Is it OK to have an accent?

The short answer is: It doesn’t matter. The “quality” of your English does not depend on the origin of your accent. There’s no such thing as a “good” or “bad” accent. But an understanding of clarity in English, and how your pronunciation can affect communication, does matter, and that’s something you can improve.

Can accent be eliminated?

Though it’s challenging to lose your accent entirely, it is possible to change it. To improve your pronunciation skills, you’ll need to exercise both your mouth and ears. There’s actually a whole field of language coaching dedicated to this called accent reduction or modification.

Can you discriminate based on accent?

According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), distinctions based on accent are permissible only when accent “interferes materially with job performance.” The question for employers to ask, therefore, is whether an individual’s accent makes it substantially more difficult for him or her to perform the …

What should I do if people make observations about my accent?

There are two issues we need to address when people make observations about your accent. First, we need to talk about why you feel sensitive when hearing feedback about your accent. Second, we need to talk about other people’s perceptions of your accent.

Why is it so hard to talk about accents?

Even though accents are a fact of life – we all have them, even in our native language – the topic can make us feel sensitive, defensive, frustrated, or discouraged. For most of us, talking about accents is a loaded topic, which means it can cause a lot of different emotions.

Do other people’s perceptions of your accent matter?

Second, we need to talk about other people’s perceptions of your accent. The truth is we can all quickly identify when someone has an accent, including regional accents or dialects. This means when someone comments on your accent, they’re identifying you as different. This can feel really personal, even deeply unsettling.

Why take standard American accent lessons?

The people I work with tell me that a major factor that contributes to their seeking out Standard American accent lessons is the desire to have others hear them clearly and focus on what they’re saying, not how they’re saying it. Also, they are hoping to avoid unfair stereotypes, as well as rude questions and comments.