Learn the American Southern: Soft-R Accent

(72.9MB, 72 minutes) 2011 Edition

Soft-R Southern (need Hard-R Southern?)

This download includes a written examination of how to learn this classic Southern accent,and the following sound files featuring Accent Help coach Kate DeVore:

Play Audio Sample:

1. Introduction to Sound Placement, Intonation, and Helpful Hints to acting with the accent (4:55)
2. Consonant sound changes for learning a Soft-R American Southern accent (5:50)
3. Vowel changes in a Soft-R American Southern accent (4:03)
4. changes in Diphthongs for this classic Southern accent (1:40)
5. Alternate Pronunciations for words in American Southern (1:18)
6. Wrap up of the principles for learning a Southern accent (1:01)
7. Female from Georgia reading (1:23)
8. + her conversation (2:59)
9. second Female from Georgia reading (1:13)
10. + her conversation (2:55)
11. Male from Savannah Georgia reading (1:01)
12. + his conversation (2:43)
13. Male from Mississippi reading (1:31)
14. + his conversation (4:10)
15. Female from Biloxi Mississippi reading (1:14)
16. + her conversation (4:47)
17. Female from Bay St. Louis Mississippi reading (1:08)
18. + her conversation (3:00)
19. Female from Norlina North Carolina reading (1:11)
20. + her conversation (1:52)
21. Female from Lexington South Carolina reading (1:47)
22. + her conversation (4:14)
23. Male from Lexington South Carolina conversation (5:15)
24. Female from Charlotte North Carolina reading (1:10)
25. + her conversation (6:13)
26. Millard Fuller interview (4:44)

American Southern: Soft-R is an accent that is becoming less and less common.  This covers the more classic southern sound, with a lot of final R-sounds being dropped (much like Standard British or Cockney or the accents of New England.)  The dropped-R or Soft-R accent is called "non-rhotic" whereas the Hard-R American Southern accent materials teach the "rhotic" Southern accent.

American Southern is a very broad term.  In addition the Hard-R and Soft-R materials, we have downloads for learning Texan accents, Cajun accents, and the New Orleans Yat accent.  

You will also want our FREE guide to accent and dialect training - it will help you to get started with some basic terms and ideas for learning accents.  (This is also included with this download.)