Understanding the accent you didn’t know you had.

Whether communicating in our mother tongue or practicing a new language, we all speak with an accent. But that’s not all, says Valerie Fridland — we hear with an accent as well.

Fridland is a professor of sociolinguistics at the University of Nevada, Reno, and author of Why We Talk Funny: The Real Story Behind Our Accents. According to her, we don’t just sound a certain way, we hear a certain way too, affecting how we understand others. “We’re hearing with an accent — a bias shaped by our own language and experience,” she says. But instead of expecting others’ communication to fit our preconceptions, Fridland says to meet people halfway. “If we want to make communication successful, it’s not just their job as a speaker, it’s my job as a listener.”

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Fridland and host Matt Abrahams discuss how empathetic listening opens the door to understanding. Whether you’re communicating in a context of mutual intelligibility or attempting to bridge cultural and linguistic divides, Fridland’s insights show how connection is a collaboration — shaped by accents on both sides of the conversation.

To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premium.

Episode Reference Links:

• Valerie Fridland
• Valerie’s Book: Why We Talk Funny
• Ep.91 Um, Like, So: How Filler Words Can Create More Connected, Effective Communication

Connect:

• Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
• Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io
• Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
• Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
• Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
• Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Introduction
• (02:29) - The Role of Filled Pauses
• (04:53) - When Fillers Become a Problem
• (06:15) - Why We Don’t Hear Our Own Accent
• (07:40) - Language Rhythm & Intonation
• (12:30) - Listening with an Accent
• (17:28) - The Final Three Questions
• (23:34) - Conclusion

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Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.

Simple strategies to think faster, stay authentic, and communicate with confidence.

How do you stay genuine without sounding rehearsed? What helps when your thoughts are moving faster than your words? And how can you handle high-pressure moments with more ease?

Strong communication isn’t about having the right lines ready—it’s about being present enough to respond with clarity. In the moment, it’s easy to rush, overthink, or lose your structure. But with the right tools, you can slow down, connect, and communicate with intention.

In this Ask Matt Anything episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Matt Abrahams shares insights from a live session with the Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community. Through real audience questions, he outlines practical ways to manage nerves, adapt to different situations, and build communication habits that last.

Episode Reference Links:

• Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community

Connect:

• Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
• Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io
• Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
• Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
• Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
• Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Introduction
• (02:22) - Email Small Talk
• (04:59) - Slowing Down Your Thinking
• (07:09) - Controlling Speaking Pace
• (09:16) - Authenticity vs. Adapting
• (13:42) - Scripted Talks
• (16:34) - Handling No Questions
• (20:09) - Conclusion

********
Thank you to our sponsors. These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.

Strawberry.me. Get 50% off your first coaching session today at Strawberry.me/smart

Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.

If you can make conversation, you can make your own luck.

Good communication isn’t passive. And good luck, says Tina Seelig, is the same. There’s “what the world gives us,” and then there’s “how we respond to it.”

Seelig is executive director of the Knight-Hennessy Scholars Program at Stanford University and author of What I Wish I Knew About Luck. For her, good fortune doesn’t find us, we find it. “Opportunities for lucky things to happen are ubiquitous. But they're invisible and most people don't see them,” she says. In the same way that communication requires active listening, making our own luck requires presence to the people and possibilities that come our way.

In this episode of Think Fast, Talk Smart, Seelig and host Matt Abrahams explore how communication creates luck. From curious listening to resolving the conflicts that block opportunity, Seelig offers practical ways to respond to what life offers — and turn everyday interactions into the foundation for good fortune.

To listen to the extended Deep Thinks version of this episode, please visit FasterSmarter.io/premium.

Episode Reference Links:

• Tina Seelig
• Tina’s Book: What I Wish I Knew About Luck
• Ep.111 Rethinks: How to Spark Creativity in Your Communication
• Ep.159 Earn Your Audience: You Can’t Lead If No One’s Listening

Connect:

• Premium Signup >>>> Think Fast Talk Smart Premium
• Email Questions & Feedback >>> hello@fastersmarter.io
• Episode Transcripts >>> Think Fast Talk Smart Website
• Newsletter Signup + English Language Learning >>> FasterSmarter.io
• Think Fast Talk Smart >>> LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube
• Matt Abrahams >>> LinkedIn

Chapters:

• (00:00) - Introduction
• (02:29) - Luck vs. Fortune
• (03:38) - The Idea of Making Luck
• (04:23) - Building Your Luck Framework
• (05:32) - Listening Creates Opportunity
• (06:39) - Focus on Others
• (09:40) - Staying Connected to Others
• (10:52) - Appreciation as a Habit
• (11:47) - How Conflict Blocks Luck
• (13:18) - Apologies Create Opportunity
• (14:16) - Ask, Don’t Assume
• (16:09) - Communicating for Your Audience
• (17:56) - Prepare Your Stories
• (20:53) - The Final Three Questions
• (25:23) - Conclusion

********
Thank you to our sponsors. These partnerships support the ongoing production of the podcast, allowing us to bring it to you at no cost.

Strawberry.me. Get 50% off your first coaching session today at Strawberry.me/smart

Join our Think Fast Talk Smart Learning Community and become the communicator you want to be.