When I work with my accent-reduction clients in Miami, they say that this problem is one of their worst problems. The "ee" and "i" sounds are always getting mixed up.
So I call it "The Beach/Bitch" problem.
(I live in Miami, I can do that!)
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(The Beach)...................................(The Rich Bitch)
I also call the ee/i accent problem the "Sheet/Sh*t" problem (but that's not as elegant.) Most of my Spanish-speaking clients tell me with a horrified look on their face "Oh, I NEVER say the word sheet - I'm afraid of what will happen. So I say 'linens' instead!)
Today I laughed at story a client told me about a friend who caused a disaster with the "Sheet/Sh*t" problem. She checked into a hotel and found the sheet was dirty on the bed. She told the front desk:
Woman: "I have a problem, my 'sh*t' is dirty!"
(The front desk clerk was confused and horrified, not to mention, disgusted.)
Desk Clerk: "I'm sorry, I can't help you!"
Woman (screaming): "But my 'sh*t' is dirty! It's dirty!"
Desk Clerk: "Lady, 'sh*t' is always dirty! What can I do? Do you want me to call a doctor?"
It was then that she realized what a horrible mistake she had made, did not know how to correct it. She hoped she never had a problem with sheets again so she wouldn't have to say it. (It's like that in Miami.)
So let's go back to the beach with the bitch. Let's say it's South Bitch, oops, I mean South Beach. (Hee hee). I've noticed that in all cases, my clients are ABLE to say both sounds correctly, but they always get them mixed up in their speech.
They can't understand why the sounds come out wrong. It's like there is "a short circuit" in the brain, some kind of crossed wires. But don't worry, there is a fix! The first thing I get my clients and students to do is get them to hear the subtle differences in the two sounds. We say the two sounds next to each other. We say it wrong, say it right, say it wrong, say it right -- until the brain can consciously recognize which sounds it is sending to the mouth.
I call this the "Lisa Jeffery Homeopathic Method of Correcting Mistakes." (It works for quivering Elvis Legs in Public speaking too!) Sometimes this takes time, but it always works. Here is how you can practice the "Beach/Bitch" problem: Mix the two (vowel sounds) with different consonants. For example: beach/bitch; reach/rich. This works miracles. So here's my famous practice sentence, Miami style: Say this: "When you go to the beach, reach for the rich bitch!"
I once had a corporate training class of 22 people saying this all at once -- just as the CEO walked by! (Hee Hee.) He popped his head in the class, "What's going on here?”Accent reduction, Miami style!" somebody yelled. (Thank god!)
This isn't just a problem with Spanish speakers; I've noticed it with my French, Portuguese, Italian, Turkish, Chinese and Russian clients too. My favorite French client discovered she can say these two sounds correctly, except with the consonant "L". 'Little' always comes out 'leetle', no matter how hard she tried. I asked her to say the word sick. And brick. She could say them! She could also say the word 'lily' correctly. So her practice sentence was "The rich bitch has little lilies."
Then we usually laugh. Can you picture the rich bitch on the beach with her bouquet of little lilies? If you've been to South Beach, you may have seen her. (But make sure you say BEACH!)
* Lisa Jeffery, MBA, MA teaches Advanced Business English for FIU's International MBA program, and Communication at Barry University. She provides corporate training programs and private executive coaching in accent reduction and public speaking skills. Her clients primarily fall into three groups: television personalities, lawyers, and financial advisors & CEOs.
If you are interested in Accent Reduction coaching or training, contact Lisa at www.lisajeffery.com for a free consultation.
