AI tool accurately identifies the accent you speak English with

These days, non-native English speakers speak the language so fluently that their accents can be hard to pin down. But even if you think your accent is subtle, Accent Oracle will prove you wrong, writes Make Use Of.

Photo: Yliavic | Dreamstime.com

Accent Oracle — an artificial intelligence created by BoldVoice, a company that specializes in pronunciation training. BoldVoice is an AI-powered language learning platform, but it is not your typical English tutor. BoldVoice does not teach you vocabulary or grammar, but focuses solely on perfecting your American accent.

Accent Oracle, however, instead of training your accent, identifies it. You are given a short text to read aloud, and the Oracle analyzes your voice, guessing your accent in seconds.

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It works on a vast database of pronunciations from people all over the world, meaning it doesn't rely on stereotypes like "if they pronounce X like Y, they're from country Z." Instead, it picks up on subtle nuances in speech and discovers patterns you'd never notice on your own.

Amir Boluli, the author of the Accent Oracle article, decided to try the program out for himself. English is not his native language. “I am very proud of my fluency,” he writes. “I have never taken formal classes, but I can hold my own in conversation. I was curious to see what Oracle would say about my accent.”

When Oracle Knows Too Much

“So I put on the headset, launched the app, and hit ‘Try it,’” Amir Boluli recalls of his experience. “I was given a short text to read out loud. Clearing my throat and channeling my inner news anchor, I did my best. And what did Oracle say? As much as it pains me to admit it, he hit the nail on the head: a Persian accent. I am Persian. Until now, I had convinced myself that my accent was too neutral for anyone to identify. A couple of years ago, a shopkeeper in Istanbul told me that my accent was Persian. I just shrugged, assuming he was taking a chance and guessing. But with Oracle’s verdict, I’m starting to reconsider.”

Further - more interesting.

"The real miracle is the detailed analysis of the results. Apparently, my accent is 17% Turkish. I couldn't fake a Turkish accent even if I tried, but there are traces of my heritage in my voice. It's uncanny. Oracle went beyond my accent and tapped into my ancestry in a way similar to a DNA test," the author concluded.

If you're curious about how your accent might be perceived, or just want to have a little fun, try Accent Oracle . Who knows? You might even discover hidden layers of your personality in a short phrase in English.

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P.S. Or maybe Oracle's accuracy is a bit exaggerated? There was an amusing comment under the article from an elderly British gentleman: "I'm a Londoner with a south London accent, I'm 75 years old. Oracle took two tries to recognize my accent. Its best guess was 70% 'English'. My, what a Captain Obvious guy. The AI ​​didn't specify what country's English, though - maybe the US or Canada? And 21% Nigerian! And 2% French. My great-grandfather was from the Channel Islands (halfway between the UK and France), and my distant ancestors were definitely French. But 'Nigerian'?! I'd ask my mother about that in detail if she were still alive."

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