How to do ANY accent

In this video Amy Walker gives some basic advice on how to tackle different accents in general.

In a nutshell

1) be fascinated - not interested - but FASCINATED

2) pay attention and observe

3)analyze

4)practise

5) record and check your rehearsing

Tackle your accent from one of these five categories

1) Pronounciation of consonents and vowels

pay attention to what your mouth, your tongue and breath should do when pronouncing someting like the th sound

2)Melody and melodic patterns

3)Rhytm and stress

bene. Is not Italian when it doesn't sound Italian

4)Grammar and words

bottle-o vs. liquor store

5)The vibe

study people and their surroundings

The difference between putting on an accent or having an authentic accent:If you are empahsizing sounds and this is seperate from how they feel.

So in Amy's words: Get into character!

Australian English 1 // Fun Stuff

G'Day Mate

As I have already spent one amazing year Down Under, the Australian accent is a very familar one.
But I still remember how much trouble I had understanding it in the beginning. Women were ok, but with men, the older the worse, I just couldn't communicate. My first hostmum always had to interprete what her husband was saying....

After one year I had a really strong Australian accent, which was probably due to the fact that I had lived on the countryside. The part of the country where a snake in the kitchen is nothing more than a good dinner-table story. I never realised that I had that accent until my hostdad recorded me and let me listen to my voice. This was a a very estranging experince. As not only my intonation but also my voice pitch was completely different to what I was used to from my "Austrian voice". Nowadays I can still pick up the Ozzie accent pretty easily BUT I want to take this one step further.

My plan is to practise being able to conciously switch to the Australian accent.
So, first I need to identify what is so distinctive about the Australian accent.

Ever heard the phrase "Chuck another shrimp on the barbie?? Check out this old ad ;)

Gotta love stereotypes.... so no worries mate, Paul Hogan will include you into his dinner party.


Another Australian icon is the universally loved Steve Irwin. His catch phrase: Crikeeeyy, big day ahead!

Also a fan of Steve Irwin and a genious when it comes to accents: Julio Iglesias. I promise you, he is hilarious!!

That shall be enough for the Ozzie intro!
Cheers,
Anna