Embracing Cultural Identity in Accent Modification

Let’s talk about cultural identity and accent modification.

It can be a bit of a tricky subject because of the cultural identity implications but I don’t think it needs to be.

When you learning to speak English, you aspire to sound like a native English speaker. You aspire to speak like the TV news and sitcom stars that you idolize. You aspire to speak like your pop star icons, your billionaire CEOs or mentors.

And although starting innocently as a simple monkey-see-monkey-do, I want to be like you kind of aspiration, it at times feels a bit like a cultural abandonment or resentment.

Let me explain.

Understanding Cultural Identity and Language:

Language and culture go hand in hand. One’s language is a fundamental part of one’s cultural identity. One’s native language is the audio manifestation of that culture and accents often communicate that flair for sub-cultural nuance. Although Japan is an island country, the regional accent carries rich cultural and regional nuances.

Accent Adaptation as a Tool:

I’ve said it before, but I like this analogy. Think of accent adaptation and accent modification as the process of picking a tool from a toolbox. Just let we use different tools for different tasks, accent modification and accent adaptation can help individual communicate effectively in various situations without erasing their cultural identity. Rather using one tool for all situations, learning an English speaking accent or learning to modify or adapt our accent simply means adding another tool to the toolbox.

We aren’t replacing or getting rid of our other tools - simply adding more. You used to only have a hammer in your toolbox? Now, we’re adding a screwdriver and a measuring tape.

Different situations call for different tools. Our job as the toolbox owner is to recognize what is the best tool in our toolbox to use for the situation.

Maintaining Cultural Authenticity:

Cultural authenticity is a huge aspect of one’s identity, especially for immigrant families. It’s a position that has people with one foot in their new homes and one foot in their old lives. Although most of the developed world shares varying degrees of multiculturalism and access to different cultures, the individual has a cultural reckoning.

Personally, growing up, this meant being embarrassed at times with my cultural upbringing, foods and traditions. I was born in North America so my pronunciation wasn’t a part of that cultural identity but I recognize that learning an English accent or “suppressing” your native speaking tendencies can feel like hiding a part of yourself. Only after growing up did I start to embrace my cultural background more openly,

Balancing Adaptation and Authenticity:

The important thing is recognizing and acknowledging that your accent is not the only feature of your cultural identity. There are many things that you do already that change the way you speak. Depending on who you speak to, whether that be your parents, your grandparents, your friends, your siblings, your nephews and nieces. You already naturally alter the vocabulary you use, the emotionality you have, and the attitude you bring. Think of using your learned English pronunciation as an extension of that skill you already implement. You change the way you communicate when you speak to native English speakers because it can improve the communicative success.

You pick the accent that is most suitable and effective in the current situation, just like a tool in a toolbox.

For example, if you knew how to speak North American English and Singapore Colloquial English, they are both forms of English. If you needed to communicate effectively in Singapore in English, it may actually be more effective speaking Singapore Colloquial English instead of North American English (depending on who you needed to interact with). Same thing about North American English - which can be subdivided even further. If you lived in Texas and then moved to Boston, depending on if you were speaking to English speakers in Boston or Texas, the regional differences may warrant you either speaking Boston English or Texan English. This means a slight variance in the accent, the pronunciation, the cadence, the slang.

Again, use the right tool from the toolbox to suit your needs.