Embracing Your Accent In English: How It Shapes Your Communication - With Anne Maki

Is it OK to speak English with an accent? Is having an accent a good thing or does it limit my communication in English? But what exactly is an accent, and why does it matter? To explore everything related to having an accent when speaking English as a foreign language, we’ve invited Anne Maki, an expert in a topic that often concerns English learners: accents. Anne has a background in speech language pathology and sheds light on the significance of a clear and comprehensible accent. We will discuss what an accent is, how an accent can benefit you and affect you, and how native Spanish speakers can improve their accent when speaking in English. Stay tuned as we explore the challenges faced by Spanish speakers when speaking English, with a focus on common accented Spanish sounds and how word length and consonants influence pronunciation in both languages. Plus, we'll dive into the intricacies of vowel pronunciation and much more. It's a conversation you won't want to miss!
What is an accent and why is it important? 1:00 Maki explains his background in speech language pathology. 2:15 The importance of a clearly understood accent. 3:50 If someone begins avoiding you, they are not disliking you. 5:30 There are some accents that are hard to understand for native speakers. 7:40 Difficulties of accented Spanish speakers speaking English. 9:40 Examples of common accented Spanish sounds. 12:00 Pronunciation of vowels. 16:20 We get ourselves into some sticky situations in Spanish. 18:35 Pronouncing Cop, Cup, Bald Cap, and Body Buddy. 21:25 What is a standard American accent? 24:00 The core of what makes us human is being able to understand messages. 26:00 Any movie is a pretty good sampling of the neutral accent. 27:50 The importance of casual English, reducing words, simplifying words. 30:30 Fluency and accuracy of speech. 32:00 Prioritizing Pronunciation Precision in Speaking. 34:00 The proof is in the actor, and the proof is always in the voice. 36:40 What is an accent reduction class? 39:00 Benefits of speaking with ease and confidence. 41:50 How to get feedback on pronunciation. 43:10