Do other people comment on your Southern accent?
Maybe they use words like “cute” or “charming.”
Do you worry that you are not taken seriously?
The focus seems to be on how you speak instead of what you say.
You don’t want to give up your Southern culture, but you do want to be respected for your knowledge and skills.
What’s a good Southern guy or gal to do?
You need to learn a technique called code-switching!
And I can help. As a speech pathologist trained in accent reduction, I have a system to identify the sounds and patterns in your speech that differ from standard American English. When we work together, I teach you to hear those sounds in your own speech and change them to the standard pronunciation.
But you don’t have to give up your Southern accent. Now you get to choose when to use it.
So, in a corporate meeting you can speak with a more neutral American accent. But, at home around your friends, you speak the way you always have. Code switching allows you to feel comfortable in both environments without giving up your heritage or hindering your professional development.
It really is the best of both worlds.
Like anything worth doing, there is no quick fix. You do have to practice to see a difference. The good news is that it usually takes just a few weeks of instruction to learn the new techniques and begin to practice them in your everyday work environment. A few weeks of practice to develop a life-long skill — seems like a worthwhile trade-off, don’t you think?
Want to work on your Southern Accent? Click on the link below to take a FREE accent screening. I will email you back, usually within 48 business hours, to share the results.
Ready to get started sooner? Just give me a call at +1.865.924.5144 and let’s set up a time to talk.