Body Language

Here we speak about communication most often in how a foreign accent affects others ability to understand and relate to you in the professional and social realms.  But today lets look at body language.  I came across this interesting article  in the Harvard Business School website on how your body language affects you.   Not on how it effects others.

Did you know that your body language sends messages to you?  In real and measurable ways.  When you have a bold pose such as hands behind your head, with your feet on your desk, or with both hands on your desk leaning over the desk, actually increasing testosterone while lowering cortisol numbers. Body language changes physical activity in your body and can change your perception of yourself. 

The author does point out however that even more important than body language is the warmth that you communicate with.  Having a good idea or being an expert in a field only gets you so far.  Communicating your ideas and knowledge with warmth is what helps you bring people in, so they can hear you and understand your point of view.  

The take-away is to meet people where they are, stay calm and patient and really listen to them even when it is your idea or expertise that you would like to share.  People in general want to be understood not lectured to. 

Lynn Founder of Accent Master

Foreign Accents

I was reading on an anonymous board the other day and saw this "conversation" on accents.  The original question was: "do you look down on people with accents?"  Overall the responders say no, they don't look down on those with accents, regional or foreign. However some did say that they found foreign accent's "frustrating"  and that the grammar mistakes make them "so impatient".

As an ESL speaker do you find other foreign accents in the workplace frustrating?   Do you think two people communicating with different language backgrounds tend to have more difficulty or do you think that there understanding of the challenges of speaking English help them be more patient and therefore better at understanding. other ESL speakers?

Lynn Founder of Accent Master

5 Bad Words

Looking around the internet for some marketing insight I came across this great article  by Ivana Taylor, a marketing expert.  I felt that it wasn't just great for me, but also for my accent reduction clients.  As ESL speakers there is a tendency to stick with tried and true vocabulary words, the "safe bet".  It maybe time to take a look at some of these habitual phrases and words to consider their impact on your image, mindset and meaning.

Do you recognize certain catch phrases or words popping up in your speech often?  Do you say "awesome" automatically for any good news?  How about "excellent".  Could you shake it up a bit?  This can be especially necessary if you find yourself using trendy slang words like "dude", "bummer", "what the"  These phrases can definitely downgrade your image in the workplace.

Perhaps you need to consider the words that Ivana brings to light, such as "try", "should", "want to".  You will set up that meeting or make that call, you won't "try to".  It sets up a wishy washy image and sends your own subconscious the message  that it has wiggle room to get out of it. You will do what you say, you will not merely "try to" .

What are your 5 bad words?

Lynn Founder of Accent Master

What's in a Name

I came across this interesting article at the website Freakanomics here.  All in all it says that in 5 independent studies the easier one's name is to pronounce the greater success a person experiences.  This article did not imply that unfamiliar or foreign names were necessarily a problem, the name it seems just must be easy for people to say.

It is an interesting concept. Do you feel that presenting with an "Americanized" version of your given name is a good idea or do you think it misrepresents you?   Would you find an American living in your country  who  gives a name easier for the people of your country to understand or pronounce as being considerate or dishonest?

Additionally do you think it is the responsibility of the people in America to try a bit harder to understand and pronounce a greater variety of names, or is the responsibility to the new American to fit in by choosing a variety of their name that American's can pronounce easily?

Let me know what you think by leaving a comment.

Lynn founder of Accent Master

Accent Master Software

Here it is the only software available that is interactive and focuses on only the sounds that your need to work on.  How does Accent Master do this?  For each language there is a sound patterns.    Some sounds in English are simply not in your first language.  These will be your challenging sounds.  These are the sounds you will need to focus on.  Each software program which are a very affordable  at 89.00 for a download, was developed for each language.  We currently have 21 language backgrounds to choose from.

Accent Master was one of the first companies to offer accent reduction training and the first to offer long distance training via WebEx and customized software.  We are found in universities across the country and have trained many trainers to work both privately and within companies. Our expertise and experience, along with our understanding of technology's role in professional development , make Accent Master the one all other companies compare themselves to.  There is really no reason to look for other solutions for your communication needs when our classes are taught by the highest qualified faculty and we are the only one that uses software in our courses, especially  when our prices are competitive and our delivery is considered the industry standard to be met.

So if you are tired of piecing together a solution to your communication goals Accent Master software and classes are the unquestionable way to go.

Enjoy the informative posts on our blog!

Lynn Founder of Accent Master

Win Accent Master Software!

At Accent Master we know all of our fans, subscribers and clients are winners.  Winners are always looking for way to improve their performance and rise to the top.  They don't sit around waiting for success to happen, but go out and make success happen. 

We are offering our subscribers a chance to win their own complete Accent Master software download!  The winner will be notified on August 16 via email.  You must subscribe to this blog to win.  The winner will be able to choose from any of  Accent Master's 21 software programs.

Good luck to you!

Lynn, founder of Accent Master

Rhythym of Spoken English

Linking

The third feature of rhythm that we teach at Accent Master is linking.  This is how words flow together so that you don’t have a halting sound to your speech.  Many words can be linked together not just making you sound smoother but saving even more time in pronouncing words that are unstressed, an important skill for the ESL speaker

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Let’s get started with our first example of linking:

 When saying: “An easy test” you will actually say

“aneasy test” It may sound like “akneesE test”

We don’t’ say “An   Easy   Test” This can sound stiff and formal.

In this example “It’s like ashes”

Do you hear cashes when you flow the words together?

These are examples of a final consonant sound (not letter) linking to the word following that begins with the vowel.

Say these phrases using smooth linking between the consonants and the vowels

 
Try these:

  The speaker’s attitude
  To check in
   Some other ones 
   Homework assignments
  Writing essays
   One example
   In October

You can also link a final vowel to a word that begins with a vowel. Sometimes this requires that you insert a w or y sound between

Try these:
  As in    
 Go on 
  Carry out
Two algorithms    
Knew about it
 Now it’s over
Three offices

 

Another situation in which linking works is when a word ends with a stop consonant ( stop consonant is one that is made by stopping the airflow and then releasing it as in /p/,/d/, /t/, /k/, /g/, and  /b/) and the next word begins with a stop.  In these cases we stop the airflow and change the place of articulation without releasing the air in between

 For example: “Like music”

Don’t release the air after the /k/ just flow right into music “likmusic”

Try these:
  A hard night
 A good memory 
 The right moment
Stick together
Keep notes
Stop trying
 Pop quiz

 

So the three rules for linking are:

1. Final consonant sound (not letter)  linking to the word following that begins with the vowel

2. Final vowel to a word that begins with a vowel. Sometimes this requires that you insert a w or y sound between

3. A word ending with a stop and the next word begins with a stop. 

It is a lot of rules our Accent Master’s software has great videos, lessons and practice so you can really master this part of the American Accent.

Lynn founder of

Accent Master