I was inspired by this video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sL-fcb_uz2s

The girl there shares her struggle publicly, which I think is very brave of her to do. For many of you who work at Tech support, how do you manage to mask and hide your accent? I know that many Westerners don't like dealing with foreigners. With this in mind, it makes the job easier when we can sound more like a native English speaker. Do you think the advice that the girl provides in the link to be helpful?

Trying to get rid of your accent is akin to trying to be a latter day Michal Jackson. That is what makes you original and of course your identity. And by the way, everyone has got one including the so-called westerners you are trying to imitate or impress.

Be yourself and quit trying to be somebody else because you most definitely won't be able to successfully pull it off at all times.

Stop with the self-hate..

Peace

daddytime:
Trying to get rid of your accent is akin to trying to be a latter day Michal Jackson. That is what makes you original and of course your identity. And by the way, everyone has got one including the so-called westerners you are trying to imitate or impress.

Be yourself and quit trying to be somebody else because you most definitely won't be able to successfully pull it off at all times.

Stop with the self-hate..

Peace

Maybe the problem has more to do with her employment. In many lines of work we have to sacrifice and adapt in order to get ahead. It's not fair but it's true.

It’s called ‘speaking proper’.
You learn it when immersed in an environment.
Every human knows how to imitate speech patterns and voices.
That is a first step.
One is even more at an advantage having their Nigerian accent plus the ability to speak proper.
All one has to do is practice, practice and practice.
In extreme cases they can attend speech classes.

okwabayi:
It’s called ‘speaking proper’.
You learn it when immersed in an environment.
Every human knows how to imitate speech patterns and voices.
That is a first step.
One is even more at an advantage having their Nigerian accent plus the ability to speak proper.
All one has to do is practice, practice and practice.
In extreme cases they can attend speech classes.

Do you think the methods this girl is trying in her video are helpful in overcoming a regional accent?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhSYRz7bJ20

Biggusdiggus:


Do you think the methods this girl is trying in her video are helpful in overcoming a regional accent?


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xhSYRz7bJ20

Firstly: I am not an expert on this sort of thing.
I have taken speech classes before but did it only for the knowledge.
I am yet to practice anything I learned from the class.
However I have traveled and lived in England for a while and picked these things unconsciously.
Most people are perfect English speakers both phonetically and in use of grammar.
I don't know why that girl frets over her errors.
English is probably her second language.
My benchmark for testing your pronunciations is google's very own auto transcribe function.
If you turn on auto captions on Youtube and it catches 90% and more of your speech then you're good to go.
All we as Nigerians need to learn is how to enunciate properly when speaking.
One can find tutorials on that littering the internet.
It is a lot easier than we think.
Check up some of Genevieve's interviews online.
She is a genius at it.
I can tell without a doubt she attended diction classes.
The answer you seek is not to remove a regional accent but learn to enunciate when speaking.
If you can listen to a white man speaking English then he sure as hell must listen and understand when you do the same.
You don't need any gimmicky accent.
Lastly: one can learn almost anything via Youtube nowadays.
It is a good step to take.

okwabayi:

Firstly: I am not an expert on this sort of thing.
I have taken speech classes before but did it only for the knowledge.
I am yet to practice anything I learned from the class.
However I have traveled and lived in England for a while and picked these things unconsciously.
Most people are perfect English speakers both phonetically and in use of grammar.
I don't know why that girl frets over her errors.
English is probably her second language.
My benchmark for testing your pronunciations is google's very own auto transcribe function.
If you turn on auto captions on Youtube and it catches 90% and more of your speech then you're good to go.
All we as Nigerians need to learn is how to enunciate properly when speaking.
One can find tutorials on that littering the internet.
It is a lot easier than we think.
Check up some of Genevieve's interviews online.
She is a genius at it.
I can tell without a doubt she attended diction classes.
The answer you seek is not to remove a regional accent but learn to enunciate when speaking.
If you can listen to a white man speaking English then he sure as hell must listen and understand when you do the same.
You don't need any gimmicky accent.
Lastly: one can learn almost anything via Youtube nowadays.
It is a good step to take.

Sir,
You nailed it at the bolded.
Coming from someone who doesn't have the accent, it sounds beautiful (regardless of how others may perceive it)...no need to change it.
Focus on enunication....

I think you should be proud of your accent.

Wow thanks for this thread.I am having the same problem.Americans say my accent is too thick.I think i can learn enunciation from the videos

People say the same thing about my dad's accent (although I definitely would not classify his as "thick")....and he's been in the U.S. a long time...lol.
Could also be cause I'm used to it....having grown up hearing it my entire life.
Just goes to show that whereever a person is born (and lived at for a fairly decent length of time), the accent will always be there...which is a beautiful thing to me.
Enunciation and pronounciation are two different entities which can be improved...

Mobilia:
Rinzaugustine,
People say the same thing about my dad's accent (although I definitely would not classify his as "thick"....and he's been in the U.S. a long time...lol.
Could also be cause I'm used to it....having grown up hearing it my entire life.
Just goes to show that whereever a person is born (and lived at for a fairly decent length of time), the accent will always be there...which is a beautiful thing to me.
Enunciation and pronounciation are two different entities which can be improved...

Are you sure........
Be yourself joor.

Julivas:


Are you sure........
Be yourself joor.

Not quite sure what you are trying to imply sir
But yeah....I'm 1000 percent sure about my parental lineage.
In terms of being "myself", I dont think I can be any more transparent than I have been on this site....hence my getting into controversies, being taken advantage of for nefarious intent, and being called despicable, derogatory and disgusting names....
You (of all people, sir,) should know that...
Take care..