"I know that I speak English pretty well, but sometimes I still feel like people can't understand me."
This is a thought that a lot of non-native speakers of English have when communicating with coworkers, classmates, or others in the community. It doesn't mean that your English skills are not "good" and it doesn't mean that there is anything wrong with how you speak English. In fact, your accent is an important part of your identity. However, American native speakers of English are accustomed to hearing certain sounds, words, and phrases said in a specific way. If those words are said differently, with a different accent, their ears need to work harder to understand what they're hearing. The accent that most Americans are used to hearing is called the Standard American Accent. This accent is not native to any one area of the United States, but is a neutralized accent that many Americans use. If you hear this accent being used, you can't tell specifically where in America a person is from. We're all accustomed to hearing the pronunciation, rhythm, and timing that comes with that accent. If it sounds different and we're not used to it, we get thrown off.
Signs That Your Accent May Be Getting in the Way of Your Success
1) People are constantly asking you to repeat yourself.
- "What?" "Sorry?" "What?" "Can you say that again?" "What?" "Sorry, I didn't get that" "What??"
2) You are often misunderstood. People's reactions to what you said do not match what you actually told them.
Examples:
If you walk up to a coworker and tell them some neutral news and they giggle then walk away.
If you tell someone a hilarious knee jerker of a joke/embarrassing story and then they give you a weak giggle and walk away.
3) People tend to focus more on your accent rather than what you're saying.
4) You find yourself embarrassed or upset when people don't understand you.
If the signs above happen frequently in a variety of settings, you may have thought that your accent is getting in the way of getting the job you want, getting promoted, or being more confident in social settings.
Luckily, we can help you with that here at Speech Precision. Sign up for a free assessment and we'll give you a direct, individualized plan to help you communicate effectively and efficiently.
Your accent is an important part of your identity. The goal is not to change your accent, but rather, it is to learn how your communication partners are accustomed to hearing the sounds and to adjust when you need to in order to facilitate more efficient communication.