Accent reduction wasn’t something I was eager to get into. Growing up in a class-conscious society within the UK, people tread on eggshells when it comes to accents. An accent can indicate your upbringing, education, social circle, profession, and class. It’s an uncomfortable subject, and very few people like to talk about it.
Growing up and attending public school, you are taught to be cautious about how you present yourself to others outside of your circle. You risk being labelled posh, elitist, an entitled prick, a toff, or a Sloane Ranger. And then there was My Fair Lady—an entertaining film, but one which only further solidified my dread towards accents. Teaching Received Pronunciation was absolutely the last thing on my mind.
But then I moved to Japan. As a linguist myself, I was eager to master the sounds of Japanese with total accuracy. I didn’t just want to speak Japanese; I wanted to speak with a command of the language and articulate the sounds with a high level of competency. I didn’t just want to be a British person who sounded “okay.” For me personally, I have always found it important to speak any language in an articulate, clear, and native-like manner. This wasn’t me projecting my opinions of how people should speak onto others. This was simply a standard that I set for myself.
During my time in Japan, I was introduced to a job at a pronunciation school. I soon realised that accent and pronunciation training isn’t about teaching people to speak like the Queen. It is not about sounding “posh”. It is about learning to speak in a manner that is clear and easy for others to understand. This is a problem that a lot of Japanese professionals genuinely struggle with. They wanted my help, and there were very few people who could do it properly. Too many teachers would just dismiss their concerns, telling them, “you’re fine,” “you have a nice accent,” or “you shouldn’t change who you are.”
And this is where the problem lies. Too many people are hung up on the idea that you shouldn’t change your accent because it is a part of your “identity.”
For me personally, I don’t really care how you speak. I’m not here to convince you to work on your pronunciation or change your accent. But what I do know is that a lot of people want to change the way they speak English. Some are too embarrassed to say anything and keep it quiet. Others aren’t afraid to admit it.
I’m not the one projecting the idea that everyone should speak like me. I still get uncomfortable looks from people and negative comments asking, “Why should people speak Received Pronunciation?”
My job is simply to give people the tools to achieve what they want, which is the ability to speak English in the exact manner they desire. I am no longer fazed by telling people what I do. Occasionally, people get defensive about my profession, but I try not to engage in their argument since there isn’t an argument to have. Everyone has the right to get help with their accent if they wish to do so, and I am just here to provide the tools to make it happen.