Northern Arizona University

SPEECH & LANGUAGE CLINIC
ACCENT REDUCTION

Speakers of English as a Second Language (ESL) may demonstrate an accent that varies from Standard American English (SAE) accent. The sound system of a speaker's native language may influence pronunciation of English in at least three ways:

1. Sounds in English may not be a part of a speaker's native language.

2. The rules for combining sounds into words are different in a learner's native language.

3. The patterns of stress and intonation in a native language may be transferred into English.

Given the biological, socio-cultural, personality, and linguistic factors which affect acquisition of a second language, erradication of foreign accent may be an unrealistic goal. However, training in pronunciation may enhance a speaker's ability to be understood, and may be a personal goal of the student. It is possible for adult ESL learners to improve their pronunciation of English.

Accent Reduction Services at the NAU Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic

The NAU Clinic offers services in evaluation and management of foreign accent. Evaluation includes assessment of hearing, oral-motor mechanism and function, production and discrimination of English vowels and consonants, and intonation.

Management of foreign accent may include training in discrimination (hearing differences) of sounds, production of sounds in isolation and at the word, sentence, and conversational level, and intonation training.

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NAU Speech, Language, and Hearing Clinic NAU, Health & Human Services, #66 Flagstaff, Arizona 86011-5045 Clinic: (928) 523-8110 Email: Clinic