
Ask HN: How to reduce accent? - throwawaymaster
Hey All,<p>I am from India and have been staying in the US for some years now. I still have an Indian accent and I wanna try to reduce it. I am going to leave my FT job to work on a startup and will be involved in customer demos&#x2F;calls&#x2F;presentations. I am comfortable speaking in front of strangers&#x2F;customers but am self conscious of my accent.<p>I also speak very fast and mumble lot of works ( my dad does the same). I went to speech therapy two years back but it was difficult to follow through. Any ideas&#x2F;suggestions&#x2F;tips would be greatly appreciated ?
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soulnothing
Firstly I would say it's not that big of a deal. Accents are indicative of
where you come from, and should be embraced.

I used to talk a mile a minute, and mumble. I forced myself into public
performance to curtail it. I would say look for a local acting class, improv
class, standup comedy etc. The classes are usually under 500. You can have a
lot of fun with them. Also I find they help with the business side of things.
You learn how to see from other vantage points, and think on your feet. I've
taken all three and they were a boon to my professional career.

If group work isn't beneficial. There are usually meetups in a variety of
areas for people. Joining a group and talking with them.

Lastly read your favorite piece (novel, poem, story, etc.) record it. Listen
back the first time just listen, then again but noting the various issues you
may find. Then read through the notes you made. Then read again. Take breaks
like an hour or so between sessions.

