Accent has been one big part of a language. It is the distinctive way of pronouncing a language, peculiar to a country or a social-class. There always seems to be a dispute while learning a language: Should we learn its accent as well? Many people seem to be divided on this, and there is no definite answer. In my opinion: Whilst you can speak in your native accent, acquiring another accent could be equally beneficial. It could make you stand out from the rest of the learners.

Additionally, it gives you an advantage in understanding the native pronunciations. In turn, even they possibly will understand you better! There is no better feeling after learning a language, than a native speaker appreciating your efforts. Now imagine the moment when you even speak like him/her! How can it be done though? Following points are what I find important:

Listening to native pronunciations

While learning a particular language, if you are learning it from native speakers, well and good. However, if not, there are a few things to watch for. Primarily, non-native teachers (as well as your non-native student buddies), will certainly differ a bit from native speakers (in terms of pronunciations).

Now, there is a strong and valid counterpoint to this. If natives themselves pronounce words in different ways, why should we not speak in our own way? Technically we can, but that’s not how it works. Even the people in that particular country have to speak a common form of their language. This is called the Standardized Language.

For example – Standard English is from Oxford, Britain, Standard Spanish (Castellano) is from the region around Madrid, Spain, Standard Italian is from Florence, Italy and so on. There is not much to worry though, since foreigners are mostly taught the standardized form of a language. So you just need to learn!

However, apart from studying, it’s necessary to practice listening. The more you listen, the more accustomed you get to the sounds of the language. Additionally, listening could also involve listening to radio or watching movies in that language. This surely makes learning fun.

Temporarily unlearning your own pronunciations

Many a times, even simple words in a language seem like tongue twisters. We are so very used to pronouncing in our own way. While this is not necessarily bad, it could also turn out to be an obstacle. The problem could possibly lie in the way we’re taught, be it any language. We are not taught the peculiarities of pronunciations in a language.

For example – In British English, the letter ‘r’ is rarely pronounced, unless it is at the beginning of a word. Also, the pronuniations of ‘d’, ‘t’ and ‘th’ to name a few, are unique. Personally, my English improved a bit after knowing this. You can see if the same works for you.

Imitation can also be a great way to learn unique pronunciations. That way, you can imbibe the native sounds. Try speaking/acting out a few dialogues from the movies/series (just like you do in your own language). From personal experience, dialogues remain as memories for a long time!

Learning native behavioural aspects

This involves a few psychological aspects. Something that is abnormal in your culture, may be normal in some other, and vice versa. Take for example – Speaking loudly on public trains. In some countries, it’s perfectly normal. Whereas in others, it could also be a taboo. Hence, studying the cultures beforehand, helps a lot.

Emotions are conveyed through tones. Tones form a significant part of accents. Tones are also likely to convey the behaviours of people. Conversely, I’d say – Behaviours can also help you learn the tones, and ultimately, the accent itself!

As mentioned above, imitation of a few apparent behaviours could be helpful.

For example – One major problem of the Italian language is the one with tones. It is a challenge at first to figure out, as to what syllable must be stressed. So what can you do?

You could imagine Italian people as being highly emotional (they in fact are). So when you try to act them out, you would perhaps complain less about how tonal the language is! Doesn’t that make sense? The more emotional you are, the more tones you’ll likely use.

Learning behaviours can not only help you adopt the native way of speaking, but also give you a little insight into the culture. After all, many people learn a language to understand a culture better.

In addition, you can essentially fancy yourself of having a multi-faceted personality!

So that’s about it. These were only a few tips on how listening and speaking skills could be improved. All of this is easier said than done. Thus, in the end, it’s a personal choice. Choose your own way, as long as it complies with the rules of the language.

What matters after all is being able to converse fluently….