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American accent becomes a new attraction for Indians
By
siliconindia news bureau
Mumbai: Speaking the American lingo is no more only a call center trend rather any common Indian is heading for a proper training. Adhering to the growing demand a number of accent training centers have come up. "About 50 percent of our students want American accents," says Raj Oberoi, who runs the Just Talk Institute.
The basic cause behind the setting of the trend in the cross section of the society is that it is enabling them to get a better hold on business, communicate well or to flaunt the knowledge. Infact, this language trend is more seen among the middle class of India of all ages from 7 to 65. Though it is the British-English which was introduced in the country yet there is an increasing inclination towards the Americanism with more and more U.S. based companies venturing into the country. As Shammi Sharma, an employee of Ericsson says, "It helps your clients. Somewhere down the line people don't think that you're foreign or struggle to understand."
Moreover, with more and more people opting for further studies and jobs in U.S, which saw a 38 percent rise in Indian immigrants to reach 2.32 million as per the American Community Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau, the language learning becomes imminent. Through these training the people tend to get a hang over the accent, the accent does become neutral.
The basic cause behind the setting of the trend in the cross section of the society is that it is enabling them to get a better hold on business, communicate well or to flaunt the knowledge. Infact, this language trend is more seen among the middle class of India of all ages from 7 to 65. Though it is the British-English which was introduced in the country yet there is an increasing inclination towards the Americanism with more and more U.S. based companies venturing into the country. As Shammi Sharma, an employee of Ericsson says, "It helps your clients. Somewhere down the line people don't think that you're foreign or struggle to understand."
Moreover, with more and more people opting for further studies and jobs in U.S, which saw a 38 percent rise in Indian immigrants to reach 2.32 million as per the American Community Survey of the U.S. Census Bureau, the language learning becomes imminent. Through these training the people tend to get a hang over the accent, the accent does become neutral.
Reader's comments(3)
1: Learning should be about what the learner
needs and not only about what the learner
wants. Training needs to be about what the
industry needs (from the learner) and
therefore it's still about what the learner
needs. Education and training cannot be
market driven to the point that it produces
recruits that lack the necessary skill sets
for industry.
IT Recruiters will bear witness as they are inundated by candidates skilled in what was fashionable then. Is there anyone out there considering that it is what industry needs that drives the recruitment market? The need for industry is thinking professionals at every level, which requires more than just an accent. So maybe it's time for training institutes to offer a little more than just an American accent.
To start with the quality of English is bad. Grammar is ancient history, be it in this particular article itself. A 'hang over' is what you feel when you're recovering from too much alcohol drunk the night before. The writer obviously meant getting 'a hang of' the language. That's merely the tip of the iceberg... We are training several thousands each year in the same inept manner and I mean the training is inept, not the learners.
Grammar classes that talk of past perfect and present perfect to freshers who spent 12 years of school learning just that. What makes us think that training sessions of three weeks or more are going to make the difference that 12 years of Wren and Martin didn't? So therefore it's not just about learning the grammar.
As technical whizzes the IT industry must understand, better than others, that issues of logic or syntax in the language could render a program ineffective. Similarly writing skills and grammar are vital to language fluency and effective communication. As are reading, speaking and listening, just as much as, learning by doing. Therefore what it boils down to is Usage. I like to call it learning through conversation.
As for the accent, there is nothing more disgusting than a fake accent. Three things that a true professional cannot afford to fake is his or her personality, understanding and accent. Being caught out on any of these three counts can be humiliating and as good as corporate suicide in some cases.
Why be American when you are Indian? You only need to neutralise the regional accent, and it is not necessary to acquire another accent to do that. I am an Indian and my first language is English. My accent is definitely Indian, and how do I know this? Well it's not American or British or even Australian. Besides I've lived here all my life. In all my years of experience, communicating with the international community, my English or accent has never been an issue. To communicate effectively in any accent it takes an understanding of the cultural context involved; English as it is spoken across the globe and sureness of self.
The day our training process evolves from following others, to creating programmes designed to suit our very specific needs, we may begin to prepare a workforce that is respected for its skills, abilities and integrity. Rather than just for our eagerness to alter our identities and fake our accents.
Instead of blindly adopting an American accent, learn to use the language. For anyone in a HR position, the decision is simpe, why buy plywood when good teak costs the same? Accents are only veneers or laminates and when faked they don't go deep enough to cover up personality issues or insecurities. The result is very ugly. So learn English, neutralise the regional influence but don't fake who you really are.
IT Recruiters will bear witness as they are inundated by candidates skilled in what was fashionable then. Is there anyone out there considering that it is what industry needs that drives the recruitment market? The need for industry is thinking professionals at every level, which requires more than just an accent. So maybe it's time for training institutes to offer a little more than just an American accent.
To start with the quality of English is bad. Grammar is ancient history, be it in this particular article itself. A 'hang over' is what you feel when you're recovering from too much alcohol drunk the night before. The writer obviously meant getting 'a hang of' the language. That's merely the tip of the iceberg... We are training several thousands each year in the same inept manner and I mean the training is inept, not the learners.
Grammar classes that talk of past perfect and present perfect to freshers who spent 12 years of school learning just that. What makes us think that training sessions of three weeks or more are going to make the difference that 12 years of Wren and Martin didn't? So therefore it's not just about learning the grammar.
As technical whizzes the IT industry must understand, better than others, that issues of logic or syntax in the language could render a program ineffective. Similarly writing skills and grammar are vital to language fluency and effective communication. As are reading, speaking and listening, just as much as, learning by doing. Therefore what it boils down to is Usage. I like to call it learning through conversation.
As for the accent, there is nothing more disgusting than a fake accent. Three things that a true professional cannot afford to fake is his or her personality, understanding and accent. Being caught out on any of these three counts can be humiliating and as good as corporate suicide in some cases.
Why be American when you are Indian? You only need to neutralise the regional accent, and it is not necessary to acquire another accent to do that. I am an Indian and my first language is English. My accent is definitely Indian, and how do I know this? Well it's not American or British or even Australian. Besides I've lived here all my life. In all my years of experience, communicating with the international community, my English or accent has never been an issue. To communicate effectively in any accent it takes an understanding of the cultural context involved; English as it is spoken across the globe and sureness of self.
The day our training process evolves from following others, to creating programmes designed to suit our very specific needs, we may begin to prepare a workforce that is respected for its skills, abilities and integrity. Rather than just for our eagerness to alter our identities and fake our accents.
Instead of blindly adopting an American accent, learn to use the language. For anyone in a HR position, the decision is simpe, why buy plywood when good teak costs the same? Accents are only veneers or laminates and when faked they don't go deep enough to cover up personality issues or insecurities. The result is very ugly. So learn English, neutralise the regional influence but don't fake who you really are.
Posted by: Sajani Gm - 12:00 AM Oct 15, ' 08
3: correct.. the american ways are getting
in...but why are these people moving for U.S.
while India these days have much more to
offer..
Posted by: nancy - 12:00 AM Oct 14, ' 08
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