this post was submitted on 01 Dec 2023

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I want to talk in an American accent but how can I transition into it slowly for people who know me without them noticing a sudden change? (lemmy.world)

submitted 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

72 comments fedilink hide all child comments

As strange as it may seem, I hate my accent and want to speak like an American because I think it sounds cooler and more like how I want to sound.

I've more or less perfected my version of an American accent on my own, I think.

But whenever I'm with other people who know me, I revert back to my old accent instinctively because that's how they know me to sound like. I'm unsure about how I can subtly transition without them noticing a sudden change, such as through gradual exposure to my accent changing more each time they hear it. That way I could argue that I don't know how it happened and it was a slow progression if they eventually realise it's different, rather than something forced that I started doing one day.

The biggest thing I think is changing the pronunciation of certain words with "a", such as going from "fahst" to "faast" for the word 'fast', or "mahsk" to "maask" for 'mask'. Because it's really one or the other, there's no in-between. I feel like for most other sounds, a gradual transition into more American sounds can be possible, but that one's like, how can I make the plunge and will people notice it straight away and think it's weird?

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago* (last edited 11 months ago) (1 children)

Are you in the US? If so it makes a bit of sense if you want to "fit in" socially, but it's also fine if you just like the accents. If you don't live in the US then it might seem bizarre to people if you switch up your english accent (whatever it currently is). Bare that in mind.

But it's your life, you do what you want. Plenty of people have elocution lessons for various reasons. If you feel embarrassed for whatever reason then tell people you're taking elocution lessons. You could tell them you've chosen an American accent as you like the sounds, or it helps you project confidence or even because you feel it will open doors for you when communicating with other English speakers as it will remove bias or prejudice against your current accent.

There are lots of ways of justifying it if you feel the need. But hopefully your friends and family will just understand if you say you just like the way it sounds.

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[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

I won't delve into the reasons you shouldn't based on 'coolness', but...

There are half-ways between the pronunciation you're mentioning: the short 'a' sound can be used (common in British English), and wouldn't seem so jarring to me.

You can drop your Ts for weak Ds in things like 'water', so the tip of your tongue gently taps the roof of your mouth instead of pronouncing the typical British hard T (a lot of us don't pronounce it like that, mind you).

However, "speak like an American" doesn't necessarily mean one accent, as there are many in the US. Choose one, I suppose.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

careful. people might not recognize you

In any case, you could always talk to a speech coach.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago (1 children)

Like others, I won't comment on whether this is a good idea or not.....

Consider that all of the changes happened over time. (Unless you're speaking with a Queen's English accent, which is a posh fabrication created by the upper class BUT I DIGRESS)

So, for example, take the word "water". Look at the first syllable, 'wat'. Imagine it with a British accent, then with an American one. Think about just the vowel, the A. Try to say that vowel out loud in one accent, and hold it, then slide to the other one.

It will take lots of careful thought but you can do a similar "slow slip" for consonants and entire words too.

Good luck, I guess?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 11 months ago

As an American (Los Angeles) I think the main difference between how I pronounce water and the way Judi Dench does it is the t. We treat the t like our brake pedal at a stop sign with no other cars around, barely a tap, basically a d sound. The a we pronounce ah. Judi's ah sounds similar but maybe a little oh-ish to us.Then of course there's the -er, which we do pronounce, while Judi says -uh, in the classiest way evah of course!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

I used to have a southern accent because I grew up in North Carolina. Then I lived in Wisconsin for five years and developed a midwestern accent more or less.

It just happened naturally, just from being in a different environment.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 11 months ago

Scorched earth method. You are now John Black, you have no friends or family. You are an American with nothing but a pack of bubblegum and a desire to take names (of your brand new friends)

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