How do you tone down an accent?

Question

I recently started a new high school and a lot of the kids ask me about my accent and think I'm from the Caribbean or somewhere but my problem is I have a Gullah accent. Also I lived in Florida when I was younger and some of my family's Puerto-Rican so some of my words also have a Spanish sounding accent to them because I grew up in a Spanish/English house. Also some people say I'm trying to sound black or whatever and I'm not (it's not like I use words like "'Sup, my homeboy?" or anything so I don't understand that). I can't help how my accent goes. Also since my teachers aren't used to my accent, they can barely understand what I'm saying. And no one else in my family has my accent. How can I make my accent not so strong?

I tried speech classes when I was younger but it didn't work.

My accent is super thick. I know Spanish kids that even though they went to an English speaking school for years, they still had thick accents.

I can't really talk to my teachers or anything when they ask me a question. I hear the phrase "What did you say?" at least 20 or 30 times a day litterally. I can't even go to a food place and order without a language barrier because the waitress won't understand me. My accent is pretty much limited to a small area of the coast and very few people have actually heard an "authentic" Gullah accent like mine so it sounds very foreign to them.

Also like the music teacher basically told me in kind words that she doesn't really want me partcipating in the singing because my accent is so harsh. The only time that they let me sing in a solo was because it was a Caribbean themed school event (even though the kid who suggested me, were only saying it as a rude joke and it backfired). And other girls would say "Your accent is the fakest thing I've ever heard." and make a (bad) attempt to mock my accent.

Answer 1

don't mind other people as long as can make your point across, that's all that matters.

Answer 2

Don't name the Scottish accessory unsightly. I wish you recognize that this isn't what all Scottish folks speak like. I see wherein you're coming from although, plenty of folks from Glasgow have an excessively precise Scottish accessory. I do not reside in Glasgow however I nonetheless reside in Scotland and manipulate to talk correct English. I'm definite she would sound greater if she attempted however on the finish of the day, it is her option. Money is not the whole lot. Hope this is helping.

Answer 3

You learn your accent in the schoolyard, not from parents or teachers. If you listen to your friends at school and how they speak, you will quickly pick up their accent. Kids do it automatically but you can hasten the process if you put your mind to it. Don't worry. it will happen quite rapidly.

Answer 4

speach therapy.