Would you try to change your accent to fit in?

[TheBabyAteMyBrain]

I'm just pondering this. 6 months a go we moved from the South to the North, and to a very homely, very friendly estate. But, I stick out like a sore thumb every time I open my mouth. A few neighbours have started to give me nicknames due to my accent such as m'lady. They do it in a jokey familiar way but it makes me uncomfortable and feel out of place.

So, should I try to emulate the local dialect to fit in, or would I just appear a right nob?

Do not try to copy the local accent. As a Lancastrian it just drives me mad when people copy (or try to) my accent.

If they are joking with you, you are fitting in just fine.

No, don't try to change your accent. You'll make yourself sound daft & people will probably think you're taking the piss.

I moved the opposite way, from north to south. I've never tried to hide or change my accent, it's part of me.

No. Not in a million years. I live in city suburbs now (for almost 20 years) but I grew up in the country and although I left there at about 20, my accent has remained as strong as ever. People always ask me where I'm from. I wouldn't dream of changing it in order to 'fit in' with anyone.

No, your accent is part of your identity, speak it with pride.

I’ve had to mute my accent in work because it’s very strong with my friends and family and people often struggle to understand me (American firm).

It's really hard to change your accent. Really, you shouldn't do it. You are who you are.

Thanks all, I was pretty sure it was a bad idea but I had a niggle if I was just being stubborn. I shall carry on as the reject cast from Downton Abbey

I would say don't, but sympathise. I grew up in NE in 70s but my parents weren't from there and I never got an accent and I got stick for it for my entire childhood. So I can see why you might want to but it would be really hard to keep up.

No never. I'm proud of my Somerset accent. It's part of me and my ancestry.

Don't!!
I wish I still had my London accent, after living up North now for around 10 years I only have a twang of South in me, makes me sad

See, my accent doesn't have roots as such so it's not so much a part of me. We moved so much growing up, literally up and down the country, pretty much every year until I was 13. But no matter where we were, my dm would never allow us to take on the local dialect, she was very strict in regards to language. This unfortunately led to a lot of bullying as a child /teen for being 'stuck up'. I guess I'm just sensitive, we really want to settle here and make roots for our dc and I don't want to always be the outsider or worrying of the intentions behind the jokes.

My accent automatically changes depending where I am/who I’m with! Only subtly, but I can’t help it, as soon as I notice it I consciously try to stop but it just happens. I’m sure I have read somewhere that it’s a thing!

Funnily enough I am totally useless at accents when trying to do impressions, laughably so.

But, no, OP don’t try and do it on purpose 😆

I'm American and I've made a point of NOT trying to change my accent at all to fit in.

5 years here and people often comment that I still have "a broad accent" which makes me quite proud. I'd never want to sound different just to fit in. That's boring.

My brain does it for me it's quite embarrassing and I'm sure people think I'm taking the piss.

Don’t fret, me duck. If we’re taking t’piss out of yer accent, ‘appen we reckon you’re a good ‘un.

Translation:

Don’t worry, my dear. If we are engaging in banter with you on the subject of your accent, you can take that as a sign of acceptance into our community.

So gerron wi’ it.

No. Just no.

Up here, you can come from 15 miles away and the locals will notice you don't share their accent. Just be your normal respectful self and only dickheads will decide you talk all wrong and pick on you for it.

In the same boat as you, btw. Moved around loads and never gained a strong accent. Accent now is a mutant hybrid NE/East yorkshire/neutral north. NDN won't walk to me but fawns over local ish DH and I've had people lecture me about how they're proper WC and I'm not (OK, whatever) but to more reasonable people I'm just not from round here and they're open to conversation.

I did and I regret it now.
In the 90’s I went to uni. I have abroad northern accent. Everyone took to pi$$ so I subconsciously change show I spoke.

Fast forward 20 years and I’m stuck with this ridiculous accent which makes me sound like I’m trying to talk ‘posh’ and I’m not, it’s just my voice.

Don’t do it OP

Never ever try to adapt your accent! Mine is a mix of Midlands accents from moving around as a child and I believe that accents are heavily influenced by our parents too, as theirs are the first voices we hear etc. I now live in West Yorkshire and would not ever try to adapt to the accent, I like sounding different.

You will pick up a bit of northerness eventually! I grew up in North Yorkshire but quite an affluent part and had no accent at all. 11 years of living in the north west and my accent has changed slightly and I’ve picked up of north westness!

Slightly off topic but I’m an American who just had to take detailed notes on a meeting between Glaswegian and North Yorkshire men.

Even if you pick up a bit of a local accent, some idiots will still call you ‘posh’ so there’s no point.

My Dad was adamant when we moved away from oop north that I would lose my accent in order to fit in. It worked to the extent that nobody here blinks when I speak. My wider family call me your honour and take the piss every time I speak. You can't win.

I had a broad Lancastrian accent when I went to university Liverpool. A southerner and a Scouser made fun of my accent and I modified it to a standard ISH accent due to low self esteem at the age of 18. In my 3rd year at university I lived with 5 southerners and then married a southerner. Both of these had a natural modifying effect. I then started teaching in Liverpool schools and had a more standard accent with a Scouser twang. 17 years from leaving Lancashire I moved to Sussex and taught in Sussex schools which standardized my accent more. My original accent comes back after spending time with family or watching Northern comedians. I am sad that after so long these circumstances have meant my accent is faded.

I have a New Zealand accent, lived in the UK for 15 years, mainly in London so there was lots of diversity in terms of accents / nationalities etc so was less concerned.

I sort of did try to talk in a more PR accent when I spent time Midlands. It sounded so naff so I did tone it down a bit when we moved to Manchester

However my kiwi accent is not where near as strong compared to when I left in my early 20s. You can still tell its there but it is far less obvious that it is a kiwi accent.

No! And your neighbours are really rude!