In this blog post, I’m going to explain how to learn Received Pronunciation. Pronunciation usually refers to the articulation of individual sounds or words, whereas accent refers to the overall melody or flow. In order to master the accent, we need to work on the pronunciation first.
This is a simplified generic guide aimed at non-native English speakers. The process can be adjusted for native British English speakers or American English speakers, etc.
We want to improve our senses (how we perceive the sounds) and our speech mechanisms by achieving the following:
- the ability to distinguish the sounds of English with precision. (INPUT)
- muscle memory that will allow us to articulate and combine the sounds with precision. (OUTPUT)
Now I’m going to explain how to achieve these key points.
1. Vocal Tract Awareness
Understand where the sounds are coming from. When speaking Received Pronunciation, the vocal tract tends to be clear. The sounds are aspirated out of the front of the mouth. We avoid using the nasal, guttural, or velar regions of the vocal tract. This can be achieved through aspiration exercises.
Aspiration is one characteristic that distinguishes RP from a Standard Southern British English accent. You’ll often hear teachers (and sometimes YouTubers) claim to speak RP but listen carefully to their aspiration. It could be closer to a Standard Southern British English accent.
2. The Vowel Sounds
- Learn to recognise each of the twenty vowel sounds. The twenty vowel sounds are made up of short vowels, long vowels, and diphthong vowels. They can be further categorised according to the position of the tongue and the shape of the mouth. An understanding of the International Phonetic Alphabet and the vowel sound chart will help you achieve this.
- Practise each of the twenty vowel sounds in isolation. Aim to articulate each sound with perfection. Listen to the sounds carefully and repeat them back slowly.
- Compare the vowel sounds. Practise the twenty vowel sounds in pairs. Practise minimal pairs such as /æ/, /ʌ/, and /ɑː/. Your brain needs to internalise these differences through comparison exercises.
3. The Consonant Sounds
- Learn to recognise each of the twenty-four consonant sounds. The twenty-four consonant sounds can be categorised as plosives, fricatives, affricates, etc. Can you hear the difference between /w/ & /v/, /r/ & /l/, etc.?
- Practise each of the twenty-four consonant sounds. Aim to articulate each consonant sound in isolation or in combination with the schwa sound with perfection. For example: pə, bə, tə, də, etc. Listen to the sounds carefully and repeat them back slowly.
- Compare the consonant sounds. Practise the 24 consonant sounds in pairs. Practise minimal pairs such as /w/ & /v/ or /l/ & /r/, etc. Can you feel the difference in facial posture when transitioning between the sounds? Your brain needs to internalise these differences through comparison exercises.
4. Building Words and Phrases
- Combine the vowel and consonant sounds to form single-syllable words. As you gain confidence, gradually increase the number of syllables.
- Shadowing: Gradually increase the difficulty by shadowing words, short phrases, and then longer phrases.
5. Everyday Application & Immersion
- Personal Word List: Write down a list of words and simple phrases that you frequently use. Practise them on your own and then try implementing them into your everyday conversation.
- Immersion: Keep on immersing yourself. Listen to audiobooks and just keep on practising the above. Over time, you will see significant improvements to your pronunciation.
Avoid overly complex exercises. Aim for accuracy rather than speed. Speed will come naturally as your competency increases.
Many fail because they focus on generic tongue twister exercises, attempting to match the speed of their native language. Instead, they over-compensate and reinforce incorrect habits rather than creating new neural pathways.
I’ve talked a lot about input. To get to an advanced level, you should eventually be able to transcribe the sounds of English phonetically using the IPA.
Remember, this is a simplified overview of the process for acquiring a native-like RP accent. I haven’t touched on subtle nuances such as linking, the use of semi-vowels or connected speech, etc. The process should be adjusted according to the individual. You might be asking yourself how and why I came to these conclusions which I will explain in another blog post.