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AIBU?

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Original poster

To be upset about people mimicking my accent behind my back

33 replies

BBCONEANDTWO · 29/04/2019 19:50

I heard someone talking about me today in the canteen and they didn't know I was there and could hear. They were talking about me and putting on my accent.

For some reason it really annoyed me. Am I just being too sensitive?

OP posts:
Original poster
BBCONEANDTWO · 29/04/2019 19:51

Should have said I've got a strong Northern accent and they are Scottish.

OP posts:
GunpowderGelatine · 29/04/2019 19:52

Not acceptable. If you had an Indian accent and a colleague mocked it it wouldn't be ok, and neither is this.

NoSauce · 29/04/2019 19:53

No that’s understandably upsetting. Did you say anything?

Scabetty · 29/04/2019 19:54

What were they saying in your accent?

CoraPirbright · 29/04/2019 19:55

How bloody rude!! I would be upset too.

QueenBeex · 29/04/2019 19:56

I second what GunpowderGelatine said.

Original poster
BBCONEANDTWO · 29/04/2019 19:56

I didn't say anything. They were talking to someone and they said.

'I'm not going to talk to her talking about work anymore'. But in my accent.

If I would have pulled them up it would have made things worse. But didn't know if I was being overly sensitive.

OP posts:
Original poster
BBCONEANDTWO · 29/04/2019 20:02

People do it quite a bit but this was in a rude context and I wasn't there so it really caught me off guard.

I have also been called a sassanack before as well. It's only a small few though.

I'm normally not even letting it bother me but today, because they did it when they thought I wasn't there, really upset me.

OP posts:
Bringbackthestripes · 29/04/2019 20:04

Well you missed a trick there by not loudly -in a Scottish accent-asking “ you’re not trying to do me there are you?”

(DH is Scottish before everyone piles on. He is always getting his accent mocked ) so I totally understand how you feel. You are not being too sensitive at all. Could be seen as bullying in the workplace.

TheBulb · 29/04/2019 20:15

No, that’s unprofessional and unpleasant.

Oblomov19 · 29/04/2019 20:21

My friend has a strong Irish accent and she was recently mocked and she was very upset by it.

StoatofDisarray · 29/04/2019 20:22

I had this when I did my work placement in Edinburgh. It sucks, I know how you feel. I didn't say anything either but I'm not sure I would even now. For reference I have a working class London-type accent. Hilariously Envy people i work with have imitated my accent at my current job in London too. They are all middle class and speak BBC English.

You just have to tell yourself they are graceless shits with no manners.

Omzlas · 29/04/2019 20:23

Massively unprofessional. I can see why you were upset. If your accent was 'forrin', it'd be bordering racist.

TeeBee · 29/04/2019 20:24

Oh, people do it to me all the time about my Midlands accent. Can't say it bothers me. They do it to my face. It's meant with affection. I swipe them round the head and laugh at them. Then take the piss back. Can't say I've ever got upset about it. Cant lose sleep over something like that.

MaudebeGonne · 29/04/2019 20:27

I get this all the time. We moved around so my accent is a bit of a mix, but never quite "right" anywhere. I laugh it off, but I can't bear it. Makes me feel like no one ever really considers me to be part of things.

managedmis · 29/04/2019 20:30

I'm from Lancashire and here when people 'do' me I have a RP accent. Like the Queen. I'm reality I sound like Bet Lynch Confused

People don't know shit

MeltedEggMum · 29/04/2019 20:34

It's such a low form of "humour". I'm sorry they upset you - they were wrong.

I've been told to go back to my home country as a result of people hearing my accent. Shocking behaviour.

SimonJT · 29/04/2019 20:36

If it is something that upsets you have you thought about having a word with HR?

PortiaCastis · 29/04/2019 20:38

Know how you feel I get mocked for my accent all the time usually by tourists but I think their accents are very odd, difference is I would never say so as totally unprofessional and also not very pleasant. I don't think your being sensitive but your colleague is being a nasty whidden

IndigoHexagon · 29/04/2019 20:48

I get my accent mocked too - but they don’t do my actually accent - they put on a faux posh accent and stick their noses in the air. I’m welsh but I spent the ages 3-16 in the south east of England so have a ‘Home Counties’ accent. I didn’t lose it when we moved back to Wales.
There is a small sub-section or my local
community that think my accent means I’m stuck up and not worth bothering with. It’s their loss by it hurts a lot to be judged based on something I can’t control.

Scabetty · 29/04/2019 20:48

My Scottish BIL does a cockney accent for me when he rings. I say I can’t understand him so he switches to Glaswegian and I say I can’t understand him Grin

mimibunz · 29/04/2019 20:51

They were rude AF! You’re not being over-sensitive.

Itsnotmesothere · 29/04/2019 20:54

Sassenach? Hmm Really? I trust they're being ironic.

TinklyLittleLaugh · 29/04/2019 21:01

Yep, I’m Welsh living in the north of England. People do my accent all the time, well men actually. Mostly I ignore it but occasionally I say, “I’m not Indian you know”. Sometimes it shuts them up.

StoneofDestiny · 29/04/2019 21:01

I'm Glaswegian and always got my accent mocked in England - they put on some mock Highlander voice. They sounded ridiculous, I looked at them as if they were. Only crass people behave like that, and always in groups.

I'm sure you can develop a look that kills if you were meant to hear it.

As you were overhearing it and it wasn't directed at you, just ignore.

If you are seriously professionally concerned, speak to HR in confidence and I'm sure they can deal with it without involving you at all.