Understanding accents and their role in language learning

A woman on her phone smiling outdoors in a city
Reading time: 4 minutes

Accents are a fascinating aspect of language that can reveal a lot about a person's background and experiences. For language learners, accents often become a central focus, sometimes to the detriment of more important language skills. In this post, we’ll explore what accents are, why people have them, and why intelligibility is more important than mastering an accent.

Ways to improve your language intelligibility
Play
Privacy and cookies

By watching, you agree ÃÛÌÒapp can share your viewership data for marketing and analytics for one year, revocable by deleting your cookies.

What are accents?

An accent is a distinctive way of pronouncing words that is characteristic of a particular region, social group, or native language. It involves variations in phonetics, intonation and rhythm. For example, a person from London might speak English with a different accent compared to someone from Edinburgh.

Accents are natural and inevitable; everyone has one. They are influenced by various factors, including geography, culture and exposure to other languages. When you learn a new language, your native language influences your pronunciation.

Depending on your accent, you may pronounce some sounds in certain ways that aren't reflected in another language, or perhaps certain sounds or words don't even exist in your first language. For example in Japanese, there is no /L/ sound, so a native Japanese speaker might struggle to pronounce the word "love" with an accurate /L/ sound.

Another example is . They often use clicks in their language, which is not found in many other languages, making it difficult for non-native speakers to imitate and learn. For anyone who has to make a sound they aren't used to, it can be initially difficult as the mouth has to move in a way unfamiliar to the speaker.

There is even a discussion on whether physical aspects affect accent, such as the shape of your teeth, tongue and oral posture (the way your teeth rest together and tongue sits in your mouth). There are also many other physical factors that are under debate on whether they impact voice/accent.

Why do people have accents?

People have accents for several reasons:

  1. Geographical influence: The region where a person grows up significantly affects their accent. Even within the same country, accents can vary widely from one city or town to another.
  2. Cultural factors: Cultural background plays a role in shaping how people speak. For instance, social norms and traditions can influence speech patterns and pronunciations.
  3. Native language impact: Your first language has a profound impact on how you pronounce sounds in a new language. Certain sounds may not exist in your native language, making them harder to replicate accurately in another.
  4. Exposure and practice: The amount of exposure and practice you have with a new language can affect your accent. Regular interaction with fluent speakers can help you adopt more native-like pronunciations. If you spend a lot of time around foreign media you may start picking up accents from there.

Have you ever spoken to someone and you feel like they're mimicking your accent? or that you're subconsciously mimicking theirs? This can be due to the ', when a person adopts and mimics things such as gestures or voice of the person they are in conversation with. This is seen as a subconscious way to build rapport and connection with others.

Why do accents matter?

Accents matter because they are a core part of our identity and how we relate to the world. For language learners, accents can be a source of pride or frustration.

However, it’s essential to understand that having a foreign accent is perfectly normal and not a barrier to effective communication. In fact, accents add diversity and richness to language and should be embraced.

Why intelligibility is more important than mastering an accent

In the context of language learning, intelligibility—being understood by others—should be your primary goal rather than eliminating or changing your accent. Here’s why:

  1. Effective communication: The main aim of learning a new language is to communicate effectively. If others can understand you clearly, your accent becomes less important.
  2. Reduced pressure: Focusing on intelligibility rather than perfecting an accent reduces stress and makes the learning process more enjoyable. You can concentrate on expanding your vocabulary and improving grammar instead.
  3. Cultural acceptance: Many native speakers are accustomed to hearing various accents and can understand them without difficulty. They appreciate the effort you put into learning their language, regardless of your accent.
  4. Retaining your identity: Trying to eliminate your accent may mean losing part of your cultural identity. Embracing your accent shows others that you are proud of where you come from and can open the door to meaningful conversations about culture and diversity.
  5. Practical progress: Concentrating on intelligibility allows you to make practical progress in real-world situations, such as ordering food, asking for directions, or participating in conversations.

