English Clarification Coaching
We all speak with an accent!
One accent is no better than another!
Yet, many, who are required to speak in public, to committees, to clients, to an audience, are asked to or encouraged to either :
1. ENGLISH CLARIFICATION or EUROPEAN ENGLISH
-gently clarify specific individually chosen intonation/pronunciation in their own lovely accented English
2. or modify to a more ‘GENERAL NORTH AMERICAN” - “or “neutral” sound. (I will do this work mostly for actors for a role preparation. This is an accent acquisition skill. Another accent in their toolbox - not a full time accent to 'replace' their original.
As in any work situation, it is not about what is right or wrong, but what is appropriate for the particular work.
Yet, one does NOT have to deny part of one’s identity while speaking in a “General North American” sound. On the contrary, modifying only some aspects of rhythm, intonation and pronunciation can lead to more CLARITY OF THOUGHT AND SIMPLY ALLOW THE LISTENER TO UNDERSTAND AND FOLLOW YOU -THE SPEAKER - WITH MORE EASE.
English and Comedy Rhetoric Coach for Gad Elmaleh Carnegie Hall Feb 2017
On set with Mitsou Gelinas for MITSOU'S KITCHEN
I do not teach ESL (English as a Second Language), meaning grammar, vocabulary, idiom. Accuracy and fluency in the language of English is necessary to work towards English Clarification in accent. I have worked on English Clarification and Speech skills with many individuals in the corporate world and Francophone Theatres.
Some companies include:
Bell
GL group (Germanischer Lloyd AG)
Toastmasters
CAE Montreal
Recochem Montreal
Labelium Canada
French Theatre Companies: French Actors in Film/TV/Theatre
TOUT A TRAC Gad Elmaleh
THEATRE DE LA PiRE-ESPECE Rémy Gerard
THEATRE DE L’OEIL Gerard Darmon
THEATRE 4Dart Mitsou
JEUNESSES MUSICALES DU CANADA Benedicte DeCary
ESPACE GO Karine Vanasse
RIDEAU VERT Melissa Desormeaux-Poulin
THEATRE LE GROS MECANO Yves Jacques
THEATRE DE LA PIRE-ESPECE Toby Pelletier
Jean Marchand
Jean -Marc Genereux
Stephane Demers
Anne Marie Cadieux
Theodore Pellerin
Eric Bruneau
“Wicked Old Songs”
‘La musique inquiétante’
Rideau Vert/The Segal Centre, Montreal
2009/2010 Best English Language Production
L’Association Quebecoise des Critiques de Theatre
Emile Proulx-Cloutier
English language and American Accent
Jean Marchard (at piano) Austrian accent