Newsgroups: sci.lang
From: Kitt@cary.demon.co.uk (Kittredge Cowlishaw)
Path: cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!nntp.club.cc.cmu.edu!godot.cc.duq.edu!news.duke.edu!convex!cs.utexas.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!pipex!demon!cary.demon.co.uk!Kitt
Subject: Re: Any info on accent reduction?
References: <1703E679DS85.MAELDE01@ulkyvm.louisville.edu> <36ofc5$g16@nuscc.nus.sg>
Organization: The Old School House
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Date: Sun, 9 Oct 1994 11:05:55 +0000
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ellgupta@leonis.nus.sg "Anthea F Gupta" writes:
> MAELDE01@ulkyvm.louisville.edu wrote:
> : I am a speech-language pathologist working in a University.
> : Recently, we were approached about working with a gentleman
> : on reducing his Spanish accent.
> : Our patient is a very intelligent, articulate businessman who has
>       ^^^^^^^????
> I'm astonished that this is work for a speech-language pathologist.
> There's nothing wrong with this man.  He should try an elocutionist or a
> drama coach.

I once discussed this question with a very able drama voice coach.
In her view, she was happy to train clients in breath control,
expressiveness, regional accents of her native language, etc., but was
less confident in her ability to correct foreign accents, especially
where this required specific knowledge of articulatory phonetics.

For example, she wouldn't have been able to explain to a Spanish
client (admittedly the word "patient" is inappropriate!) how to
reduce his Spanish accent by replacing dental /t/ with alveolar /t/,
and apical /s/ with laminal /s/.

That's not to say that there mightn't be voice coaches who are
also able phoneticians; YKMV.

--Kittredge
