At What Age is an Accent Permanent?
If you pay close attention each time you interact with another person, you’ll likely notice the many subtle (and not so subtle) differences in speech production and how speech sounds, even if you both speak the same language.
We all speak with accents, which are important elements of our unique identities. However, have you ever stopped to wonder at what age you acquired an accent?
While speaking with an accent is incredibly common and widely celebrated, some individuals wish to modify or reduce their accents for a variety of reasons.
Speech therapy for accent modification is highly effective in helping individuals of any age reduce the prominence of their accent, adjust their speech to more closely match a native English speaker, or simply communicate more clearly with those around them.
You can learn more about accent modification and whether speech therapy might be right for you by scheduling your free introductory call today!
How Does an Accent Develop?
In simple terms, an accent develops when a group or community of individuals become isolated and unconsciously begin to speak using new names, words, and pronunciations.
These changes combined create an accent and a dialect that is unique to that area and can be difficult for others to understand, even those who speak the same language. The term ‘accent’ refers to the way words are pronounced, while a dialect includes differences in vocabulary and grammar.
Studies have shown that accents begin to develop in the brain as young as 6 months of age. Babies begin mapping familiar sounds and words in their brains. These sounds develop further the more frequently they are used by those around them.
What Kind of Challenges Can Accents Cause?
Some people who have learned a second (or third! Or fourth!) language and speak with an accent can sometimes struggle to be understood by others when speaking their non-native language.
One of the most common challenges comes with speaking sounds or consonant combinations that do not exist in their native language. For instance, a Japanese person learning English may struggle with an L and R sound because those sounds don’t exist in the Japanese language.
Patterns of sound can also vary widely between languages. Some languages may have words that begin or end with consonant clusters, whereas other languages will only use one consonant sound between vowels.
Sentence structure and word order can also differ greatly between languages; what is correct in one’s native language may sound distinctly foreign in the newly learned language when translated word for word.
Above all, having a strong accent can affect one’s ability to communicate effectively, and can affect one’s ability to succeed socially, academically, and professionally. In some cases, accents disrupt the flow of conversation and can cause the person listening to focus more on the accent than what is actually being said.
If you think you could benefit from accent modification with a highly specialized speech therapist, schedule your free introductory call today!
What is the Critical Period for Language Acquisition?
There is a theory among language experts that there is a critical period for language acquisition. This theory suggests that there is an ideal window for language acquisition (including accent) during childhood.
Before a child reaches puberty, their brain is most receptive to developing an accent or learning a new language. Once this ideal window has passed, it is still possible to learn a new language; however, developing the ability to speak the language without an accent typically requires more time, hard work, and regular practice.
When Are Accents Permanent?
Decades of studies have revealed that generally speaking, the age at which accents become permanent is around 12 years old. There are some exceptions to this, as accents can change and fluctuate over time; a subtle accent can develop as an adult after living in another country, or an accent can be reduced or eliminated through speech therapy.
There are several factors affecting accent that can influence how significantly an accent can be altered, including:
- The age of the individual
- Level of exposure to the target accent
- Influence of the native language, including the system of sounds and how sentences are structured
- Degree of phonetic awareness
- Consistency and quality of instruction
- Access to social and cultural environments that provide opportunities to practice the target accent
- Determination and a positive attitude
While it is possible to modify or reduce an accent with the help of an experienced speech and language pathologist, completely eliminating an accent is relatively rare and requires incredible time and effort. This is why most experts agree that, in the majority of cases, an accent is forever.
Who Can Benefit from Accent Modification?
Accent modification speech therapy can benefit many different groups of people, including:
- Non-Native English Speakers
- Actors or Performers who need to modify their accent for a particular role or job
- Those in Communication-Centered Jobs (such as call center or customer service employees, public speakers, and those in multilingual workplaces or positions)
- Individuals with Certain Speech Disorders (such as those with difficulty with articulation or pronunciation)
- International Students or Academics
These groups of individuals may wish to work with a speech therapist to modify or reduce their accent in order to communicate more clearly with others, speak with confidence, and reach professional or academic success.
What are Some Accent Modification Techniques?
While working closely with an experienced speech and language pathologist offers the best results for those interested in improving communication with an accent, there are some techniques and strategies that can be done at home to help reduce an accent, including:
Engaged Listening: One of the most effective accent modification techniques involves frequently listening to the target accent through a variety of media. Regularly listening to different individuals speaking with the target accent in natural contexts, such as podcasts, audiobooks, film and television shows, or conversations with others, helps familiarize the ear with the various sounds, rhythms, and sentence structures of the accent.
Practice Pronunciation: Practice pronouncing some of the key sounds (also known as phonemes) of the language, especially those that differ from your native language. Mastering the production of these speech sounds in isolation can be highly effective. Once you have mastered the pronunciation of these individual sounds, you can move on to combining them with other sounds.
Record Yourself: Try recording yourself as you read a passage aloud or pretend to have a conversation. Listening back to the recording can help identify which areas need improvement, and how well you are progressing with your accent modification efforts.
Try Speech Shadowing: Speech shadowing is the practice of repeating and mimicking certain spoken words as soon as you’ve heard them. This technique helps to solidify the pronunciation of these words and can be effective at reducing an accent relatively quickly as it offers an immediate opportunity to practice the pronunciation and cadence of the language.
How Can Accent Modification Speech Therapy Help?
Accent modification speech therapy begins with a thorough evaluation to learn more about how the individual speaks, including the rhythm and intonation of their speech.
The speech therapist will provide specific sentences for the client to say aloud and will listen carefully for differences. The role of the initial evaluation is to identify the specific areas that need improvement, as well as to learn more about how the individual learns.
Following the initial assessment, the speech therapist will create a tailored treatment plan to reduce the accent, including specific accent modification techniques and targeting the areas of speech that are most affected by the accent.
They will help set realistic and achievable goals, and each speech therapy appointment will focus on working towards them.
Consistency is key in accent modification and requires dedication and determination from both the speech therapist and the client. Speech therapy is also an excellent opportunity to practice conversation skills, an area that can often be challenging for those communicating with an accent. Building confidence in these aspects of social communication is essential for effective accent modification.
It is important to remember that everyone has an accent, and struggling to speak clearly in one’s non-native language is common and understandable. Not everyone who speaks with an accent requires accent modification.
However, if the accent is creating challenges or barriers in an individual's everyday life, our online speech therapy is available to help. Get started on the path to communicating with confidence by scheduling your free introductory call today!