Accent, does this happen to anyone else?

[BigPinkBall]

I’m originally from the North East, like many people I went to school with I’ve got Scottish parents, but I’ve never lived in Scotland. I grew up near Sunderland, so on some words I stretch the vowels and I use a soft r sound, because I’ve lived in the South for the last decade I speak clearly and a little slower than I would in the North East. However I have, on numerous occasions had people ask where in Scotland I’m from, and when I tell them I’m not Scottish they insist that I have a Scottish accent. I find is so strange because I would totally understand not hearing the difference between Sunderland/Newcastle/Middlesbrough but Scottish is a very different sound.

Does this happen to anyone else or is it just me?

I’m Scottish and so is DH but we have lived in the SE for the last 5 years and are now expecting our first baby. I’m really curious as to what the baby will sound like when it learns to speak! They will be at nursery so I imagine more English but there will surely be some Scottish edge to their accent since they will hear that at home?

When I first moved to London 20 years ago I was speaking to some prospective parents during my midwifery rotation who said I sounded Australian. I come from Northamptonshire.

I'm from Newcastle and I get this regularly. I've also had people ask what language I spoke .. blows their mind when I say English

I am always amazed by people where I live in the SW who don't just recognise my Yorkshire accent but also know it's a Huddersfield one. It sounds very different to a Leeds or Sheffield accent! I always feel like giving them a hug.

@GetoutofthatGarden I can see that if you had a whole community around you then that’s why you’ll feel that way, I’ve never really felt like I ‘belonged’ anywhere, especially when a lot of people had their entire extended family in our small town but mine are spread out over the whole country.

Apparently i speak with a fairly neutral accent unless I am with/have been with my Dad or my Nan according to DH at which point my pronunciation and grammar goes out window duck.

I think that people who haven't moved around as children often can't hear their own accent. I know people with strong Welsh and scouse accents who honestly believe they have no accent.

Evidenced by the number of people on this thread who claim to speak 'rp with a few local hints'

They probably all have noticeable local accents to anyone else. Very few people actually speak rp unless they have either grown up isolated from local communities (I.e. Very posh) or have purposely learned it as adults.

My children grew up in Wales to Scottish parents and have a Scwelsh accent, much to their dismay. “My accent doesn’t even have a place Mum!”

Me and DH are both from Dorset, I grew up in a much more rural part than him. I always think I sound more Dorset/Farmer than him but not massively so.

Anyway, when we went to Birmingham for the weekend DH got stopped by at least 10 people to ask him where he's from because they loved his accent!! So to them he must have sounded really Dorset!

Haven't heard anyone from Stoke sound SCOUSE

Whenever we go on holiday anyone we have spoken to who aren't Stokies without exception think we are Scousers; can't hear it myself

Northumberland here and yes mistaken for Scottish all the time.

Understandable though as the border is only 20 miles away. Geordies and Lowland Scots are totally mixed.

I’m from South Shields, but have been in a great South East for about 35 years. I still have a hard a for most words, but generally little other trace of my accent. However, DS also has a hard a- but only when talking to my family. When talking to DH’s family (East London) he switches to an ar sound.

It’s been that way since he learned to talk and still very noticeable at 12.

I am from Sussex; apparently we sound Australian to some outsiders, especially Americans.

Waves @QueenofLouisiana

Alreet?

Waves @GreeboIsMySpiritAnimal.

Why aye Pet!

Dh and I are both northeners but have lived in the south east since the dcs were born. They have definately picked up northern sounds from me and dh, although every now and then a really obvious southern sound will drop into the same sentence. Some of them we "correct" without thinking because it just sounds odd to us.

We lived in Southport for a while. To us everyone sounded scouse, one day the people i worked with were slagging off the scouse accent and i was really suprised that they didnt realise that was exactly how they sounded!.

Ds1 had a TA at school from the North East, (so is dh) She used to joke that she liked working with ds1 because he was the only one who pronounced her name correctly.

I've got a very mixed accent as I was born in the midlands and spent my childhood moving around the north ( manc and yorks ). Have lived in the south for much more of my life now, so my accent has softened a little but I easily pick it up again if I talk to someone from the north!

My eldest was born in West London, always lived in the Home Counties. As a toddler/ preschooler he had a noticeable northern twang! It's gone now though

I have Scottish parents but have lived all my life in England. I have my parents' accent - not a broad Scottish accent but you can tell it's Scottish. DH is Scottish and was brought up in Scotland but has lived here for years. Our DD has a very definite Scottish accent despite going to nursery and school here. She hasn't picked up the local accent at all, but her friends who have Scottish parents have a very local accent. Strange.