Keep being called posh at work

[Consciousuncouplings]

I've lived on and off in Manchester for a lot of my life but spent around 10 years of my childhood 20 miles away. I've been back in Manchester now for around 5 years, I don't really have the accent, it's quite a neutral one and it's hard to pinpoint exactly where from I think.
I work for a place in Manchester where a lot of the colleagues are from around that area or live close by, most have quite a broad accent.

I've been referred to as posh by them a few times, one the other day commented on 'my accent.'

I once said something and one said 'Oh I thought you'd be too posh to say that."

They're acting as though I speak like the Royal Family, far from it! I'm not posh in the slightest, and my accent is just very neutral, I spent some childhood in a market town about 20 miles away like I say.

I don't know why it bothers me really, but some people seem to associate you with thinking you're above others, snobby and so on and I'm none of those.
When they say it I just say 'no I'm not.'
Does anyone else get things like this and how do you deal with it?

My colleagues do a mixture of seeing me as a bit snooty because my accent is what I'd call "neutral Northern", and also pushing me forward into speaking situations because they feel self conscious about their own (Dudley) accents.

So it's swings and roundabouts.

I work in a charity, and although I'm not rich, I actually come from a very old, prominent family, and I think the (very rich) trustees and supporters are surprised when I come out with connections/history.

I get called posh a lot. I go with it! I had a conversation recently with a friend of a friend we met when out and he couldn’t believe how middle class I was, I told him the poshest things I could think of about myself and all the typical middle class markers. It was as if he was shocked I wasn’t trying to downplay it but at the same time found it hilarious. I mean booze was involved. Just go with it.

Just be yourself, and try not to get wound up by it, make as light of it as you can and carry on being you. They just perceive you as being slightly different, which stands out to them because they don't ever meet anyone who''s not like them in real life. Don't take it personally, it's not about you.

I get this a lot. Partly to do with accent (I'm not from the UK so have no regional dialect/accent, but I've spoken English basically all my life so I have a very neutral accent), partly to do with how I dress, and partly to do with being well spoken/how I carry myself, I think.

I also use what some people seem to regard as 'big words' - was called posh once because I used the term 'incredulous' although that was a work friend and wasn't meant in a derogatory way - and once on here a poster said no one in real life uses words such as 'conversely' and that I and people like me only do it to 'show off on MN' or be 'pretentious'. A bit like eating smoked salmon, apparently.

I take absolutely no notice.

In many cases it's inverse snobbery and pp are right - it wouldn't be acceptable to say it the other way around.

I wouldn't worry too much about it - it often says more about them than it does about you. Also agree with pp that the best way to combat it is just to laugh at it or roll your eyes with 'there you go again' or make an effort to create a parody posh air about yourself. If it is being used to try to make you feel 'us vs. you' then you'll only give them what you want by taking it too seriously or arguing back.

That's how a lot of things work, OK to call someone a 'toff' but 'pleb' or 'oik' are considered unacceptable, you can ridicule someone who is rich but not someone who is poor. Next time they call you 'posh' channel your inner late Queen, sit up straight, smile and reply 'You're very kind', they really won't know how to respond.

I was once told I pronounce Primark posh (Preemark not Primark) and was making more of it than it is. In a job in the East mids. I used to live in London. It was only after I left London my accent was commented on.

I work for myself now at home so don't have to hear regionalistic comments quite so often.

I get called northern because I come from north of Watford, it infuriates me so I get where you're coming from. I'm not northern, I'm from the right side of the north/south divide (the imaginary line between the Severn Estuary and the Wash), I'm from the southern 20% of the country.

I've had the reverse, people with 'rougher' english accents mocking a very middle class Edinburgh accent by doing an (admittedly terrible) Glaswegian accent. And then implying it was rough.

@Zippedydoo123

I was once told I pronounce Primark posh (Preemark not Primark)

well let's face it, this is the epitome of poshness!

There's a 'right side' of the N/S divide? I think the definition of the right side might vary across the country!

People are stupid about accents and class. Who cares where people are from? I was surprised one day to hear my work colleagues saying I had a scouse accent (am from Lancashire). A different time I mentioned I grew up in a converted barn in the countryside and they acted surprised. Because all scousers come from council estates apparently 🙄

I'm the same as you and have dealt with the 'posh' comments all my life, since school days. The irony is when I see southern friends they're like "you're so northern sounding" which proves that my accent isn't actually that posh.

I've got used to it now, but do still worry a bit about being judged or people assuming I'm a snob/judging them.

Could you introduce some belching and breaking wind?
To level things up a bit?
😬

Channel your inner Liam Gallagher

Urgh it’s disgusting reverse snobbery, tantamount to bullying. I had this constantly when I lived in the midlands/up north. Just because I don’t sound like I grew up on coronation street. I have a completely neutral normal British accent.

Who cares where people are from?

Evidently, quite a few people.

I totally understand and sympathise.

I was brought up in Cambridge. Not a posh family. I spoke the same as everyone at school. Never thought I had any sort of accent but I went to Uni in Sheffield I was nicknamed Princess Anne, teased because of the way I spoke and felt totally ostracised. It made my life miserable.

I would give anything to have a gentle West Country accent

People tell me I sound posh, that's just the way I speak, I'd be pretty stupid to assume they are insulting me and if they are they've wasted their breathe as i dont care, I dont really see what the problem is, it's not a bad thing is it?

oh I hear you, also from the manchester area but from a part that has a fairly neutral northern accent. I also went to uni with a lot of southerners (even though it was up north) and even my friend who's from about 3 miles away once told me I had a posh accent! I went to one of the good state schools in the area which apparently also makes me posh.

This is just their insecurities surfacing. It is not OK for them to say it.

I'd just say 'Nope, I'm just like you" on repeat.

What terrible advice! Please do not say this OP.

I would joke about it, don't show it gets to you. Like the groundskeeper/butler comment above. Or say damn right, just call me posh spice - something silly and de-escalating.

They are being daft and indulging in groupthink.

I agree, that line is very much still in the south and the bit directly above it is The Midlands not the North!!

Call them out. "what do you mean by that?"

OMG, I'd have to play up to it.. speak about finishing school & the like.. :-)
Then I'd crease up laughing! Idiots.