Public Speaking: Dialect Modification Tips
Remarks from Terri | Exercises | Sample Radio Script
Remarks from Terri
As you know, students in our class come from all over the Caribbean, and we even have some people from Stateside. This means we have a range of dialects in the class, and some of you have anxiety around dialect issues.
I want to alleviate this by reminding you that there is no such thing as proper English. If your speech can be understood by those in the community with whom you wish to communicate, it's proper. Broadcast English is nothing more than a convention that allows an English speaker from Liverpool, England, an English speaker from St. Thomas,U.S. Virgin Islands, and an English speaker from the Ozark mountains of Tennessee (all places with heavy regional dialects) to understand one another.
Broadcast English conventions weren't handed down to us mere mortals from head of Zeus, but were rather developed in a somewhat arbitrary manner over time. Things that would have been scandalous fifty years ago (e.g. ending a sentence with a preposition) are now shrugged off ( there is nothing I'd rather end a sentence with.) Times change and so do broadcast conventions. Nonetheless, if you want to read "professional," you'll need to master at least a few of these conventions.
Some of you have expressed the fear of losing your local identity through as you practice dialect modification. I am here to tell you that this cannot happen. You have worked your whole life to forge a local identity, and one class is not going to eradicate that work. It would take years of practice to eliminate all traces of a West Indian vocal tone, which in many cases has more to do with a lilt in speech than with pronunication. And why would anyone want to do that? West Indian vocal tone is magnificent!
A few classes of Broadcast English practice will not make you into that Carlton character from Fresh Prince. All these exercises do is give you the ability to "code-switch," which simply means having mulitple performance selves that we can swap at will. Remember in class how we talked about the effect of your affect? Remember how we agreed that Oprah Winfrey was the "gold standard" of public speaking because of how she can change her mannerisms from newscaster formal to Southern chatty to "You go, girl" --all in the space of a minute? The exercises below can likewise begin to help you control your affect, rather than having your affect control you.
Finally, the conventions of American Broadcast English differ slightly from those of British Broadcast English, so if you were taught in Tortola (for instance), you'll have some differences in your speech and writing habits. If you are interested in this sort of thing, compare American news to broadcasts from the BBC Online. In class, we'll be sticking with American conventions.
Practice Exercises for West Indian Dialect Modification
FOR PRACTICING “TH” AS IN “THUNDER” (Beware the “t” sound)
Thor is the God of thunder.
Thieves are thankless thugs who deserve our wrath
Nothing is worth thousands of deaths*Tip: As you do these exercises, put your finger in front of your lips. The "th" sound requires you to touch your tongue to your fingers, while the "t" sound does not. If your finger is wet, you are making the "th" sound!
FOR PRACTICING “TH” AS IN “BROTHER”(Beware the “d” sound”)
My other brother is also a father.
I want another mother.
My father sings soothing songs.*Tip: As you do these exercises, put your finger in front of your lips.While not as exagerated as the "th" in "thunder," the "th" in "brother" also requires you to get your finger wet.
FOR PRACTICING “ER/IR/UR” as in “VIRGIN”(Beware the “aw” sound)
A virgin birth is one that doesn’t hurt.
It is her turn to work.
To litter is to besmirch the earth’s surface.
FOR PRACTICING “AR” AS IN “STAR” (Beware the “ah” sound)
Arsonists are not argumentative.
Artists must often starve.
It is hard to articulate while breathing artificial oxygen.
FOR PRACTICING “ING” (Beware of the “in” sound)
I enjoy swimming, eating, and dancing.
There is nothing quite like talking.
This radio script was designed to target special West Indian dialect "trouble spots." Work with a friend or record yourself doing a "cold reading" of the script. Then do the exercises above and repeat the script. See how quickly you improve!
Hello, this is __________________________ and you are listening to FM 303.3, the voice of the Virgin Islands. Today’s top story: Mothers, fathers, sisters and brothers gathered together for the Virgin Islands’ first annual Fall Hunting and Deep Water Fishing Competition. In a surprising turn of events, the daughters garnered the highest scores in hunting, winning first prize and shaking up the competition. Expedition organizer Arnold Arson argues that brothers, fathers and mothers need to sharpen their skills by next year in order to regain the respect of their daughters.
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