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Original poster

To consider changing my accent?

46 replies

SoThisIsHowYouNameChange · 07/09/2013 15:33

This is a bit light hearted. I would like to discuss the issue, but my personal question is mostly hypothetical as I'm not overly worked up about this.

I have lived in the UK for eight years, and still have a completely American accent. I know some people pick up the accent where they live, but I have not at all.

I know some people get elocution lessons to lose a strong regional accent. I was wondering if it would be nice to have a bland, rp accent. I get tired of people asking whereabouts in the States I am from, because it's boring to have that conversation over and over all the time. And, I know that some people have prejudices about Americans.

Would it be utterly ridiculous to try and change my accent?

OP posts:
AgentZigzag · 07/09/2013 15:36

I don't think you should, you might be bored of the same old explaining but it's nice people are so interested in where you're from/who you are. Better than talking about the weather?

Are people shitty to you because you're from America?

They'd probably be shitty wherever you were from.

FriedSprout · 07/09/2013 15:39

Personally I love American accents, but understand it must be annoying for the never ending comments.
On the other hand you could view it as a good way of breaking the ice and getting to know some nice people. Why be boring and bland Grin

IslaValargeone · 07/09/2013 15:40

It might be boring for you to have the same conversations about where you are from, but at least they are interested. I would imagine many people would find this quite helpful in some situations to get conversations started and meet new people.
However it wouldn't be ridiculous to try and change your accent if you want to blend in and become more 'anonymous'.

OiVaVoi · 07/09/2013 15:41

I know how you feel. I have a slightly 'posh' accent and I really dislike the effect it has on how people perceive me. I would love a regional accent but have never picked up any... However, if I were to deliberately change my accent I think I would feel a bit of a fraud. I feel I should accept it as part of who I am, as should others, and that I should be 'true to myself' - perhaps this applies to you too?

CatsWearingTutus · 07/09/2013 15:46

Yes it would be ridiculous. My friend has tried to do this and is failing spectacularly, but I don't have the heart to tel her how incredibly pretentious and false it sounds. Mostly with her it's over pronunciation of the letter t and saying -eh when words end in -y. Very weird-sounding. Plus overuse of the word "lovely". I'm American too so I understand how annoying the questions can be, but I find mostly it's people just curious and trying to be nice so I don't mind it too much.

squoosh · 07/09/2013 15:57

I find it weird when people consciously change their accent.

I've lived outside my own country for about ten years now, my accent hasn't changed a jot, I expect it never will.

People ask me where I'm from all the time, it's just one of those daily conversations, doesn't bother me.

HangingGardenofBabbysBum · 07/09/2013 16:03

Agent, *Are people shitty to you because you're from America?

They'd probably be shitty wherever you were from.*

I really really wish I could agree with you.

Empirically, I know that it's ok to make blanket generalisations and draw negative conclusions about Americans. It happens here all the time. Even here on these supposedly inclusive and liberal boards.

OP, I have lots of friends who are American. I wouldn't change a hair on their heads. In fact, I get the one from Carolina to read stories aloud.

BettyandDon · 07/09/2013 16:08

Why do some people's accents change when they move and others don't? Anyone know?

I lived in the US and picked up an accent which I only realised once I came home.

Whenever I got drunk the American accent came back. This continued for about 10yrs.

Now I sound like I come from nowhere.

GuybrushThreepwoodMP · 07/09/2013 16:10

You could pretend to be Canadian?
I'm joking.
People might have prejudice against Americans- sometimes I do. They did re-elect Bush after all. I think I also have blanket prejudices against other groups for similar and I expect plenty of people feel prejudicial towards groups to which I belong- British being one of those groups. BUT I would never extend that type of prejudice to an individual that I meet and assume that they fall within some stupid preconceived idea that exists in my head.
Only an idiot would disregard you because of your accent, your nationality or for that matter, you race, gender, sexuality or any other personal label which doesn't matter. So no, don't change your accent.

FloozeyLoozey · 07/09/2013 16:12

I'm a bit of a chameleon. I have a strong Lancashire accent i'm happy to have around locals but will posh it up when I'm in professional situations or elsewhere in the country!

trikken · 07/09/2013 16:15

I love American accents. Dont change it. Its part of you.

HorsePetal · 07/09/2013 16:15

It's weird isn't it? I come across people all the time who are clearly not English but I don't necessarily have an urge to ask them where they are from.

Yet when I bump into someone with an American accent I am really curious and want to ask them a ton of questions.

No idea why, perhaps there is an affinity there?

