Accent Modification: A Necessary Good or a Masking of the Cultures We Carry?

By Claudia Alfonso-Alcaide

As a child of Cuban immigrants to the United States, seeing the difficulties of moving to a foreign country has profoundly impacted my life and career plans.

One of the biggest challenges was not precisely attributed to monetary hardship, although that was a struggle. Rather, as for many immigrants, the language barrier became the most significant challenge for my parents.

Many immigrants begin to learn English, at least enough to get by, but the obstacles do not stop with mastering grammar and vocabulary. A steep challenge comes with making themselves understood to others in their new homeland, often due to retaining a “thick” or “heavy” accent from their native language.

Upon arriving in this country, both my mother and father began their studies of American English while working full-time jobs. By acquiring English as a second language in their twenties, they naturally formed what is perceived as an unconventional accent in America.

Although they have lived the last three decades here in Florida, most people they have met throughout the years do not possess a full-blown “Southern” accent but more of a general or neutral American English accent.

In truth, everyone has an accent they acquire over time.

Recent research shows babies in the womb are already learning the patterns of intonation, vowels, and rhythms of their mother’s language and those nearby. Our different accents are due to differing ways of pronouncing the sounds, known as phonemes, that make up words.

Depending on the regions where a person lives, these accents may be deemed “normal,” while others may draw attention to the speaker. When people have an unconventional way of accentuating, they may seek to minimize their accents, approximating local phonemes so as to be better understood.

Accent modification is one of many services that speech-language pathologists provide as a means of helping people to produce more intelligible speech. Although popular perceptions may associate these therapists predominantly with helping children overcome speech disorders such as stuttering or lisping, they can also assist adults with modifying accents to ensure effective communication between themselves and their communities.

In one-to-one sessions, the client and therapist focus on what listeners may hear and comprehend. Clients learn efficient ways to imitate the common sounds and phonology of the intended language, which may make them feel as if they are actors rehearsing for a play or film. In fact, many renowned voice actors work with speech-language therapists to study differences in phonology and tongue placement to imitate particular accents for a role. Accent modification, which can be as simple as mastering three nasal vowels or the “-er” phoneme, can increase clients’ levels of confidence in their speech tremendously.

Modifying a person’s natural accent carries, inevitably, some controversial baggage. After all, what is a standard American English accent? “Foreign” accents can connote a lack of belonging or a deficiency of education. When people seek accent modification services, they may be driven to do so by having endured shame and embarrassment for their natural accent.

My parents and my wider family report that they often felt inferior to those who constantly asked them to repeat themselves due to a lack of understanding. My mother, who still struggles to navigate her Cuban-inflected accent, says, “I know that when I speak, I won’t sound like your typical American with the standard accent from the movies I watched as a teenager. Even now, people still ask me to repeat what I’m saying multiple times because they don’t understand me.”

This is a recurring phenomenon in different settings, especially in the workplace where much of her routine involves speaking to others. She notes that this is an issue her friends face as well since many acquired English around the same age. “I know I’m not inferior to a native English speaker, but it sure does feel like it when I am constantly being asked to repeat myself. I learned another language as a fully-grown adult, and the likelihood of others doing that decreases as we age.”

As for the prospect of pursuing accent modification, she says, “I’ve learned my own ways to get by, but I’m sure accent modification would have made my life easier by avoiding feeling ashamed. Accent or not, I got to where I am now because of my efforts. It’s part of me and my culture in a way.” She jokes that perhaps a speech therapist could help her with the difference between “has” and “have,” or how to pronounce that troublesome “Fort Lauderdale” and “Santa Claus.”

One’s origin plays an integral part in one’s cultural identity. It is important to note that accent modification services do not diminish a person’s individuality. Rather, the purpose of such services is to enhance confidence in overall communication if they have noticed others struggling to understand their speech in everyday activities. For more information, the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association (https://www.asha.org/) shares many features on accent modification and first steps to acquire services.

Finally, it’s important to note accent modification does not seek to erase immigrants’ origins but rather equips them with a greater awareness and control of how they speak. This can empower them to tell their own stories, to speak up for others, and to express their journeys more clearly in their new homeland.