Help - I have an accent!

Question

0 I am Greek - I am a professional person in the Uk and trying to grow my own small business. As part of my work I need to talk to strangers to create prospects and for marketing reasons. I find it very difficult because I think that people are more likely to reject me (or not approve me) than a local person because they will know I am a foreigner. As much as I hate it and I know it's not right, it is a problem for me and it restricts my work. I think it is pshychological (perhaps stemming from past experience) but I cannot overcome it. Any suggestions please? 02br02br00thanks 02br00Demetris 0-

Nona the brit · Accepted Answer

0 It is possible, yes, I would be a fool to deny that it happens. However, I don't think the mere fact that you have an accent is so much a problem, as whether or not you are easily understandable. 02br
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00If people can understand you easily they will stop noticing the accent very quickly into a conversation. If they can't understand you, it is less effort for them to deal with someone else. 02br
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00I don't think the majority will reject you just because you are foreign. 0-

September_li · Answer

0 I have the same problem. My boss just told me to improve my english, special  pronunciation. I can't pronunce certain words. When i come to these words i lose my confidence first, things just get even worse. I need figure out a way to overcome this, any advices/suggestions are welcomed. 0-

CalifJim · Answer

0 There are tons of audio tapes you can use to help yourself. Ask in any bookstore. 02br
00Also, if you can afford it, some tutors specialize in accent reduction. You might be able to start your research by calling a local university's language department. 02br
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00CJ 0-

September_li · Answer

0 Thanks a bunch! 0-

Eimai_Anglos · Answer

0 English people DO have trouble with Greek accents. One interesting problem is the difference in intonation. In Greek, a sentence will always end with the voice rising in tone if it is a question. In English this is not always so. In fact if you speak English like this it might give the impression that you are angry or irritated! 02br
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00So it may not be the fact that you sound "foreign", or even your basic pronunciation, but that you speak in a way which sounds (to an English person) as if you are being very aggressive, annoyed or querulous. 02br
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00Listen to the way an English person asks: "So, do you think I should do that?" It's often spoken with the tone going down in frequency. In Greek it will go up, making it sound (to an English person) as if there is an element of disbelief - something beyond the basic question itself. A question in English is denoted by the verb/pronoun inversion and not (usually) by the intonation. 02br
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00Difficult to explain but listen to the intonation and maybe you'll hear the difference. 02br
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00In addition, Greek has a very gutteral back-of-the-throat "G" (gamma) sound which English people subconsciously dislike. 02br
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00Finally, English has a very short "i" sound like no other European language. In most other languages it is "ee". But the "i" in words like "bit", "hit", "sit" is *** like "beet", "heet", "seet". You must learn to clip your "i" sound and you will immediately sound MUCH more "English" (and be a lot easier to understand). 02br
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00Hope this helps. 050010id1

Help - I have an accent!

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