I do have one American friend and I could listen to her accent all day if only she had a volume button

OP I think that people probably warm to you but I agree it can be annoying

CatsWearingTutus · 07/09/2013 16:16

Guybrush, I emigrated the year Bush was first elected as I didn't want my tax money going into his coffers. Probably the Americans you meet abroad are much more likely to be leftie ones as the right wingers tend to stay in their own country.

CatsWearingTutus · 07/09/2013 16:20

Also the Brits elected thatcher twice Grin!

GuybrushThreepwoodMP · 07/09/2013 16:41

Exactly Cats! That was my point!

Saffyz · 07/09/2013 17:00

It's unlikely you'd ever completely lose your original accent. I had a friend who tried to change to a different accent but she only got it about 50 per cent correct and it sounded forced and odd.

judybloomers · 07/09/2013 17:20

Elected Thatcher three times, unbelievably!

judybloomers · 07/09/2013 17:21

And then John Major, which, in its way, is even more embarrassing.

OnTheBottomWithAWomensWeekly · 07/09/2013 17:45

You'll just replace it with the conversation of why you don't have the accent of the country you're from. Trust me .

Isabelonatricycle · 07/09/2013 17:56

BettyandDon lots of different factors are involved. Very briefly, it is to do with whether or not you have an "ear" for different sounds, and whether you (often subconsciously) want to fit in or not.

Someone who is tone deaf is less likely to be able to change their accent than someone who is not, as they don't hear things in the same way. I have two half American cousins - one constantly sounds mid Atlantic (ie American in the UK, British in the US), the other subconsciously switches so she sounds British here and American there. The one who doesn't change can't hear the difference as well as the one who does change.

Also, even if you are able to change your accent, you don't always do so. I speak without a regional accent, but if I'm in the pub with friends from home I start to pick it up, because it is a subconscious way of fitting in. However, if I think the person I'm speaking with is an utter prat, I'll move my accent away from theirs in an effort to distance myself from them - again subconsciously. I don't make the decision to do it, but I hear myself doing it.

A very general explanation, and this won't cover all examples/reasons.

IslaValargeone · 07/09/2013 17:59

I'm terrible at soaking up different accents, I spend two weeks in Cornwall and start bandying 'dreckly' about like I've lived there all my life.

Taz1212 · 07/09/2013 18:01

I've been here 23 years and still have an American accent! Though oddly Americans now think I'm Scottish. I guess I'm a bit of both with people hearing the differences not the similarities. It's obviously up to you but I don't mind the "where are you from question" as it's often a great conversation starter and I don't find that much prejudice against Americans these days- it was much worse when Bush Sn was president!

TravelinColour · 07/09/2013 18:07

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

MamaChubbyLegs · 07/09/2013 18:12

It wouldn't be ridiculous, but I think it would be sad. Why would you purposely change your accent to one that's "bland"? Your accent interests people. That is a good thing, surely? It's part of your history and your home. If people are ignorant enough to be prejudiced against you for how you sound, that is their problem, and sad for them. Don't give them the time of day.

Also, changing your accent is a bit like doing an impression of a bland RP accent. Trust me, wait until you need a rant, and the good old american accent rolls out. It will. Grin This used to happen to me all the time. Was quite confusing for the "naice" middle/upper class boys I used to date Grin

PacificDogwood · 07/09/2013 18:15

Oh, how interesting!

My first language is German, I learnt US English pre-school age, then lived back in Germany and moved to Britain 20 years ago as an adult. I've lived in England, but most of the time in Scotland. I have different German and English accents depending on where I live, but not deliberately.

My accent changes depending on what people around me sound - I am sometimes embarrassed by that as I don't do in consciously and sometimes feel a bit 'spineless' that I cannot just sound like me (whatever strange muddle of English that would then be).

SoThisIs, I totally get where you are coming from. I was acutely aware of my American accent when I first moved here (and how mortifying it was when I figured out that 'pissed' means something different on the two sides of the Atlantic..).
FWIW, I would not go out of my way to change your accent, but you might find you tone things down a bit. Where in the States are you from?

My dad has taught American Studies (language and literature) all his working life. His vocabularly, knowledge of linguistics and literature are great. His pronounciation is perfectly easy to understand, but does sound German. He does not have a musical bone in his body and accents totally leave him helpless - me living in Scotland has not been easy for him Wink and Africa was worse....
My mum is much more musical, only learnt US English as an adult when she was left to get on with it while me dad went to work; she makes far more mistakes than my dad, but can actually follow a conversation in different accents better than my dad. She herself sounds like a character out of 'allo 'allo Grin