Say What You Mean: 5 Accent Reduction Tips for NRI's and English- Speaking Indians

Are you tired of being misunderstood? Do you ever wonder why it is so hard to communicate in English when you know the language so well?

If you are an Indian who learned English as a second language, you may find that while you know many English words, your pronunciation keeps people from understanding what you are trying to say.

You might try to say:

Will, would you zip the green coat?

But, it sounds like:

Vill, vould you sip de kleen co?

It can be very frustrating when people misunderstand you, particularly when you know you have a good grasp of the English language. Even if you know thousands of English words, if you mix up the rules of sound pronunciation, people will not understand what you are saying.

The varied dialects in India make each person's accent unique, but there are some common pronunciation differences for many Indian speakers.These are some of the most commonly mispronounced sounds for Indian speakers of English:

1. saying an S sound instead of a Z sound

Many Indian speakers use an s sound for a z sound. S and Z use the exact same tongue and mouth shape; the difference is in the voicing. The S sound is produced without the voice, but the Z sound requires the voice. To feel the difference, put your hand on your throat and try saying S-s-s-s. You should not feel anything. Now try saying Z-z-z-z. You should feel a vibration in your throat.

Practice saying words like sip and zip.

2. saying a K sound instead of a G sound

This is a very similar issue to the one above. K and G sound are both produced in the back of the throat, but the K is unvoiced and the G is voiced. Try saying K-k-k and then G-g-g-g. You should feel the tickle or vibration on your throat when you say the G sound. Practice saying coat and goat.

3. saying a V sound instead of a W sound

The V sound is made by placing the top teeth on the bottom lip, turning on the voice, and blowing. The W sound is made by rounding the lips as if to make an O sound and then turning on the voice as the lips open slightly. You can practice as in the example above, using the words wine and vine.

4. Saying an F sound for a V sound.

If you put the top teeth on the lower lip and blow without turning on the voice, you will make an F sound. To make the V sound, you need to turn on your voice. Practice by saying fine and vine.

5. Leaving off Final Sounds

Final consonants are very important in English, but many Indian speakers will let the final consonant drop off. When this happens, it is difficult for the listener to determine what word has been spoken. For example, cat, can, and cad could all sound like "ca". Be sure to enunciate the final consonants in words.

The best way to reduce your accent and improve your English is through practice. Practice the sounds listed above, and pay careful attention to when you use those sounds in conversation.

. If you want more personalized help in improving your English pronunciation, please contact an accent reduction specialist with a background in speech pathology.