Having at least one or two accents under your belt increases your marketability. Luckily, there are ways to learn and practice accents without needing to dump money into a language coach. So long as you can master the basics, you’ll have no trouble picking up new accents.
Find a Phrase
Actors enjoy a certain level of mimicry. This is the key to unlocking an accent. In order to put themselves into the mindset of a specific accent, voice actors have single lines they say that help them easily jump into a specific way of speaking. Find a line you like, mimic it and then continue talking for as long as you can hold up the accent for.
Study the Face
Speaking is an extremely physical activity. Not only does it require the inner workings of your larynx but also your lips, tongue and jaw. Once you have a few accents you feel you’re decent at, watch native speakers and mimic their facial movements. Do they open their mouths wide? How do they move their lips? Can you see any peculiarities with how they hold their tongues? All of these minute changes only add to how legitimate the accent sounds and looks.
Record Yourself Reading
The key to pulling off a convincing accent is knowing it so well it seems natural. To reach this level, however, you’ll need to actually be that comfortable with the accent. At least once a week, record yourself reading the newspaper or a book in your new accent. Listen to the take and note what you like and what you don’t like. The next time you use it, practice improving the weaker parts of the accent until you reach a level of proficiency you’re happy with.
