WHAT is she singing?
Helping You Speak With Precision, Elegance and Influence... Classes, Coaching and Networking
Wednesday, August 18, 2010
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
A Gold Mine of Accents for Actors!
Are you an actor trying to master an accent for an audition? Are you wishing you could just click on a button on the computer and hear every accent there is around the world? Here it is! Your dream come true!
I couldn't believe I found this: A Linguist's Dream, The Speech Accent Archive. It was created by George Mason University.
I had so much fun listening to Yiddish, French, Minnesota, Alabama accents and New Jersey accents. I couldn't stop, I was rolling on the floor laughing. They are all recorded by native speakers of places like Memphis and Madagascar! This is the real thing, and they were all reading the following sentence:
It is a thorough compilation of English accents online. You can even make your own recording if you have an accent. In addition to audio samples of each accent, the Speech Accent Archive keeps track of biographical and regional data. Each clip has a readout of the sample paragraph next to the phonetic transcription. WOW!
For every accent, it also has a list of linguistic distinctions for the accent. For Example, I listened to the Greek accent. It described the consonant vowel and syllabic mistakes. With a little practice you can begin to master any accent, and you don't even have to go there!
This relatively simple idea has provided a structure for a unique set of data. In addition to being a fun site to casually explore, it provides a resource for speech pathologists, actors learning an accent or even engineers training speech recognition machines. If that wasn’t enough, all the files are released under a Creative Commons License. You can use them!
Have fun! It iz zee best zing vee have foun!
I couldn't believe I found this: A Linguist's Dream, The Speech Accent Archive. It was created by George Mason University.
I had so much fun listening to Yiddish, French, Minnesota, Alabama accents and New Jersey accents. I couldn't stop, I was rolling on the floor laughing. They are all recorded by native speakers of places like Memphis and Madagascar! This is the real thing, and they were all reading the following sentence:
"Please call Stella. Ask her to bring these things with her from the store:
Six spoons of fresh snow peas, five thick slabs of blue cheese,
and maybe a snack for her brother Bob.
We also need a small plastic snake and a big toy frog for the kids.
She can scoop these things into three red bags,
and we will go meet her Wednesday at the train station."
It is a thorough compilation of English accents online. You can even make your own recording if you have an accent. In addition to audio samples of each accent, the Speech Accent Archive keeps track of biographical and regional data. Each clip has a readout of the sample paragraph next to the phonetic transcription. WOW!
For every accent, it also has a list of linguistic distinctions for the accent. For Example, I listened to the Greek accent. It described the consonant vowel and syllabic mistakes. With a little practice you can begin to master any accent, and you don't even have to go there!
This relatively simple idea has provided a structure for a unique set of data. In addition to being a fun site to casually explore, it provides a resource for speech pathologists, actors learning an accent or even engineers training speech recognition machines. If that wasn’t enough, all the files are released under a Creative Commons License. You can use them!
Have fun! It iz zee best zing vee have foun!
Thursday, July 1, 2010
Silent Letters in English: A Sonnet
Psychology of Silent Letters in a Foreign Café© by Lisa Jeffery
In a loud coffee shop, I created my dictionary of silent letters.
Crouching beneath muffled conversations of gossip about weekend soirees,
my silent letters, like private benefactors, donated to the words, sophisticated them,
brought a sense of mystery, a French-ness, a Latin-ness to dull, milquetoast English.
Silent letters, like lacy French underwear, are not meant to be paraded.
Silent letters are spies, Greeks at Troy, Trojan Horses to foreign students.
Silent letters parachute into words like Green Beret Lieutenant Colonels.
I laughed. People talked. I reminisced of saucy dialogues with my colleagues.
I devoured my salmon sandwich and asked for the receipt, which I knew
would put me in debt either on my mortgage, or my next island rendezvous.
White as a ghost, I remained calm. I unfastened my handbag with my thumb,
tensed my muscles as I often do when I’ve realized I’ve done something dumb.
I placed my handkerchief in my palm and wiped the sweat off my balmy forehead.
Damn, I thought. I had only brought - foreign currency. Oh, so apropos.
