don't waste your time with this, unless for some reason you want to do it as a hobby.
If you would actually like to take advantage of your accent, SE Asian schools prefer British, Australian and New Zealanders and they all seem to be in that area. Of course the pay is considerably lower in poorer teaching areas like SE Asia. |
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rollo
Joined: 10 May 2006
Location: China
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| Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 3:42 pm Post subject: |
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The"Canadian" accent is what is taught or sought for in broadcasting. often called the MidWestern accent. but it is a neutral acent. Why many broadcasters are from central Canada or the American midWest. probably does not help you. But you could listen to American and Canadian news broadcasts.
Speak slowly, ennuciate clearly and you will be fine. Plenty of folds fom N.Z. have taught in Korea and are teaching in korea. |
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carpetdope
Joined: 13 Oct 2008
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Daelim
Joined: 18 Jun 2011
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| Posted: Tue Mar 12, 2013 5:30 pm Post subject: |
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| Cacille wrote: |
OP, I just came back from a 2 week trip to New Zealand. North Island, specifically, staying a lot in Wanganui where my friend resides. We've talked for years so I can give you some tips. I'm from the USA myself.
1. Get REALLY good at the hard R sound. Make suRe you use it in eveRy woRd with an R.
2. Lose the h in herb. We just say ERb
3. TT in a word sounds like D. butter = budder
4. The ae sound does not sound like ah. It's more like "Ack!"
5. Z is not named "zed". It's Zee.
That's some things off the top of my head. |
Oh my dear God, where do you start with this?  |
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