Tips for improving intelligibility

  • Listen and mimic: Spend time listening to fluent speakers and try to mimic their intonation and rhythm.
  • Practice pronunciation: Focus on pronouncing key sounds correctly.
  • Record yourself: Recording your speech and comparing it to fluent speakers can help you identify areas for improvement.
  • Seek Feedback: Don’t hesitate to ask fluent speakers for feedback on your pronunciation and clarity. It's the best way to determine your intelligibility.

Be proud of your accent

Accents are a natural part of language and identity. While they can influence how we are perceived, they should not be a major concern for language learners. Instead, focus on being understood and enjoying the process of learning a new language. Remember, an accent is not a flaw; it’s your blueprint.

More blogs from ÃÛÌÒapp

  • A teacher stood at a board in a library with notes all over it, with his students in the background looking at him

    Mind the gap in your English lesson planning

    By Ehsan Gorji

    Professional English teachers love lesson planning. They can always teach a class using their full wardrobe of methods, techniques and games, but a detailed plan means they can deliver a richer and more modern lesson – after all, a teacher usually plans using their full potential.

    Whenever I observe a teacher in their classroom, I try to outline a sketch of their English lesson plan according to what is going on. I am careful to observe any 'magic moments' and deviations from the written plan and note them down separately. Some teachers seize these magic moments; others do not. Some teachers prepare a thorough lesson plan; others are happy with a basic to-do list. There are also teachers who have yet to believe the miracles a lesson plan could produce for them and therefore their sketch does not live up to expectations.

    The 'language chunks' mission

    After each classroom observation, I’ll have a briefing meeting with the English teacher. If the observation takes place in another city and we cannot arrange another face-to-face meeting, we’ll instead go online and discuss. At this point, I’ll elicit more about the teacher’s lesson plan and see to what extent I have been an accurate observer.

    I have found that Language Inspection is the most frequent gap in lesson planning by Iranian teachers. Most of them fully know what type of class they will teach; set SMART (Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Timely) objectives; consider the probable challenges; prepare high-quality material; break the language systems into chunks and artistically engineer the lesson. Yet, they often do not consider how those language chunks will perform within a set class time – and their mission fails.

    The Language Inspection stage asks a teacher to go a bit further with their lesson planning and look at the level of difficulty of various pieces of content in the lesson. Is there enough balance so that students can successfully meet the lesson objectives? If the grammar, vocabulary and skills are all above a student’s ability, then the lesson will be too complex. Language Inspection allows a thoughtful teacher to closely align the objective with the difficulty of the grammar, vocabulary and skill. A bit like a train running along a fixed track, Language Inspection can help make sure that our lessons run smoothly.

    Lesson planning made easy with the GSE Teacher Toolkit

    If a lesson consists of some or many language chunks, those are the vocabulary, grammar and learning objectives we expect to be made into learning outcomes by the end of the class or course. While Language Analysis in a lesson plan reveals the vocabulary, grammar and learning objectives, in Language Inspection each chunk is examined to determine what they really do and how they can be presented and, more importantly, to assess the learning outcomes required.

    can be a teacher’s faithful lesson-planning pal – especially when it comes to Language Inspection. It’s simple to use, yet modern and exciting. It is detailed and it delivers everything you need.

    To use it, all you need is an internet connection on your mobile, tablet, laptop or PC. Launch and you’ll have the ability to delve into the heart of your lesson. You’ll be able to identify any gaps in a lesson – much like the same way you can see the gap between a train and a platforms edge. Mind the gap! You can look into the darkness of this gap and ask yourself: “Does this grammar form belong in this lesson? Do I need to fit in some vocabulary to fill up this blank space? Is it time to move forward in my schedule because my students are mastering this skill early?â€

    gives you the ability to assess your lesson to look for these gaps – whether small or big – in your teaching. By doing this you can plan thoughtfully and clearly to support your students. It really is an opportunity to 'mind the gap' in your English lesson planning.