Can you find the silent letters it this poem?
©Lisa Jeffery, 2010
In a loud coffee shop, I created my dictionary of silent letters.
Crouching beneath muffled conversations of gossip about weekend soirees,
my silent letters, like private benefactors, donated to the words, sophisticated them,
brought a sense of mystery, a French-ness, a Latin-ness to dull, milquetoast English.
Silent letters, like lacy French underwear, are not meant to be paraded.
Silent letters are spies, Greeks at Troy, Trojan Horses to foreign students.
Silent letters parachute into words like Green Beret Lieutenant Colonels.
I laughed. People talked. I reminisced of saucy dialogues with my colleagues.
I devoured my salmon sandwich and asked for the receipt, which I knew
would put me in debt either on my mortgage, or my next island rendezvous.
White as a ghost, I remained calm. I unfastened my handbag with my thumb,
tensed my muscles as I often do when I’ve realized I’ve done something dumb.
I placed my handkerchief in my palm and wiped the sweat off my balmy forehead.
Damn, I thought. I had only brought - foreign currency. Oh, so apropos.
Can you find the silent letters it this poem?
©Lisa Jeffery, 2010
Friday, June 11, 2010
America is Ready For An Accent! Except Strong Ones, Like New Jersey!
New Trends: You may have heard it discussed on the news, Accent Reduction is the latest trend in global communication. Even Americans with strong accents such as Ebonics, or a sharp Boston, New Jersey or Southern accent are learning to tone it down to speak to global audiences!
People who speak English as a second language are perfecting their accents in English. The New York Times recently wrote an article that America is ready for an accent, as long as it is not too strong. I have coached and trained thousands of people from New York to South America, Asia, Africa and Europe to reduce their accents. This includes television personalities, Fortune 500 executives, actors, entrepreneurs and unemployed people. I love to help people speak better, powerful, more articulate International English.
My hero is Grace Kelly.
Years ago, Grace Kelly worked very hard to tone down her harsh Philadelphia accent so she could become a glamorous movie star (and a princess). She knew her voice had to be beautiful. A strange new device called the tape recorder just came out. The young Grace Kelly, aspiring actress, begged her father to buy it, and she worked for hours, alone and with a coach. Through many hours of hard work, it happened. (Well, it didn't 'happen' she MADE it happen!) Watch her in her movies... wow, does she speak with elegance!
People who speak English as a second language are perfecting their accents in English. The New York Times recently wrote an article that America is ready for an accent, as long as it is not too strong. I have coached and trained thousands of people from New York to South America, Asia, Africa and Europe to reduce their accents. This includes television personalities, Fortune 500 executives, actors, entrepreneurs and unemployed people. I love to help people speak better, powerful, more articulate International English.
My hero is Grace Kelly.
Years ago, Grace Kelly worked very hard to tone down her harsh Philadelphia accent so she could become a glamorous movie star (and a princess). She knew her voice had to be beautiful. A strange new device called the tape recorder just came out. The young Grace Kelly, aspiring actress, begged her father to buy it, and she worked for hours, alone and with a coach. Through many hours of hard work, it happened. (Well, it didn't 'happen' she MADE it happen!) Watch her in her movies... wow, does she speak with elegance! Anyone can change their accent, articulation or voice if they know the right techniques, know their problem sounds and know how to correct them. That's why working with an accent coach helps. The rest is up to you. You have to keep practicing. You have to work not to lose the progress you made. You need support of people around you as you change the way you speak. It's a metamorphosis and an exciting process.
How do I describe my coaching clients? One of my colleagues said it before I could:
"People who take accent reduction courses are usually highly motivated individuals who are looking for better job opportunities or promotions, increased social opportunities and better cultural understanding. If this sounds like you, it may be time for you to investigate these kinds of classes." (Susan Ryan, Accent Reduction Coach, Bethesda, Maryland)
This summer, I'm holding intense Accent Reduction Workshops in Miami. If you are not ready for private coaching, take an intensive workshop! Spend an afternoon making your mouth sore from really, really working hard at it. You can assess which sounds and problems you need to work on and learn techniques of how to correct them yourself. Contact me for a free evaluation!
