There are several types of American accents, each with its own characteristics. There are hundreds of dialects within US English alone, and it is used throughout the world by a wide range of people. You’ll learn about General American in this post. Standard “neutral” language reminiscent of American broadcast media and highly educated Americans. There is a newscaster’s accent to it.
With at least 231 million speakers, US English is the most popular form of English spoken in the United States.
Today, we will explore American accents. Learn how to speak like a native by reading on. You can learn how to pronounce and intonate, as well as give a few US words a try.
What is the American way of speaking? I’d like to share a few helpful tidbits about American accents.
Tip.1: Work on the “r”
Rhotic accents are considered to be American accents. Whenever the letter “r” appears on a page, it is pronounced. Rather than pahk, park. Cah should be replaced with car. Practice your r’s if you’re a non-native English speaker!
You need to relax your mouth and open your mouth slightly when you make a good R. Curl your tongue back without touching the tip of your tongue, and make a good R!
Is it Hard?
How to pronounce the ‘r’
Tip 2: Get the “th” right
In the American vernacular, th is another tricky, though common sound. Not ze, but the. Not sought, but thought. If you want to make a ‘th’, place your tongue between your teeth and your voice! Do not say sick, but thick. In some words, the ‘th’ is voiced, while in others it is devoiced. There is a voice for R, a voice for mother, and a voice for algorithm. There is no voice in think, throw, or anthem.
Tip 3: Light “L” vs. Dark “L”
We will practice the letter L last. Try forming a Dark L, which is produced by raising the back of the tongue slightly and giving it a rich, “dark” sound. The L in this form is usually found at the end of words, but it is the only L in many American accents.
Know the difference between the Light L and the Dark L
It is important that you hear these sounds before you can produce them correctly! It’s important to produce the separate sounds in the correct context once you’ve mastered each one. In order to speak like a native, balance and rhythm are crucial. Pay attention to how you stress your syllables – that is, which parts of the word you emphasize the most. You might want to try reading the following slowly at first, emphasizing the bolded sections:
Gina aced her physics exam. I gotta give her props for that!
It’s not enough just to speak correctly, you need to say the right things. These are all quintessential US words. Pay attention! Is your ear open? Trying expressing something as an American will make it sound better. Excellent!
Tip 4: Remember the vocabulary used
The difference between American and British spelling may be among the other differences you are aware of. As far as vocabulary is concerned, there are some differences – the word Fall is used instead of the word Autumn, sneakers are used instead of trainers, and apartment is used instead of a flat.
Nouns are often turned into verbs in America. There are a number of examples of this, including vacations, vacuuming, and lobbying. Vacations aren’t just for taking. Vacations are for enjoying. Have you ever vacuumed? Would you like to vacuum? You might want to try turning some nouns into verbs!
Tip 5: Hollywood or Netflix it!
All the information we’ve covered is valuable, but listening to natives is the best way to learn to speak like one. Hollywood is the home of many of today’s most prolific film producers in the United States. Watch Star Wars or the Dark Knight trilogy for a more neutral American accent, or watching Gone With the Wind for an old-fashioned classic.
Check out the midwestern city of Fargo, which is set in Minnesota, for an excellent sampling of regional accents. Which coast is East? Italo-Americans in New York are presented by The Godfather. Forrest Gump, the 1980 film classic set in Alabama, is known for its Southern drawl.
In no time at all, you’ll be talking like Hollywood stars and reciting their intonations and vocabulary. Start slow, then build up to a natural speed.
Within no time, you’ll instinctively know how to do it. Congratulations!
