7 Seas Speech-Language Pathology Services
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Accent Modification:
Everyone speaks with an accent. You may speak English with an accent from a different region in the United States. You may speak English with an accent because English is not your first language. You may speak French with an English accent. In our world today, people move from state to state and from country to country. One thing that we take with us no matter where we move is our accent.
- What is an accent?
- How do accents affect communication?
- Can I change my accent?
- What can I expect from a speech-language pathologist?
What is an accent?
An accent is the unique way that speech is pronounced by a group of people speaking the same language. A person's accent depends on many factors; however, accents are usually grouped in the following way:
- Regional Accents - for example, people who are from Texas often sound different than people who are from New York.
- Foreign Accents - for example, someone who was raised speaking English will sound different than someone who was raised speaking Spanish and learned English as an adult.
Accents are a natural part of spoken languages. It is important to realize that no accent is better than another. It should also be stressed that accents are NOT a speech or language disorder.