When people ask me, ” Can I really lose my accent?” , they are really asking one of two questions. Either they want to know, “Can I really speak English so people can understand me?” or they want to know, “Do I have to give up my heritage in order to be understood?”

Let’s address the first question first.

Can I really speak English so people can understand me?

Yes. Absolutely! If you work with a speech pathologist who analyzes your particular speech patterns and creates a customized plan for you, and you practice each week as instructed, you will improve your speech. Your frustration levels will go down as you find it easier to communicate. Your speech will be clearer, you will be more confident when you talk, and people will understand you better. As you learn the rules of the English language and apply them in your everyday conversations, your accent will decrease and your ability to speak English clearly will increase.

Now for the second question.

Do I have to give up my heritage in order to be understood?

No. Absolutely not. No one is asking you to forget your heritage or pretend you are someone you are not. When we talk about losing your accent, we are really talking about changing those parts of your pronunciation that make your English difficult for others to understand. Most people, even after completing accent reduction classes, will still have traces of their accent in their everyday speech. Our goal is not to eliminate the accent completely, but to change the parts of it that make it difficult to understand. Ultimately, the goal should be to have the best of both worlds: an accent that sets you apart as a native of your homeland while still being completely understandable in English.

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