| In the international marketplace, it is very | | | | polished voice with neutral or non-affected |
| important for organizations to be able to | | | | accents. These sought after accents as noted |
| both globalize and localize their product | | | | above (BBC, NPR, CBC) come with a host of |
| information and service offerings. | | | | benefits, including perceived authority, |
| | | | intelligence, trustworthiness, and |
| That being said, the information presented to | | | | professionalism to name some. |
| their target audiences is only as effective | | | | |
| as the means by which it is communicated. | | | | Other accents remain more elusive. Due in |
| | | | part to a lack of demand or market, these |
| For our purposes, the vessel or means of | | | | accents are requested less often. |
| communication is via a voice talent | | | | |
| performance; in essence, a voice-over | | | | Accents can reveal information about an |
| recording. | | | | individuals geographical location, ethnicity, |
| | | | socio-economic background, and education. If |
| Now, when I refer to localization, I mean | | | | we only examined the nature of accents from |
| that a given accent and manner of speaking | | | | an anthropological point of view, we'd be |
| matches or correlates with a particular group | | | | seeing a fraction of the picture that we're |
| of people in a geographical area. | | | | meant to view. |
| | | | |
| An example: | | | | Accents are not always predestined and meant |
| | | | solely for those who live in their |
| If I were writing a French Canadian script | | | | district... they can also be learned or |
| for an audience located in Montreal, QC, I | | | | acquired. |
| would make sure that the terminology I use is | | | | |
| familiar to French Canadians living in | | | | This is where opportunity knocks, and the |
| Montreal. Not only that, I may employ unique | | | | world, with your voice, can become yours. |
| speech and formation characteristics | | | | |
| indigenous to the French Canadian language | | | | Recently, voice instructor Pat Fraley and his |
| and relevant cultural references to help my | | | | fellow accents masters conducted a workshop |
| audience identify with what I have written. | | | | called Accent on Dialects Masters Event, a |
| | | | workshop where talent learned about how to |
| Going one step further, I would hire a native | | | | identify their own dialects, how to recognize |
| French Canadian voice talent from Montreal | | | | properly executed dialects, tried their hand |
| who embodies the characteristics I am looking | | | | at British, Irish, German, Russian, and N.Y. |
| for to convey the copy in a meaningful and | | | | accents, and received a bounty of resources |
| direct manner accessible to all French | | | | on how to prepare for and perform dialects |
| Canadian speakers in Montreal. | | | | foreign to themselves as well as recordings |
| | | | of their voices on a CD from the workshop. |
| Localization is conveying a message to people | | | | |
| in a specific geographical location | | | | One of the largest markets for dialects (or |
| implementing language and concepts that they | | | | accents) today is in performing voice overs |
| can understand. | | | | for videogames. |
| | | | |
| Certain accents have become staples and are | | | | If you can acquire several key dialects, |
| relied upon heavily every day. For example, | | | | you'll be able to work globally and land more |
| RP English (or BBC English / top of the | | | | diverse roles. |
| scale), Neutral American (NPR or prime time | | | | |
| national news), Parisienne French, and | | | | The same theorem holds true for voice talent |
| Canadian (CBC or prime time national news) | | | | with regional accents that need to be |
| are all members of an elite club of | | | | averted. Some talent find that in order to |
| corporate, global accents. | | | | get work, they must first lose their regional |
| | | | accents and adopt a new way of speaking, |
| This doesn't come as a surprise. The most | | | | reconditioning themselves to pronounce words |
| neutral accents found in each country are | | | | in the preferred, neutral accent. |
| usually prized above regional accents as is | | | | |
| the case with many languages where a "high" | | | | This process of unlearning accents can take |
| or "official" version is preferred to | | | | years. Many talent are not even aware that |
| dialects spoken in rural or isolated areas. | | | | they have an 'accent' until they are informed |
| | | | by a casting director or agent. |
| One classic example is the Italian language. | | | | |
| Italian, when spoken in Rome or in other | | | | Whether acquiring new accents to expand |
| large Italian cities, does not vary | | | | dialect skills or unlearning a native |
| significantly, whereas the Italian you hear | | | | regional accent, the work required of an |
| in the foothills of the mountains or on the | | | | individual is extensive. Talent going down |
| coastline may be dramatically different, in | | | | this road are more likely to be successful if |
| both pronunciation and meaning. | | | | a set of discerning ears or those of trained |
| | | | linguist are actively involved, coaching the |
| When someone is hiring a voice talent to | | | | talent to ensure that the accent they are |
| record, they are often looking for a clean, | | | | imitating sounds authentic and believable. |