Single-Dialect Booklets/CDs and eBooks

Paul Meier, a leading teacher of accents and dialects, and dialect coach for theatre and film, has helped actors the world over for more than 25 years with his booklets and CDs, to improve their "acting with an accent." Using their clear demonstration and simple exercises, no matter what their level of training, performers quickly become proficient in the English dialects, foreign language accents, and character voices they need in films, theatre, TV, radio, voice-over, ventriloquism, and stand-up comedy. These proven materials demonstrate all the "signature sounds" of the dialects in simple word lists, then in practice sentences, and finally in more challenging practice material. Paul also demonstrates rhythm, intonation, and tonal placement. Phonetic features are expressed both in the International Phonetic Alphabet (I.P.A.) and in Paul's "number keying" system for the non-I.P.A. user. He concludes each booklet/CD by speaking two great audition monologues (one male and one female) from a play or film in the required dialect. The booklets average 20 pages, while the accompanying CDs average 30 minutes.

eBooks
Paul's Standard British English booklet and CD is now also available as an eBook, with all other dialects to be available in that format in due course (now available for both Mac and for Windows users). Text and sound files in one! Need your dialect instruction right now? Then a downloadable eBook is for you (we will send you your user name and password within 12 hours of receiving your purchase). Avoid shipping costs and delivery time. The eBook versions contain everything that the hard copy versions do, and are priced considerably less, as the renewable access code is good for one year of use. [Important note: because they contain embedded viewer software and sound files, Paul's eBooks average 17 megabytes each, making for a lengthier download on a slow internet connection. They are password-protected and will play only on your own computers; registration to two computers is permitted.] To purchase an eBook, click here.

Books
If you are studying several accents and dialects, one of Paul's two books may be a cost-effective choice. These are anthologies of the single-dialect booklets/CDs available on this page.

Supplementing his instruction and demonstration, Paul also provides free on-line access to hundreds of native speakers of the dialects through IDEA (International Dialects of English Archive), which he founded as part of his dialect research at the University of Kansas, USA, where he is a professor in the Department of Theatre and Film.

The booklets are attractively bound in blue, hard cover, Int-R-lok™ 3-hole report covers with clear front cover; have a full-color cover page; and are printed one-side only. The accompanying single CD is stored in a CD pocket inside the back cover. Dimensions: 11.5 x 9 x 0.5 inches (29 x 23 x 1 cms). Weight: 9 ounces (255 grams).

click "listen/view transcription" to hear Paul speak one of the practice sentences from the booklet and to see it in I.P.A. phonetic transcription. (Get Flashplayer free.)

Dialects of the British Isles and Ireland

Foreign Language Accents

American Dialects