More Than Words: The Power of Prosody
Improving Speech Intelligibility through prosody as a Second Language Learner
We often hear from Second Language Learner clients:
"I can say most words clearly, but when I put them together or have conversations
I feel like people still don’t understand me."
What's going on?
Intelligibility refers to a speaker’s ability to be understood by others.
Accentedness refers to how a person’s speech differs compared to the local and/or standard speaker community.
Prosody refers to the Stress, Rhythm and Intonation of a spoken language.
While many people assume accentedness and intelligibility go hand in hand, they are not guaranteed to be related. Everyone has an “accent” even within English. There are British English speakers, American Speakers, Australian Speakers and many more. Everyone agrees that each of these communities have very distinct “accents”, however they all communicate with each other with relative ease.
What makes a person more or less intelligible?
Using English sounds is only half the battle. Intelligibility is much more related to your connected speech and one’s ability to utilize prosody to enhance the overall clarity of their message. Once you feel you have a good handle on all English grammar, and its consonants and vowels, you can really shift to focusing on clear and easy speech.
Each language has its own distinct use of prosody. These elements are not always explicitly taught in most standard language learning curricula.
It is not enough to practice saying individual words clearly. While it is a great starting point for speaking struggling with specific sounds not sound in their L1, speech is always connected. One word always flows into the next and the job of prosody is to help us understand how the words interact with one another while also providing the listener with additional information about its intended meaning. When some of that information is missing, words and phrases can be misinterpreted by a listener. For example:
Word stress (words receiving incorrect stress will often sound “off” to a listener or sometimes like an entirely different word. Ex. Record vs. Record.)
Intonation (used to convey emotional state, certainty vs. uncertainty, statement vs. question, grammar distinctions)
Inter-word linking (I am going to the store vs. I’m goin’ to the store)
What are some strategies to improve intelligibility?
Slower isn’t necessarily better - talking at an excessively slow rate can actually draw more attention to articulation differences. Conversely, talking too fast also hinders understanding and often results in necessary parts of words getting dropped. Instead we want to strive for a comfortable and natural pace.
Record and Playback - record yourself reading a passage or explaining a familiar concept relevant to your work/schooling and note any words or phrases that might not sound clear. If you’re unsure how a word should be pronounced, google definitions generally have a verbal model available.
Work with a Speech-Language Pathologist - if you're interested on learning more about your intelligibility, accent and prosody many extended health benefit plans contain SLP coverage. Reach out to an SLP who provides Accent Modification Therapy.
Accent Modification Services at Beyond Speech
We offer a a free 15-minute consultation to speak with an SLP about your needs to determine if Speech Therapy is right for you. A consultation can also help us match your needs with a knowledgeable and passionate SLP.
What would an SLP session look like?
Your first session at Beyond Speech Therapy will be an assessment. During this hour-long appointment your SLP will ask you questions and record samples of you talking (e.g., reading, describing a picture, telling a story). This is also your opportunity to ask questions and share your personal experiences.
How many sessions will I need?
That is completely up to you! Some people may get what they need out of only 1 session after their assessment, others may want ongoing sessions to practice strategies with direct feedback. Your SLP will provide you with specific recommendations based on your goals, after the assessment session.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out if you gave any questions info@beyondspeech.ca
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