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Developing an American accent
BBC Magazine hosted a quite fun feature on how to do an American accent. My favorite part is the exercise that follows it:
Follow these instructions to start learning an American accent:
- Widen your mouth, as you would making the 'ee' sound in weed
- Smile, to place the voice towards your nasal resonator
- Position your tongue further up in the mouth, rather than against the ridge behind the top teeth
- Read out loud the following:
- Round the rugged rock, the ragged rascal ran.
- Saying 'l' as you do the final letters in bell, well and level, read the following:
- Lucky Lily liked to live in Louisiana.
- Barbara Berkery's advice: "Let yourself go, and have fun."
People even sent in audio examples of their American accents! (ELHAM)
July 24, 2008