Lisa Jeffery, The "Paramedic Speech Coach" (That's what one of my clients called me!)
Saturday, June 5, 2010
New Links to Help You with Accent Reduction
I'm always excited when I find a special new tool to help people reduce their accents. Here are two exciting places you can go on the internet to help you practice:
I give these two sites five stars!
1. Phonetics: The Sounds of Spoken Languages
About the Phonetics Flash Animation Project: This site contains animated libraries of the phonetic sounds of English, German, and Spanish. Available for each consonant and vowel is an animated articulatory diagram, a step-by-step description, and video=audio of the sound spoken I context. It is intended for the student of phonetics, linguistics, and foreign languages. There is also an interactive diagram of the articulatory anatomy.
This project was a collaborative effort of the Departments of Spanish and Portuguese, German, Speech Pathology and Audiology, and Academic Technologies at the University of Iowa.
An amazing collection of recordings of accents from around the world, all participating in the same sample collection task. Created by George Mason University. This is a great resource if you want to hear what different accents sound like. Great for actors!
I give these two sites five stars!
1. Phonetics: The Sounds of Spoken Languages
About the Phonetics Flash Animation Project: This site contains animated libraries of the phonetic sounds of English, German, and Spanish. Available for each consonant and vowel is an animated articulatory diagram, a step-by-step description, and video=audio of the sound spoken I context. It is intended for the student of phonetics, linguistics, and foreign languages. There is also an interactive diagram of the articulatory anatomy.
This project was a collaborative effort of the Departments of Spanish and Portuguese, German, Speech Pathology and Audiology, and Academic Technologies at the University of Iowa.
- This library is intended to be used by adult students and instructors of articulatory phonetics, linguistics or foreign language.
- Instructors can use this for in-class projection.
- Students can use the library to review phonetic sounds or supplement their class or textbooks.
- Students studying English or Spanish as a foreign language can see and hear native speakers pronounce each sound.
An amazing collection of recordings of accents from around the world, all participating in the same sample collection task. Created by George Mason University. This is a great resource if you want to hear what different accents sound like. Great for actors!
Thursday, March 18, 2010
Harvard Study Shows: It's Not the Color of Your Skin, It's Your Accent!
A new study was published in The Journal of Social Cognition. "Accent Speaks Louder Than Race When it Comes to Making Friends"
This is an interesting article based a 5-year study:
A Harvard University study has shown that when it comes to making friends, children prefer those whose speech patterns - rather than skin color - mimic their own. It has long been recognized that both kids and adults form and organize relationship networks largely based on the race, gender and age of others.
While previous research has shown that white kids in the United States tend to pick same-race friends, new findings suggest that race takes a back seat when foreign or non-native accents come into play. During the study, when offered the choice between making friends with either a white or black child who spoke French, English with a French accent, or native English, the group of white 5-year-old study participants overwhelmingly opted for the native speakers, regardless of their race.
After helping hundreds of people reduce their accents, I have to say this study rings true not only for children, but for adults as well. Accents are important for children in making friends, but they are important for adults in finding clients and doing business. As an accent reduction Executive Coach, I have found that improving the accent helps people find clients, jobs, and opportunities and friends.
For example, many of my financial adviser clients with Latino accents in Miami, come to me to help them reduce their accent so they may increase their client base and find American clients. I also work with entrepreneurs who have a 'Miami' accent. They want to reduce it so they may do business with more people in Boca Raton, Palm Beach and the rest of the United States. Many actors also work with me to reduce their accents, as they are limited on parts they can play. I have worked with people to reduce their Texas accents, as they weren't 'chic' on Wall Street. When Obama announced his candidacy for president, many African American young entrepreneurs came to me to help them reduce the Ebonics in their speech. They knew they needed to be able to "switch" their speech in order to increase their chances of success.
This study is interesting because it confirms that accents keep us in closed circles. Fortunately, we CAN change our accents, and people do it all the time.
"Lisa-isms"
Oh my, we like to hang around people who talk like us! Improving your accent helps people find new clients, jobs, opportunities and new friends!
