Can I Change My Accent?

Changing your accent takes a lot of time and hard work. How old you are and how well you know the language also matter. It’s not something that happens overnight.

In my experience, it is not just enough to know the sounds. It takes dedication to change how you use your mouth and tongue to produce the sound. And then further dedication to form lasting habits that over time become the new accent.

People who think they can do this easily, tend to fail. Just understanding the theory is hard already! Changing behaviour becomes too much effort.

So, how hard are you prepared to work at it?

Internal Pressures – Thinking About Yourself

Some people worry that changing their accent means giving up their culture or identity. They are quite devoted to how they perceive themselves to be; including how they speak. They want to change but deep down, they are not the kind of person who is going to embrace change.

Others think it’s okay to change. They think it’s great to change how they talk to fit in better. Their identity is more fluid and they are more willing to try, adopt and move on. Ultimately, they think it’s a personal choice.

So, do you feel ready and free to embrace a new way of sounding when you speak?

External Pressures – Thinking About Those Around You

Accents develop from a combination of factors including regional dialects, social influences, exposure to different languages, and individual speech patterns. No matter what your current accent may be, it is deeply engrained in your communities culture of communication. Accents represent people and define a group.

Those people around you, especially those who influence you, will respond to your new way of speaking. We don’t deeply care when someone changes their hair style, but apparently, it’s much more dramatic to change how you speak. So, the pressure to stay the same may come from those around you who see you changing and give your speaking performance their own criticism.

So, do you feel strong enough to speak differently even if your community might not understand nor appreciate your desire to change how you speak?

In the end, the question of whether one can change their accent is not easily answered. It’s influenced by many factors, including individual motivations, resources, and cultural perceptions. While some may embark on the journey of accent modification with clear goals and determination, others may decide to embrace their accents as integral facets of their identity.

I’d love to know what you think!

Are you someone who will work hard and embrace change and “ditch” your old accent? Or prefer to focus on owning your accent as culture and it’s part of your roots. There is no right or wrong answer. Just be sure to be true to yourself.

Ultimately, the decision to change or retain one’s accent is deeply personal. Soon I’ll share my journey of how I chose my accent, voice and way of speaking.