Ep. 258 ACCENT ACQUISITION WITH DR. LESLIE GORDON

We ALL speak with an accent, and at times it’s easy to believe that we must ‘lose’ our accent to be accepted. Today, Mark and Darren have a frank conversation with speech and accent expert Dr. Leslie Gordon, as she gives advice on using your accent as an asset. 

 

SNIPPETS:

• Honor the skill of owning more than one sound

 

• Treat the world as a playground for your eyes and ears

 

• The way we speak creates a picture of who we are

 

• Your accent is a tool in your toolkit

 

• Your accent can create a connection

 

• Your accent is a layer of your story

 

• We all have more than one accent

 

• Focus on being understood and prioritize clarity

                                           

• Language can be a social and political tool, causing some to feel ‘othered’

 

• Move away from self-judgment

 

• Code-Switching requires great skill and is governed by rules

 

• Don’t think ‘accent reduction;’ think ‘accent acquisition’

                                           

• Your accent can feel like home