--Lisa
This is an interesting article based a 5-year study:
A Harvard University study has shown that when it comes to making friends, children prefer those whose speech patterns - rather than skin color - mimic their own. It has long been recognized that both kids and adults form and organize relationship networks largely based on the race, gender and age of others.
While previous research has shown that white kids in the United States tend to pick same-race friends, new findings suggest that race takes a back seat when foreign or non-native accents come into play. During the study, when offered the choice between making friends with either a white or black child who spoke French, English with a French accent, or native English, the group of white 5-year-old study participants overwhelmingly opted for the native speakers, regardless of their race.
After helping hundreds of people reduce their accents, I have to say this study rings true not only for children, but for adults as well. Accents are important for children in making friends, but they are important for adults in finding clients and doing business. As an accent reduction Executive Coach, I have found that improving the accent helps people find clients, jobs, and opportunities and friends.
For example, many of my financial adviser clients with Latino accents in Miami, come to me to help them reduce their accent so they may increase their client base and find American clients. I also work with entrepreneurs who have a 'Miami' accent. They want to reduce it so they may do business with more people in Boca Raton, Palm Beach and the rest of the United States. Many actors also work with me to reduce their accents, as they are limited on parts they can play. I have worked with people to reduce their Texas accents, as they weren't 'chic' on Wall Street. When Obama announced his candidacy for president, many African American young entrepreneurs came to me to help them reduce the Ebonics in their speech. They knew they needed to be able to "switch" their speech in order to increase their chances of success.
This study is interesting because it confirms that accents keep us in closed circles. Fortunately, we CAN change our accents, and people do it all the time.
"Lisa-isms"
Oh my, we like to hang around people who talk like us! Improving your accent helps people find new clients, jobs, opportunities and new friends!
--Lisa
Friday, February 19, 2010
The Four Most Annoying U.S. Accents
The Four Most Annoying U.S. Accents - DivineCaroline
Accent reduction is not just for foreigners! I often work with Americans to get rid of their annoying regional accents and dialects. An example would be an actor with a "Miami" accent, who wants to work in LA; a financial advisor with a Texas accent who finds his accent is not 'chic' on Wallstreet; a young lawyer with a 'valley girl' accent who wants to be taken seriously in the courtroom, and a young African American who wants to get Ebonics out of his speech for job interviews.
Check out this article of the four most annoying accents in America:
1. The uppper Midwestern "Yah?"
2. Northern New Jersey, a.k.a. “Joisey”
3. Welcome tah Bahston
4. The Deep South: Y’all C’mon Back Now, Y’Hear
Accent reduction is not just for foreigners! I often work with Americans to get rid of their annoying regional accents and dialects. An example would be an actor with a "Miami" accent, who wants to work in LA; a financial advisor with a Texas accent who finds his accent is not 'chic' on Wallstreet; a young lawyer with a 'valley girl' accent who wants to be taken seriously in the courtroom, and a young African American who wants to get Ebonics out of his speech for job interviews.
Check out this article of the four most annoying accents in America:
1. The uppper Midwestern "Yah?"
2. Northern New Jersey, a.k.a. “Joisey”
3. Welcome tah Bahston
4. The Deep South: Y’all C’mon Back Now, Y’Hear
Friday, February 12, 2010
Accent Reduction, Miami Style
The Accent Reduction Show, Miami Style
Professor Lisa Jeffery tries to get her English Class to reduce their accents. The class is made up of Spanish, Chinese, Portuguese, Thai, Arabic and Indian Speakers. The Spanish speakers make the typical y/j mix-ups, the Chinese make the typical R/L mix-up, Arabic speakers mix up P and B, and most everyone mixes up the ee and i sounds (as in beach and bitch), and the U and O sounds as in FOCUS! The hilarious skit was performed at the holiday party at Florida International University. This is the Advanced English Class for the FIU's International MBA program.
Tuesday, February 2, 2010
The Miami Accent
What is the Miami accent? Here's a funny youtube video of two young ladies comparing the difference between the Miami and the Buffalo Accents.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NIElojBiXU
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NIElojBiXU
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)