Becoming a Better Communicator-It’s Never Too Late to Learn
Frequently the first question people ask when they come to my office is “Can I really change my voice?” or “Is it really possible to change the way I talk?” The answer I typically offer is, “You absolutely can- with good instruction and diligent practice.” You have a unique relationship with the sound of your […]
Talk to the Animals!
One of the greatest boons of having a pet is that it allows one to talk to oneself. Since we’re the first hearers of our own voice, the vocal endearments we lavish on our pet grace our own ears too. Having a pet and petting it activates a loving voice that cossets not just the […]
Nonverbal Accents
While speaking with a client of mine from Thailand recently, I raised my eyebrows at one point because I hadn’t heard what she had said. Puzzlingly, she just nodded. Then I said, “I’m sorry, I didn’t understand the question.” After she repeated the question, she told me that she had thought I was answering “yes.” […]
Is Stress Stressing You Out?
My non-native English speaking clients are sometimes surprised to discover what is making them difficult to understand. It often has as much to do or more with stress factors than it does the sounds they are using. Every language has a unique “music.” Think of overhearing a group of people standing at a distance. Even […]
Some Insights I’ve Gained Through My Accented Clients
My main role as a speech trainer is to help people to become clear, comfortable, confident communicators. Sometimes this involves changing the accented sounds or rhythm patterns in their speech that make them difficult to understand, especially to unfamiliar listeners and when they are on the phone. Under stress, people tend to speak faster or […]
The “y” Sound in English
The “y” sound in spoken English — WHY is it sometimes difficult to recognize? Well, as is the case with many sounds in English, YOU CAN’T ALWAYS GO BY SPELLING. The IPA (International Phonetic Alphabet) symbol for the “y” in “yellow” sound is [j]. You know there’s a [j] sound when you see the letter “y” in a […]
The “th” Sound
Many non-native speakers have difficulty with the “th” sound. It just does not exist in that many other languages. Greek has it; Icelandic is the only other Germanic language that still has it. It was changed from a fricative to a stop in German and the Scandinavian languages (Grimm’s Law, for all you have taken […]
What to Look for in a Speech Trainer
For Non-Native English Speakers: Anyone who has ever attempted to learn another language knows the difficulties in accurately mastering the subtle sounds and nuances of a native speaker. While this might not be a problem when asking for directions to the restroom in a foreign country, in business settings, where intelligibility and accuracy are important, […]
Tough Pronunciations
I had a client tell me the other day that he was just getting over a bad cuff. “I was cuffing all weekend,” he said. “You mean coughing?” I asked, emphasizing the pronunciation. Because of the complex history of English, there are plenty of examples of words that, unless you hear a native speaker say, […]
NYC, the DOE, the SLP, and the agency
The purpose of this letter is to reveal, through my personal experience as a speech therapist in NYC, the many problems plaguing my profession, and to shine light on the dysfunctional role that Medicaid, the Department Of Education (DOE), and agencies play within this profession – a profession whose primary purpose it should be to […]