Perfect Accent: TV vs. Reality

Linguist Justyna Kozyra-Bober recently investigated the likelihood that the main characters in the FX hit “The Americans,” Russian-born spies living a 1980’s suburban American life, would speak with no trace of a Russian accent.  (Read her article in Language Magazine.)  While her conclusion was that the show’s realism is flawed by the fact that as adult emigrants, the Russians would not be capable of native proficiency in their pronunciation, we should not be discouraged by this information.  Instead, it is a good reminder that the goal of accent training is not to lose one’s accent entirely, but rather to improve pronunciation for clear communication.

Interestingly, the male lead, Matthew Rhys, is a Welsh actor, who was educated in Welsh-medium schools and the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London.  His ability to speak with a near-perfect American accent is a testament to what one would have to presume was a great dedication on his part to his American accent training. 

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