Poshing up and chavving down your accent...

[LustfulInMiltonKeynes]

...depending on who you're talking to.

Anyone else do this?!

Sometimes I make myself cringe!

[gracielacey]

I try. When I'm speaking, my voice doesn't sound posh to me, but when I listen to a recording of my voice, it sounds horrendously posh!

I do try and tone it down.

[BlondeB83]

It’s a thing - upwards or downwards convergence I think it’s called. I do it!

[coffeeandbiscuit]

I do. I also cringe. But I can’t stop it!

[donajimena]

All the time. Its a useful skill. I don't do it intentionally.

[gluteustothemaximus]

I do it too.

[SugarMiceInTheRain]

I do it. Went to a posh school but worked at McDonald's at weekends throughout 6th form and my accent definitely changed depending on my surroundings. I never sound really posh but have different versions of my own accent. Have lived in the Midlands now for about 17 years and my accent is gradually becoming less Southern.

[Miladamermalada]

I do. However having had a shit time I now speak the lower end more automatically which I hate. I've even picked up 'Would of' and I went to [clutches pearls]….a grammar school
Need more time with posh people. Yah

[condepetie]

No, I've always had a posh intonation for some reason (was picked on for it at school). I couldn't change how I talk for anything. If I tried to do a different accent, up or down, I'd sound ridiculous.

If anything I over-enunciate because I'm hyper-aware of how my overbite makes me speak. I'm in no way RP newsreader, but still.

[Chuckle65]

I do it but I'm glad I do it because rightly or wrongly, some people will judge you in certain situations I.e if you're going for a job, chances are that if you sound more posh, they'll prefer it

[19lottie82]

Definitely. I used to work in the HR department of a massive multi national company during the day, then a really rough pub at night......... go figure!

[blaaake]

Yes!!! I thought I was the only one. I'm from Manchester but have always had an almost RP accent, which I speak with to strangers, people at work and some acquaintances, but to my friends and family I appear to have the chavviest manc accent going although they still say I sound posh

[LellyMcKelly]

I notice this in my kids! I have a strong regional accent which I am very proud of, but my ex sounds really posh. My DD sounds posh English, while my DS just sounds normal English (to my ears anyway). My job means I have to do a lot of talking to English people and people from other countries, and I do find that I slow down, and moderate my vowels, purely so that more people can understand me, but 2 minutes on the phone with my sister and I’m back to normal. If I go home for a week I’m virtually untelligible by the time I get back!

[halfwitpicker]

Oh god I.

At work I sound like Bridget Jones, at home I sound like Vera Duckworth.

I, however, look like Ken Dodd.

[Monty27]

I like to be on the same level to the person I am talking to.

[SnowGoArea]

Yes, me. I hate it. I feel like I can listen to it happening (outside of my control) and want to tell myself to shut up because I sound ridiculous.

I also do it with regional accents, especially when I'm around a few people with the same strong regional accent. I want to give myself a punch in the face for it, yet appear to be unable to control it!

I cannot put on any regional accents at will either, it's only when surrounded by it. It takes over the voice in my head too, so I think in that dialect/accent until back on my own turf.

What an idiot I must sound like!

[halfwitpicker]

DH is watching Peaky Blinders at the moment and I can't do a Brummie accent for love nor money. My Irish is OK, passable Scottish, good Scouse.

[MrsTommyBanks]

I automatically do it. I inwardly cringe but can't help it.

[MrsTommyBanks]

Also. I naturally speak with a London accent. I was born in Suffolk and automatically revert to Suffolk dialect when with family that still "talk country".

[youngOffenders]

I don't think I do. DH laughs as a apparently I get posher when tipsy or home with my family.

[MrsTerryPratchett]

I live in Forrin and find a fake RP is more easily understood than Saaf Laaandon. Innit.

[IDontBowlOnShabbos]

Yep I definitely do this. Im south east london though so dont think I pass for posh when I try it!

[steff13]

I live in the US, so I don't have an accent. Obviously. 😉

But, no, I don't change the way I speak. I have a very "neutral" way of speaking; people can't often tell where I'm from based on how I speak.

[Snipples]

Yes I adapt my accent depending on where I am. I'm a lawyer and do a lot of presentations so speak slower and more poshly for work. When I'm off duty or on the piss or home (Belfast) I become much more Irish and colloquial. I quite like it really.

[LinoleumBlownapart]

I do this. If someone has a really strong saaarf London accent it starts rubbing off on me. I was raised in Sarf London but in a posh part. I didn't hear the real sarf london until I went to secondary school. So I can go either way.
I've been married to a foreigner for 18 years. What I hate more than changing my accent is when I start speaking English like a bloody foreigner. I hear myself not finishing a sentence correctly and I want to slap myself.