argh
By Nameless_
@Nameless_ (1180)
Australia
February 15, 2010 11:03pm CST
argh
can someone help me
ive been trying to change my english accent for so so so so long when I speak english but it still has a tint of an accent in it
and I don't like it
ive been trying so hard for three years
really
i mean its better than anyone else
that came from other countries
but i still really need to change my accent for english so people will not be able to know whether I was born from other countries or not
so i sound natuve. :)
anyone help?
6 responses
@mylesnarvaez (5450)
• Philippines
16 Feb 10
is your australian accent quite heavy?
english is my second language and though i didn't have classroom training for ESL, i spent a lot of time with foreign people. having english conversations is a good practice for oral english. as one has suggested, try watching more english movies or listening to more english songs. spend some time with a native english speaking person, and you're bound to pick up the accent soon.
you can also record your own voice and make observations. this way, you can point out easily which words you need to improve on (or pronounce better) so that you capture the english accent better.
back in highschool, i was so like you. i really tried to do away with the local accent associated with the dialect in my area. i didn't want anyone to notice which area i came from based on the hint of accent when i speak. i believe i became really successful with that. everyone was surprised at my not having a trace of local accent at all. as for my english, conversation wise, i'm doing a lot better than a few years back. though i'm not working on my accent, just my english fluency.
goodluck to you! 
@mylesnarvaez (5450)
• Philippines
17 Feb 10
as one has suggested below, a speech coach can be very effective but may cost a lot also.
how about spending a few months in UK or the US? hehe if or when an opportunity presents itself that you can travel in either of these two places, don't hesitate... just go jump right in. it can be a chance for you to pick up the accent you've been longin for. hehe
or just go out and look for native enlish speakers within the vicinity... i'm sure someone will turn up.
99% british accent is quite good... curb a little on the remaining 1% and you're as good as you can get. over the next few years, keep on practicing and soon you'll reach your goal.
@Nameless_ (1180)
• Australia
16 Feb 10
WEll
I don't have an australian accent. :P I have a 99% british accent and a 1% asian accent. But living in australia, it is best, even if I am to have 100% british accent, to get rid of the asian accent in me. stragely though, I never lived in british
However....
YOU ARE MY IDOL. :)
Hmm. the problem is finding foreign friends, as my school is mainly asian, even though everyone can go.
:(
So sad.
but I'm still trying.
please?
:(But wow. And yes, I need to work on fluency. A lot.
@Nameless_ (1180)
• Australia
16 Feb 10
By the way, many people at my school have worse accents than me too. :P So. I don't know who to turn to.
.@Nameless_ (1180)
• Australia
16 Feb 10
but I also have a tint of asian accent in me as well
maybe once every 10000 words
but still
:(
so i'm like... british 99% and asian 1% :( 
@Nameless_ (1180)
• Australia
17 Feb 10
Hahaha
that is very funny. :P I don't know though. maybe its a phrase or how certian words are put together. because each of my words individually has a british accent. but when they put together, once in a while I get an asian accent. which is really retarded.
but hmm
I think I've got an idea, though I need a very good friend to do that. I'll tell them to stop me whenever they hear an asian accent in me. :) and tell me what it is and how I can change it
the prob is that they don't care. they go... everyone has an accent. so who cares? but I care!!!
:(
they don't change me
like i want
@dawnald (85137)
• Shingle Springs, California
16 Feb 10
Katarina Witt, the skater, had a really strong German accent when she first started talking on American TV. And now it's almost totally gone. I think the hired a diction coach. Of course, she had money...
@Mady2791 (545)
• United States
16 Feb 10
Oh I change accents all the time., depends on how I'm feeling and if my tongue is not too tired
. I even try to sound like different regions/races of US...like african american, southern people. The trick is to pay close attention at the words the often use, their intonation, how they express(behavior) themselves etc
. I even try to sound like different regions/races of US...like african american, southern people. The trick is to pay close attention at the words the often use, their intonation, how they express(behavior) themselves etc@Nameless_ (1180)
• Australia
17 Feb 10
:) I actually want an australian accent, so people will understand that I come from australia. But if I get a british accent, that's fine as well. Just as long as my accent is from an english speaking country, and not an asian one.
Beause...
People that have accents (asain) are prone to being discriminated, and they are often prejudiced to be dumb and have a lack of knowledge and the lack of ability to speak, while that is most often NOT the case because sometimes the smartest of hte people cant speak english properly and alwasy stutters
but I mean
hey
this is soceity
this is the human race
and there is gonna be prejudice anyway
so
I will have to live with it
and make the best out of it
and I will have to adapt to this human race
@Nameless_ (1180)
• Australia
16 Feb 10
Well, there are some words that I can never get. But I tryp 100%. it's good to know that I've changed a lot since 4 years ago
but still
I'm still trying
@Nameless_ (1180)
• Australia
17 Feb 10
Thanks for your support. :) Let's hope that by the time I finish high school I will have no trace of any accents whatsoever in my english.
@Hujing (47)
• China
16 Feb 10
Don't be so hurry, my friend. I am not a English native, but I am English major at my college, my English teacher once said that because the structure of the nasal cavity between English natives and us. So people can judge that I am not english native easily. your job is a very difficult. and your will and perseverance is great, I believe that you can better. Go ahead!!
@Nameless_ (1180)
• Australia
16 Feb 10
I've been trying 100% since ages. I understand that there are some words that I may never be able to change, but at least I know that I can get rid of most of my asian accent?
Haha
I ahve a british accent too
but I would prefer 100% american/australian
but I prefer to bee 100% british than 1% asian.
