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Learning accents can be a great way to prep for language learning, as well as performing a role in which you have to use that accent. The Russian accent can be difficult because it involves some sounds and some orthography (spelling) that is unusual for English. By pronouncing words, modulating the cadence of your voice, and listening to native Russian speakers, you can begin to develop a passable Russian accent.
Steps
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Roll your /r/. As with many European languages, the /r/ is rolled or trilled in Russian. So, when you are speaking English with a Russian accent, make sure you roll your Rs. Doing this consistently will make the accent sound more authentic. Don't trill your /r/ for too long, as this will make the accent sound fake. [1] X Research source- For instance, when you say the word "very," you will roll the /r/. It may come out sounding like a "d" at first, but with practice you can get the rolling sound down.
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Replace the sound /th/ with the sound /d/. So instead of saying "this", say "dis". If you do this, it will help enhance your thick Russian accent. Don't do this if you want to portray a lighter Russian accent. This is not true at the ends of words, as in Russian, consonants are not voiced at the ends of words. Instead pronounce /th/ as /t/. For instance, you would say, "cot" for the word "cod" (the fish) instead of "coth".Advertisement -
Pronounce ending consonant sounds /d/, /v/, and /z/, as /t/, /f/, and /s/. In Russian, the consonants at the ends of words are not voiced. You would pronounce 'breeze' as 'breese.' Doing this will make your accent sound thicker.- For instance, "love" becomes "lof" and "clod" becomes "clot".
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Pronounce the vowel sound used in words like "In" more like the vowel in "Seen". "I will make this thing bigger" would become "I weel make thees theeng beegger." This is because the long "i" vowel sound occurs infrequently in Russian, so a native Russian speaker who is new to English will be more likely to say "ee" instead of the long "i" sound. [2] X Research source -
Pronounce the short "o" sound in a clipped way. In English, the sound is a diphthong, and you actually pronounce the sounds of "o" and "u," though the latter is very soft. For instance the word "boat" becomes much shorter, more like "bote". As we don't use the sound in English often, it is important to listen to native speakers of Russian. [3] X Research source -
Pronounce initial /w/ as /v/ or vice versa. Because the /w/ sound is not frequent in Russian, it can be difficult for Russian ELLs (English Language Learners) to pick up. While a lot of people usually only change the /w/ to /v/, the error can go both ways. Therefore, a more passable accent should contain both types of errors. For instance, you could say, "Vere is my west?" for "Where is my vest?"
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Pronounce stressed syllables with a higher pitch and for longer periods of time than in English. With stressed syllables ("stressed" in the word "distressed"), you should raise your pitch and lengthen the syllable just a bit. It shouldn't last forever, but should be noticeable to achieve the Russian accent. -
Make your tone rise from the beginning and then fall at the end of declarative sentences. This is practically the opposite of intonation we have for questions (interrogative, not declarative sentences) in English where our tones are lower toward the beginning and higher toward the end. Practice this to help your overall speech sound Russian. -
Slow down. As with most non-native speakers who are fairly new to speaking regularly, a Russian accent in English should be pronounced slower than a typical native English speaker. However, this shouldn't be drawn out so that it becomes ridiculous, just slow enough that it emphasizes the accent. [4] X Research source
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Listen closely to the way they pronounce each sound. It can help to have a transcript to mark up, especially if you are learning the accent for a script. You may want to listen to the recording several times to pick up the specific sounds. You may only concentrate on the 's' in one listening or you may focus on the vowels in another listening. [5] X Research source -
Mimic Russian cadence. Cadence, or the pattern of stressed and unstressed syllables, affects the way an accent sounds as much as the individual letters. Without the right cadence, you may sound like someone from a completely different area. Take Tom Kaine's impression of Donald Trump—he sounds nothing like Trump's New York accent. [6] X Research source -
Listen for tone. Tone can affect the way a sentence sounds as well. You can read about a tone should shift, but because of subtle differences between accents, it is important to hear it for yourself. Choose a recording or video with a lot of sentence variety so you can hear the way declarative, interrogative, and exclamatory sentences sound in a particular accent. [7] X Research source- In Russian, declarative sentences should be much more monotone than in English. Instead of emphasizing a word to give it meaning, such as "I do NOT want to go" (with all-caps represented heightened stress on a word," you would say "I do not want to go." [8] X Research source [9] X Research source
- For questions, the emphasis should fall on the word that is in question. For instance, instead of "Have you seen the new moVIE?," you would say, "Have you seen the NEW movie?" This can make the sentence seem rude to native English speakers. [10] X Research source
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Listen to a variety of Russian accents. Choose an accent that works for your character. Accents reflect not only region but class and historical period. For instance, in 19th-century Russia, the upper class was very familiar with French, and they often threw French terms into their dialogue. This kind of detail will allow you to perfect an accent. [11] X Research source -
Watch a video. This will help you see the way a Russian moves their mouth when speaking English. Oftentimes it can be easy to ignore this facet, but it can make the difference between a convincing and an unconvincing accent. [12] X Research source
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Expert Q&A
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QuestionHow do you mimic a Russian accent?Patrick is an internationally recognized Voice & Speech Coach, focusing on public speaking, vocal power, accent and dialects, accent reduction, voiceover, acting and speech therapy. He has worked with clients such as Penelope Cruz, Eva Longoria, and Roselyn Sanchez. He was voted LA's Favorite Voice and Dialect Coach by BACKSTAGE, is the voice and speech coach for Disney and Turner Classic Movies, and is a member of Voice and Speech Trainers Association.Try to find videos of someone you admire who speaks with a Russian accent. Listen to their accents and practice repeating them, paying attention to where those sounds are formed in your mouth. For instance, instead of an "uh" sound in a word like "love" you might use more of an "ah" sound. You might also use a "v" sound instead of a "w," an "eh" sound instead of an "ah," and an "s" sound instead of "th."
