Although they can be very different, people in the United Kingdom speak many regional accents.Most people talk about Received Pronunciation when talking about a British accent or English accent.While most letters of the alphabet are the same, there are some distinct sounds that can make you sound more British.We've put together some tips to help you master some of those sounds, as well as some general tips on how to polish your RP.You can sound like a newscaster with a little practice.
Step 1: Lower your tongue and loosen up your jaw.
For the RP accent, it's important to release the tension in your jaw and allow it to hang loose.Lower your tongue so that it sits behind your teeth.Many English sounds can be produced by moving your lips to a different position and keeping your jaw relaxed.If you maintain the correct mouth position, there will be less noticeable pronunciation mistakes.If you can maintain that mouth position consistently, you will find that you make fewer mistakes because the correct sounds will become more natural to pronounce.
Step 2: A full, rounded sound can be produced from the back of your mouth.
Press your tongue back when you say words such as "on" or "not".The sound is not drawn out as it would be with an American English accent.The "broad A" sound is when you hear words with a short "o" or "a" in them.Think about how you'd say a word with a long "o" if you were starting with an American English accent.Make the "ah" sound instead of the long "o" if you want to keep your mouth in the same position.Think of the sound as deeper than you think.The American English equivalent sound is produced more in the mouth and can sound more tired.
Step 3: The long "u" sound is affected by "yod retention".
This sound is often dropped by other English accents.The English accent keeps it.Say "yew" when you see a long "u" in a word.The second syllable of the word "enthusiasm" would be pronounced "thyew" instead of "thoo".The word "student" is pronounced "styewdent" rather than "stoodent", and the words "tyewn" and "toon" are pronounced the same way.If there's a "u" before it, yod retention might affect how that sounds.The "t" in "tune" sounds more like a "ch"
Step 4: Use the "uh" sound for the last part of a word.
" Regardless of the vowels in the last syllable, if it ends in an 'r', the accent drops the "r" sound and pronounces the 'uh' vowels as'schwa'."The schwa sound is used a lot in British English, so mastering it will make your accent stronger.You would say "dock-tuh" instead of "r" at the end of the doctor's name.The schwa sound is one of the most used vowels in British English, so make sure you can produce it correctly.You can make the "uh" sound close to your lips by relaxing your jaw and mouth.
Step 5: The "y" at the end of a word can be replaced with a schwa.
You would say "y" at the end of the word to rhyme with "bee" in American English.The RP accent makes the syllable weaker, almost quieter sounding, and gives it an "eh" sound.Instead of pronouncing "gracefully" with an "ee" sound, you would say it "GRACE-full-eh."If you want your voice to trail off as you reach the final syllable, make sure your emphasis is on the first syllable.
Step 6: Unless it's followed by a vowels sound, replace the "r" with an "eh".
In words such as "rat" or "irate," the "r" is followed by a vowels sound, so you pronounce it as you would in any other English accent.The English accent replaces it with an "uh" sound.This principle applies to words such as there and share.The "r" isn't followed by a sound because the "e" is silent.
Step 7: Put the tip of your tongue against your teeth.
When you have an "r" in the middle of a word that is followed by a vowels, the "d" sound in American English is replaced with a quick tap.The sound is not drawn out even if the "r" is doubled.This sound can be heard in a word such as "married," which sounds more like "meh-ddied.""very" is a word that sounds similar to "veh-deh."If the word ends in "y", the long "e" sound is replaced with a schwa sound.
Step 8: The "intrusive r" can be used to create a bridge between vowels.
If a word ends in a vowels sound and is followed by another word that starts with vowels, you'll slide an "r" in between to make it easier to say.Some speakers will end a word with an "r" even if it isn't followed by another word.If you say the phrase "law and order" with an RP accent, it will typically come out sounding like "LAWR and ORDER" or something similar due to the intrusive "r."If the word "idear" occurs at the end of the speaker's thought and isn't followed by another word, they might say it.
Step 9: The sound of "t" is the same regardless of where it appears in a word.
In the American English accent, "t" is "tapped" if it occurs between vowels so that it sounds more like a "d"It can take some getting used to if you're starting with an American English accent.It will make your speech sound more British if you get rid of this habit.
Step 10: Explanations are the same way you might ask a question.
If you're familiar with an American English accent, you probably associate a rising pitch or tone of voice with asking a question.When making statements in writing, English speakers do the same thing.While you wouldn't want to do this with every sentence you speak, it does help give your speech a lilt and make you sound more fluent.The "terminal" syllable is where the highest pitch is usually found.The next sentence starts with a lower pitch than the previous one.
Step 11: You can watch programs on the radio.
If you become familiar with the accent, it will get better.You will pick up on various nuances of speech that you wouldn't know otherwise if you watch and listen to people speak the accent.The TV show "Fawlty Towers" is a good source of RP."AD-ver-TISE-ment in American English but ad-VERT-is-ments in RP" is a word that uses different stress patterns.You can listen to the speakers as well.Pay attention to the mouth shape and facial expressions of people speaking with an accent.You will get closer to producing the correct sound if you try to copy their mouth shapes.