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AIBU?

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Original poster

Inspired by another thread. Is accent mocking ever OK ?

259 replies

toddymummy · 01/02/2022 11:43

This one has always bothered me. Being from mixed European heritage, but not having an accent myself- I have found myself the subject of accent/ gesture mocking many times.

It doesn't happen as much anymore as it used to,say 10-15 years ago, but it does occasionally happen.

Is it ever OK ? People mock all kinds of accents- Irish, Scottish, Welsh, French, Italian, German.

It really bugs me, especially if it's done repeatedly and especially if it's done at work.

AIBU ?

OP posts:
ClaudiaWankleman · 01/02/2022 12:20

I don't think it's always harmful. It's quite shit humour though.

ABitOfAShitShow · 01/02/2022 12:24

It probably depends on your view of 'mocking'. And the setting/person in question.

I'm a Geordie who has lived in London for a very long time. I cannot count the amount of times people have mimicked my accent but I can honestly say that - while irritating at times because it's derailing the actual conversation and I'm impatient af - it has never been offensive (I'm not very sensitive though).

One of my best friends is Southern and she does it to me sometimes (all in good humour). My other best friend is from South America and we tease him for things like being extreme-uh-ly busy (more about his dramatic manner than his accent). We don't actually do his accent but probably only because we can't... Grin

daimbarsatemydogsbone · 01/02/2022 12:25

Going to the USA was weird - mocked and adored in about equal measure with a small helping of "are you Australian?" for fun.

I am not used to it though and I can see how it could be very wearing very quickly.

I had to tell a friend off when we went to the Theatre one time and he started doing a cod accent implying going to the Theatre was weird for us rough Northern types, the ignorant tosser.

SportsMother · 01/02/2022 12:25

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ABitOfAShitShow · 01/02/2022 12:25

Just to add - I actually find it quite funny when people try to do my accent. It's not one that many people can do (even actors) and it often sounds hilarious!

shinynewapple22 · 01/02/2022 12:28

No. I don't think it's OK.

DropYourSword · 01/02/2022 12:28

@SportsMother

It isn’t always mocking though, is it? You can imitate without mocking.
Very true. My partner lovingly takes the mick out of how I say certain words, and I to him. It's a mutual joke that doesn't cause offence. So I don't classify that as mocking.

Mocking someone is deliberate and contemptuous.

mbosnz · 01/02/2022 12:30

Just make sure they are ok with it, and not getting riled or offended by it but keeping quiet because they don’t want an argument. My DSis probably thinks I’m ok about it because I haven’t said outright that she and her children are being an offensive, although I have raised an eyebrow and made a few comments about it, because as far as they’re concerned it’s all a huge laugh, they mean no offence, and we should just see the funny side of it. Ock eye the noo

Absolutely - although I wouldn't have to make sure of it, because I would never do it!

hangrylady · 01/02/2022 12:31

@ABitOfAShitShow

Just to add - I actually find it quite funny when people try to do my accent. It's not one that many people can do (even actors) and it often sounds hilarious!
We have a board game called Accentuate. You have to read movie quotes in different accents and the others have to guess the accent. Geordie was by far the most difficult for me, especially after a few drinks! I absolutely love the Geordie accent though.
HangoverSquare · 01/02/2022 12:32

As with so many things it all depends on your relationship with the other person. A boss mocking an employee's accent or friends laughing at one another's accents are very different scenarios.

TyrannosaurusRegina · 01/02/2022 12:33

I'm Scottish and got this all the time living in England. I just used to laugh along with it, didn't bother me tbh. Everyone's different though, horses for courses I guess.

madisonbridges · 01/02/2022 12:34

I have quite a strong northern accent, use the word tea for my evening meal and say 'do you not' instead of 'dont you'. My southern friends sometimes mock me by imitating me. It makes me laugh because it's accurate and I'm not offended. I very proud of my county so being identified with it would never, could never offend me.
It's never happened to me but I guess, though, if I worked with someone and they did it all the time, it might become tiresome and boring. But I still don't think I'd be offended. It'd be like being offended by someone saying I have blue eyes.

