BREAKING BARRIER:-
“You will never be able to compete with native English speakers.” Words that still echo in the deeper corners of my memories. Now, decades later, those echoes are met with a quick exhale through my nose and the faintest flicker at the right corner of my lips. A stolen smirk, barely noticeable. I saw accent reduction as my personal rebellion against the status quo. A rebellion that has allowed me to hold my own – and more – among native speakers today. Contrary to popular belief, accent reduction can be a powerful tool for strategic visibility, emotional alignment, and personal identity.
The Expert Bias
Foreign accents have been and are still associated with less competence, professionalism and credibility than their native counterparts. Any credibility or authority is more often than not achieved by having an accent that is as close to a native English accent as possible. To gain that credibility as an interpreter, which I had initially wanted to become, I needed to be perceived as a native English speaker to even be able to compete in the job market.
Since native English accents are not taught in classrooms and most English teachers are non-native themselves, it is only logical that non-native English speakers rarely acquire a native English accent unless they hire a native English dialect coach. A self-taught non-native becoming a dialect coach for native speakers is not usually how the story goes.
Although my goal changed and I did not become an interpreter, I managed to break into the world of dialect coaching by reducing my accent on my own. Doing so has served me well; it has allowed me to enter (rehearsal) rooms I would not have been able to otherwise. Even though unlocking professional doors was only part of why I wanted to reduce my foreign accent, my accent continues to prove its worth. When done intentionally, accent reduction can serve to pursue goals and leverage opportunities that would otherwise remain out of reach.
Freedom, Not shame
As strong as the argument for career advancement might be, the desire to reduce a foreign accent does not have to be shaped by negative accent bias or shame. Shame does not need to be a factor; personal choice or ease of communication can play into this decision without being rooted in the fear of rejection or the pressure of conformity. While I did feel the pressure to reduce my accent in order to get closer to my career goals, I also worked on it because I did not like the sound of my foreign accent.
Speaking English with a Swiss accent created a disconnect between how I wanted to express myself and how I actually did. It felt like speaking a language that was neither English nor Swiss German. For others, the issue is less about disconnect and more about convenience; reducing a few prominent foreign features to increase intelligibility so not every sentence needs repeating.
This kind of repetition often fuels a common misunderstanding about accent reduction: rather than demanded by others, it can solely be a matter of personal preference. And that preference is layered. For some, their accent sounds most aligned when there is no trace of foreign features left. Others simply want to turn the volume down on their foreign accent, leaving a whisper of its charm. Accent reduction is not designed to erase but rather to express parts of the self, which may be for pure practicality to ease everyday communication or for feeling at home in one’s own voice.
Identity and Belonging
Deeper than self-expression, accent reduction can serve as a reflection of our identity, our roots or where we want to belong. A foreign accent does not automatically reflect our passport(s), and it does not account for roots planted elsewhere. Unlike some, I never felt the need to be connected to my roots whenever I spoke English. That connection, to me, was what my first language was for. Convinced my future was going to be in the USA, I chose to adopt a US accent.
Having moved to the UK now instead, I switch to a UK accent from time to time to fit in. This form of fitting in is my personal choice, and not the same for everyone. Identity is not fixed; it shifts with our moving through the world. I was not blessed with a second passport growing up, nor did I have an English-speaking heritage that would draw me in. However, others might hold a second citizenship of an English-speaking country and want their voice to reflect this.
Telling those people they should not reduce their foreign accent would be denying them that expression of belonging to their own culture. Behind the choice to reduce a foreign accent lies a reason that might be rooted in history, culture or the desire to belong. The emotional weight of an accent is oftentimes hidden, yet a driving force for changing it.
Accent reduction done right should move towards something; whether that means a career opportunity, a smoother communication style or a voice aligned to identity. While some do it only because of one of those reasons, for me, it was a mix of all three, and for others, it may shift over time. When done intentionally, reducing a foreign accent breaks barriers, not cultures. Accent reduction is not an act of erasure; it is a form of self-empowerment.
Name: Ronja Hübscher
Professional Title: Dialect Coach
Bio: Ronja Hübscher is an accent reduction consultant and dialect coach working with global executives and international actors. She helps leadership teams speak English with clarity and impact and coaches actors in authentic European accents for screen and stage. Her focus: powerful delivery, cultural precision, and voices that command attention.
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