[322] Learning US Accents: Speak Clearly Over the Phone
In this episode, we dive into customer service and call center communication, focusing on how to navigate different accents, including Northern and Southern US accents. Plus, we share a fun audio clip from Gabe and Goyo’s ‘¡No Te Rindas! Intermediate English’ podcast, where they role-play a call center scenario and teach us how to use the NATO Phonetic Alphabet to spell over the phone. Enjoy :)
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Transcript Snapshot (Learning US Accents)
Hey guys! You’re listening to the English Made Simple Show! This is episode number 323, numero trescientos veintitrés.
Welcome back, amigos y amigas! It’s your host, Milena, here with another episode of the English Made Simple Show. Today’s topic is something super practical and useful, especially if you work in customer service or a call center, or if you’ve ever had to speak English over the phone with someone who has a different accent.
We’re going to be talking about how to handle different accents, particularly Northern and Southern accents from the US, and we’ll even touch on Australian accents. You’ll also learn how to spell things out clearly when you’re on the phone and can’t hear well due to bad reception or external noise.
And… I have something exciting for you today! I recently had the pleasure of being a guest on the podcast “¡No Te Rindas! Intermediate English,” hosted by the amazing duo, Gabe and Goyo. These two American brothers are all about helping Spanish speakers improve their English through fun and natural conversations. And I absolutely love their sense of humour.
They’ve kindly shared a clip for us where they role-play a common call center situation. In the clip, they show us how to clearly spell things out over the phone using the NATO Phonetic Alphabet when you have bad reception or background noise. They also help us distinguish between Northern and Southern US accents . So, before we get into the clip, let me give you a quick overview of what to expect.
But first, let’s talk about accents. Whether you’re in the US or Australia, you’ll come across different accents that can sometimes be difficult to understand, especially over the phone. In the US, you’ve got Northern accents, which tend to sound a bit sharper and more direct, and then there are Southern accents, which can be slower and more melodic. In Australia, we’ve got our own unique way of speaking, too! For example, in Queensland, people tend to drag out their vowels, like the Crocodile Dundee or the late Steve Irwin, whereas in Melbourne and Adelaide, I’d say you’ll find the most natural-sounding Australian accent. It almost sounds melodic.
Now, Gabe and Goyo do a great job of showing how these accents can sound different in customer service situations. They also give us tips on how to stay calm and communicate clearly, no matter what accent you’re dealing with.
Now, let’s play the audio clip where they role-play a common call center scenario. This is a conversation between an agent and a customer where external noise is making it hard to hear, so they use the Phonetic Alphabet to spell out important information clearly. You’ll also hear the brothers demonstrate Northern and Southern US accents. They’ll introduce some special effects, so just watch out for those. It’s quite funny. The clip is mostly in English, with just a short introduction in Spanish. Don’t worry if you don’t speak Spanish – just enjoy the learning experience and focus on their tips for handling different accents!
[Play 7-min Audio Clip from ¡No Te Rindas! Intermediate English Podcast]
Wow, what a great clip! Thank you to Gabe and Goyo for sharing that with us. I hope you found it helpful, amigos y amigas.
Let’s quickly go over some of the key points from that role play:
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Milena Vujnic
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