This really works. Actually slip in a “Braveheart” DVD (you know, the 1995 epic movie starring Mel Gibson as the Scottish knight William Wallace) and copy his Scottish accent.
Copying accents like Mel Gibson's in Braveheart can help you learn any language faster.
Surprisingly, when you learn to copy regional or foreign accents from movies or people you meet, you will help yourself learn Spanish, French or German much faster!
Learning Accents Accelerates Language Learning
Can it really be true? All you need to do is ‘imitate accents’? Well, it’s not all you need to do, but it is an important part of learning Spanish or the language you want to learn. Native speakers will be able to understand your new language much faster if you have learned how to listen and copy other accents.
If You Are Good At Copying Accents, You Will Be Good at Language Learning
I met a man who had been told in school that he wasn’t very good at languages. Unfortunately, he believed this and had never tried to learn a language after dropping out of Spanish class in college.
But he was very good at identifying regional accents in English and copying them. He probably had a super genius talent for learning a foreign language but didn’t know it.
Fortunately, you can improve your skills at learning a foreign language simply by copying regional accents accents in your native language.
Be Nice When Copying Accents
Please do this in a polite way; I don’t want to encourage you to make fun of anyone. So if you are copying someone’s accent in person, make sure you ask for permission and stress that it’s not you are not mocking them.
But if you hear a regional accent or a foreign accent on the radio or in a movie, always try to copy it. This is the identical skill you will be using when you learn a foreign-language word and are trying to make your accent sound like the native speaker of the language.
As your skills at copying regional and foreign accents in your native language improve, you will automatically become better at copying the correct accent in the new language you want to learn.
Last Updated: October 26, 2011
I am a dialect coach, so I study and teach regional accents for a living. I have found that learning the language of the dialect you are trying to learn is VERY helpful. Think of it this way: a native French speaker speaks English with a French accent because they are using aspects of French pronunciation in their speech. Therefore, if you know a thing or two about French pronunciation, you’ll be able to do a very accurate dialect.
When my students need to learn a dialect for a foreign language, I encourage them to study and listen to that language. Language101.com is a great way to do that.
I never thought of that but i’m sure it’s true. If you’re an actor who wants to do a persuasive French accent in English, then studying French would be a good way to learn how.
Thanks for your comment.