Has anyone ever gotten where your accent is from wrong?

[PunnyBeaker]

Been told I am from Birmingham , really from Coventry

It's not just Americans who say 'gotten.' 🙄

Bet you think 'mom' is an Americanism too! (It's not, many people in the West Midlands say mom!)

As for your question @PunnyBeaker

When DH and I and our DC were in New York, USA, a few Americans thought we were Irish when we spoke. Got mistaken for Dutch also. Assumed we were Scandinavian because of how we look, but when we spoke, we got asked 'are you Dutch, and are you Irish?' Oh, one woman thought we were German!

@LikeWhoUsesTypewritersAnywayI have exactly this all the time with Scottish and Northern Irish. Given my expertise in accents (and the fact I need to have a good ear to identify them) it’s a commentary on just how similar the two accents can be that it takes me half a minute or so to identify a “giveaway” distinguishing vowel (usually the “ow” in “now”) to place which it is. It’s a bit of a head fuck, that 30s of close listening.

I actually do think it's quite rude to ask people where their accent is from.

It's kind of like saying "you sound different" and challenging them on it. And there is nothing wrong with different but unless I accompany a comment on difference with a compliment - to be clear - I don't comment.

So I might say: "what gorgeous auburn hair?" but never just "who did you get your hair from?"

It's over-stepping. People should be able to go about their business without being grilled. If I really was interested, I'd provide both compliment and context as to why I was asking.

I can;t remember being asked but I'd like to think if I am asked soon I might say something like "I don't answer personal questions from strangers." ETA Or "What region are your manners from?"

It's not just Americans who say 'gotten.' 🙄

I can confirm this has now reached children in the South of England who watch movies, so no, not just America.

There are definitely some similarities. We have a lovely American woman who has moved in down the road (a few months back) and she does sounds Irish occasionally. Makes sense I guess, as a lot of Irish people moved to the East Coast of America a couple of hundred years ago, (maybe 6 million,) so the 2 accents have kind of melded together a bit.

My great gran used to say 'gotten,' and she was born in 1895! (And she was English/British.)

There are a few similarities between Irish and American: I can definitely hear it.

I also can see how people muddle South African, New Zealand and very posh British at times, as there is a kind of lack of lip movement.

But I still wait for them to tell me in conversation ...

ETA Oh and Dutch and South African have some obvious links,

There's surprisingly quite a lot of regional accents in Northern Ireland, considering it's so small. No mistaking anyone from North Antrim to someone from Belfast - even the posh accents are different.

Once made the mistake of asking someone what part of Cork they were from. The stoney reply was "I'm from Kerry."

Was asked once if Newfoundland was as beautiful as they say. Replied that I'd no idea because I'm from Northern Ireland.

Eta It's not a thing.

Nope - people usually guess European of some description. No one ever guess Welsh.

Been asked if English, SAFA, Kiwi, actually Australian

I’m from the south east and while living in wales was asked on a few separate occasions by different people whether I was Australian 🤷‍♀️

The Glaswegian accent in particular is very similar to at least some northern Irish accents. Sometimes it takes me a few seconds to figure it out.

I used to have a strong Glaswegian accent and have even had people from other parts of Scotland as well as Dublin ask if I was from Belfast!

All the time. I am a Brit but lived most of my life in various countries speaking different languages so admittedly my originally Edinburgh accent has been well butchered. I get (mis)taken for American/South African/Canadian/Irish/Dutch

I find it all so fascinating how many accents there are in any one language but also how migration has influenced the development of accents.

I have been told Glasgow and the surrounding area sounds a little different from the rest of Scotland because of the large amount of Irish catholics who immigrated there. Hence why it’s no surprise I get mistaken for Irish a lot.

I am currently learning Spanish and I spent some time in Spain last year . I found the southern Spanish accent very pretty but much harder for me to understand.

People in Wales always asked if i'm Australian, don't know where they got that idea, i'm from Somerset but my accent isn't particularly strong.

I'm from Bristol too (born and bred). I've repeatedly been called Welsh when visiting the north of England. On one occasion a shop keeper refused to accept that I wasn't and ended up saying "OK Bronwen, have it your own way!" I mean, I sound Bristolian but I could totally understand anyone saying I was from Somerset or Cornwall but I really don't sound at all Welsh.

Apparently I sound Australian in America. Im from SW England.

Personally I don't think it's rude if people ask me about my accent

I was in a shop in Newcastle recently and the girl asked me if I was Scottish. She'd only ever heard Central belt accents before so I was delighted to introduce her to an Aberdeen accent.

I'm English with a neutral accent and live in the middle east. To me, it's obvious that I speak English English, if you know what I mean. Clearly not, though, as I'm asked where I'm from at least once a week.

An American person I met once assumed I was Brazilian as I have curly hair. Yes, he'd heard me speak at that point.

I have the blandest Home Counties English accent ever. Not that I'd expect anyone outside of the UK to be able to pinpoint the area or anything, but just to say I have a very obvious English accent!

There's no such thing as a neutral accent. Every accent gives hints about where you've lived.

“Grilled”.

Jesus. In any group, there’s at least one ludicrously easily offended person - and here they are.

People think I’m from the West Country but I have a Witney accent (West Oxon).

Well a lot of people do ask these things in a very intrusive sort of way - kind of "I want to know, so tell me."

I get it a lot with my dc's school uniform, which is quite distinctive. You see someone looking, then they kind of march up and demand to know: "What school is that?"

Never any social oiling, like "Isn't that a sweet uniform, do you mind me asking what school it is?" Just fire the question, then give no real response when you tell them. They just sort of blink and walk off. I do find that rude - and, yes, kind of offensive really.

Where I am much more tolerant is with the expression of reasoned opinions but then many people get very offended by that.