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QuestionDo I gargle my "r's" or do I do use the tip of my tongue?Community AnswerUse the tip of your tongue. If you begin to gargle r's, you'll sound like someone from Sweden or Norway.
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QuestionHow do I pronounce "how" with a Russian accent?Dora3108Community AnswerDo it as if you are saying "ow,"' but only put a hint of the "h" there.
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Tips
- A common mistake people make when trying a thick Russian accent is the sound the letter U usually makes in words like "cut". It should be pronounced like "caht" using the sound in "are".Thanks
- Talk lower, slower, and louder.Thanks
- This is an awesome accent to use for prank calls.Thanks
Tips from our Readers
The advice in this section is based on the lived experiences of wikiHow readers like you. If you have a helpful tip you’d like to share on wikiHow, please submit it in the field below.
- The most distinguishing characteristic I have noticed about the Russian accent is that the short "e" sound is pronounced "ye." So, "net" would sound like "nyet" and "get" would sound like "gyet."
- Russian words are very direct when you pronounce the individual letters. For example, "a" is always pronounced as "ah" as in "да (da)", or always like "oo" with "u."
- The 'h' is always slightly hawked out of the mouth. In fact, it's replaced with an 'x' sound in some places since there is no 'h' in the Russian alphabet.
- Russians don't pronounce Js. They pronounce J sounds like they're Ys, so the name "Joseph" sounds more like "Yosef."
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Warnings
- Try not to say vodka too much or you will sound too stereotypical.Thanks
- Try only to emulate accents in a respectful way. This means a lot of practice, and not using it in a purely joking setting where the accent is meant to make fun of the people in question.Thanks
- As a courtesy, refrain from attempting to emulate a Russian accent if someone who is known to be Russian is within earshot. While not a guarantee, they may be offended.Thanks
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References
- ↑ https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2014/05/the-americans-refreshingly-real-take-on-russians/371471/ (roll your /r/) with https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uv7__940wzc
- ↑ http://yanko.lib.ru/books/lit/engl/American%20Accent%20Training.htm
- ↑ http://yanko.lib.ru/books/lit/engl/American%20Accent%20Training.htm
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XqKn5HXxeLA
- ↑ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Y-9rhrYKN78
- ↑ https://voicebunny.com/blog/how-to-learn-accents-and-dialects-like-a-champ/
- ↑ https://voicebunny.com/blog/how-to-learn-accents-and-dialects-like-a-champ/
- ↑ http://scholarsarchive.byu.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=4548&context=etd
- ↑ https://home.cc.umanitoba.ca/~krussll/138/sec3/inton.htm
About This Article
Article Summary
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If you want to fake a thick Russian accent, make sure to roll any “r” sounds, which will make your accent sound more authentic. Additionally, replace “th” sounds with “d,” unless it is at the end of a word, which should be pronounced like “t.” For example, instead of saying “this,” say “dis.” As you work on your pronunciations, say stressed syllables with a higher pitch and for a longer period of time than you would in English. To get a better idea of how to say certain phrases or work on your flow, watch videos and listen to speeches by Russians. That way, you can practice along with them and learn different nuances. For more help, like how to mimic Russian cadences, read on.
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Reader Success Stories
- "The diagrams of how the tongue was to be positioned and the words with sounds that were converted to another as in "cut" to "caht" were the two most helpful things. " ..." more
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"The diagrams of how the tongue was to be positioned and the words with sounds that were converted to another as in "cut" to "caht" were the two most helpful things. "
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"My first attempt at Russian accent. After noting the tips and practicing a little, I was pleased with my Russian-accented recitation of Lincoln's Gettysburg Address."
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