Kimblebee19 · 01/02/2022 12:37

The world is going to be very dull one day, when no one can take the piss about anything anymore. Intent and context are important yes, but some people seem determined to be offended about everything. This is a thread asking whether or not to be offended - be offended about the things in this world that matter, and otherwise do try to lighten the fuck up :)

covilha · 01/02/2022 12:38

Sorry, I know this is slightly off thread but I have a personal interest in this
Due to severe speech impediment I had to be taught to talk by a speech and language therapist.
I speak clearly however I did not acquire the regional accent.
Throughout my educational career, both school and University my speech would be mocked by both students and lecturers, to my face and sometimes I would overhear the mimicry and laughter.
At work it was also sometimes mocked.
When I have tried to explain to people that I had a speech impediment and had to be taught to Talk, then afterwards some people would just reply that they do not understand me, repeatedly to whatever I said.
So I would say that this behaviour is exclusionary and I personally found it isolating

ImprobablePuffin · 01/02/2022 12:38

Hmm interesting comments. My DD likes to play with her Super Mario figures and makes me be Mario while she is Princess Peach and DH has to be Bowzer.
She makes us all so the voices etc. This is the only time I would pretend to do an Italian accent and I don't feel I'm 'mocking'. But maybe I am given the responses here?

moita · 01/02/2022 12:40

My DH laughs about Essex accent and I'll tease him for his Lincs accent but its done in good humour.

Wouldn't mock others for their accents.

Elsiebear90 · 01/02/2022 12:41

I personally don’t like it, I think it makes a difference if your accent is one that is generally liked or is one that almost universally hated.

My accent is in the latter category, and it never seems good natured, it’s always been done (usually by so called middle class people) as a way to mock and to show that I don’t pronounce words “properly”, or in a lecturing kind of way, where people try to inform me I’m pronouncing the word wrong.

DinaofCloud9 · 01/02/2022 12:43

Try being scouse and endless people tell you to calm down calm down. It gets tedious pretty quickly.

Shadappayourface · 01/02/2022 12:44

I'm always confused as to why people think it's acceptable to imitate an Italian/French/German accent but it's offensive to imitate an Asian accent.

I don't believe that either are acceptable. Yet on Tv you regularly see European accents imitated by celebrities and presenters.

madisonbridges · 01/02/2022 12:44

@covilha. You must have some sort of accent. Is it RP? I don't understand what they're mocking you about or why they say they don't understand you if you speak clearly as you say. Sorry, I'm not meaning to be rude but what are they mocking you about?

Giggorata · 01/02/2022 12:45

Both DILs are from other countries, and both DSs occasionally mimic them, affectionately and they give as good as they get back.
I never do, unless it passes into family speak. For example, the whole family now say “the Azhda”, as a legacy from our Dutch DIL, but only my DS says “Yesh” in conversation with her.
She takes the piss out of DS's accent just as much and finds the word “loo”, which we all use, hilariously twee.

People I worked with used to beg me to repeat the work “fuck”, as it apparently sounded posh and funny the way I said it. (I'm a Southerner)

doorornottodoor · 01/02/2022 12:46

I’m Scottish and it depends who is doing it and the intent behind it. I mean I do it myself sometimes, ie put on a really Scottish accent/dialect so I’d be a hypocrite to get too annoyed. I love a Girrrrrrrrlssss in a Miss Jean Brodie voice (I’m a teacher)

ABitBesottedWithMyDog · 01/02/2022 12:46

My accent is one of those widely mocked and reviled on MN. One fuck I do not give. Grin

It doesn't bother me as it's either meant in jest or, if not, it's the last resort of someone really desperately ill-equipped to lock horns with me.

madisonbridges · 01/02/2022 12:48

@DinaofCloud9

Try being scouse and endless people tell you to calm down calm down. It gets tedious pretty quickly.
I come from near Liverpool and we always used to say, "look at the book on the cooker" in thick scouse accents. Once you've got those vowel sounds, you're good to speak in the accent for a while.
heyitsthistle · 01/02/2022 12:48

You can imitate without making fun. It's just a case of being decent and reading others' reactions.