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English language and its accents
Like any other language, English accents are unique and reflect one’s linguistic journey. They represent an individual’s linguistic journey and add a colourful mosaic across the globe, reflecting diverse cultures, histories and experiences. Accents enrich conversations with nuances and character, reminding us that language is a living, breathing entity shaped by the people who speak it. Often, accents have a close meaning to one’s identity.
English, not being my first language, has always held a special place in my heart. The journey of understanding the nuances among English speakers from around the world has been a fascinating one. English has been a constant companion from my early years, evolving with me as I grew older. Today, it holds a deeper meaning for me. As a transcriber, I engage with English daily, honing my skills in deciphering various accents from the files.
Transcribing audio recordings that include different accents brings diversity and richness to conversations. You certainly won’t be bored as you listen to different accents each time you start a transcription task. But bear in mind that various accents can also make it more challenging to accurately capture the spoken words, especially if a particular accent is unfamiliar.
Identify commonly occurring accents
After transcribing for a while, I noticed the common English accents spoken by my clients and their interview partners. Two of them are North American and British accents, which I consider still relatively easy to identify. The two major groups of accents can still be split into several dialects that indicate a region. North American accents can be broadly divided into Canadian and US accents, but there are regional and ethnic dialects included within the two.
The same goes for the British accent. I don’t think my experience living there is enough to know all the accents in the United Kingdom. To date, I find it most difficult to recognise and understand Geordie, Mancunian and Scouse dialects.
As my portfolio expanded, so did the range of English accents I encountered. Working with an Austrian-based agency, I began to receive files featuring English spoken by Europeans. This presented a new and unique challenge, as European English accents have their own distinct characteristics. Furthermore, there were instances when the speakers would switch to their native language in the middle of the conversation, adding another layer of complexity to the transcription process.
My preferred methods
The only method I use to overcome the challenge is to familiarise myself with different accents spoken by individuals from different backgrounds. For a traditional transcriber like me, I think there is no other way to enrich my ability to recognise and identify accents in English. Luckily, I have other hobbies that can support this.
I love watching films and TV series and when watching films or series in English, I do not use the subtitles feature. I do this because I want to train my listening ability in capturing accents, tones, and intonations.
And then, I discovered some Scandinavian crime TV series a few years ago. I got hooked and I couldn’t stop watching them because, let's be honest, their production values differ greatly from any Hollywood products.
This newfound cinematic landscape then broadened towards European films and TV series, which really helped to improve my listening skills. Through my consumption of this type of entertainment, I’m beginning to gain the ability to identify where a person might come from and which accent they use.
Listening to English podcasts also helps me become familiar with people’s tones, pronunciation, intonation, cultural contexts, and various colloquialisms. Other listening exercise sources are songs and news delivered in English. Recently, I discovered a YouTube horror stories channel using the East Javanese dialect. This channel is a gem because now I can employ the same method to return to my roots, relearn and retrain my ears with the language of my ancestors. Sorry, that’s a bit out of topic, but I believe the method will work when applied to any language.
Other possible methods
Other transcribers may have different methods from me. Technology-wise, there are software like phonetic tools and whatnot, which I am unfamiliar with. I’m not planning to learn about phonetic tools right now.
When I encounter foreign or unknown words during transcribing, my best friend is the timestamp feature. It’s best to mark them and go through the text later when editing the transcript. I would toggle back and forth on those timestamps and usually ask the Mighty Google whether the thing I had heard existed. Over time, it becomes a habit to associate an unfamiliar word with the context of the ongoing conversation in a recording.
I completely understand that my clients rely on me for accurate and efficient transcriptions. However, I must honestly inform them if I come across a recording with a challenging accent that I am not familiar with. I want to assure my clients that I will do my best to transcribe the recording to the best of my abilities, but I also want them to be aware of my limitations. Remember, transparency and fairness are still important in this digital age we live in.
Final thoughts
For me, working on transcriptions in various accents depends a lot on instinct and feeling. I chose to be more natural and traditional in solving this challenge by not using additional apps or software. The constant things that should occur are patience, diligence, and open-mindedness. Hopefully, this insight and honest perspective will be helpful for those struggling with transcribing English with accents.
Good luck with your transcribing!
