The Complete Idiot's Guide to the American Accent

Accent reduction for non-native speakers of English - with practice CD!

A speaker's proficiency with the English language often reflects how others view them. For people who are already familiar with the vocabulary and grammar rules, yet still find it difficult to communicate effectively in the United States, the solution is: The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to the American Accent. In this book, communication is improved by working with readers through a program that combines pronunciation, word connections, and intonation. The goal is not to eliminate a reader's non-native accent or erase cultural identity but to improve intelligibility.

The Complete Idiot's Guide(r) to the American Accent is an easy and enjoyable way to master the most challenging American English speech characteristics through techniques such as:

•The ability to hear the difference between the correct and incorrect sound

•Practice shaping the mouth in the correct way to produce the proper sound

•Using the correct sounds in words, sentences, and conversations

•Understanding why rhythm, pitch, and stress affects intelligibility

Diane Ryan worked as a consultant for English as a second programs in Hilton Head, SC, and Orlando, FL. She received certification as an accent-reduction trainer for English speakers with non-native accents and from the Institute of Language and Phonology in Orlando. In addition to conducting accent reduction workshops in the United States, she has worked in Madrid, Spain where she participated in English immersion programs for corporate executives seeking to improve their verbal language skills when dealing with businesses in the United States. Diane is a former speech and language pathologist in New York and Florida school districts and is president of Accent Masters, a consulting firm specializing in accent reduction programs for individuals and businesses in the Tampa Bay Florida area.