10.7.14

A Guide To British Accent Lessons

By Rosella Campbell


People learn accents for a number of different reasons. For example some people who work in call centres adopt another accent in order to be more clearly understood. For actors this is often a crucial part of their job. A popular one to learn is the British accent and if you want to develop this it helps to find the right place that offers British accent lessons.

Before looking for classes it is important to be aware of the kind of voice you are trying to learn. Traditionally when people think of Britain they tend to think of England. However it is worth remembering that the United Kingdom also includes Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland.

Furthermore even within regions there are variations of accents. London itself is a very diverse place. While some people may speak with less distinct way of speaking others may speak in a Cockney accent around the East End. In Brixton the slang is often influenced by the ethnic origin of the people there.

In terms of the way people view how English people speak this kind of speaking is known as received pronunciation. It was generally felt when radio technology was first developed that people might be put off by stronger accents. Therefore a method of delivery was developed that was thought very clear.

What people often think of as the way people speak in Britain is a kind of speech known as received pronunciation. If this is the kind of voice you are going for there are various rules to follow. One of the most basic is to avoid making a rolling R sound when pronouncing the letter R.

Indeed one of the big rules is often to ensure that letters are fully pronounced. For example the letter T should be said in words such as duty. Another good example is the word herb. In an American accent the H would be silent but in Britain the H is usually pronounced. Exceptions for this include the Cockney accent where you have a short pause known as the glottal stop where the letter would be.

There should be a number of tutors and classes in your local area. However if you cannot find them then there are courses and videos available online. As with anything it is worth doing your research to see what lessons are the most effective.

These are all aspects that a class should teach you. Before going to a class it is worth checking to see the credentials of the person teaching. Ideally they should have travelled to Britain and lived there long enough to be aware of regional differences, slang terms and so forth. It is also worth watching British television shows, internet videos and so forth as this is an effective way of learning more about the culture and context of the language. Use your regular search engine to find tutors and language classes in your local area as well as learning more about the full range of English and British accents.




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