To wonder why some men do this?

[TurkeyTeethLookAwful]

And yes, I know not all men do this but in my experience it is always men that do it!

I work in a professional job, and speak many times a day to people in senior positions in businesses throughout the UK. I have an accent from a city in the UK that's probably quite a distinctive accent.

At least once every single work day, I will get at least one male customer on the phone who, when I call them, mimicks my accent in their initial reply to me when I say hello and introduce myself. These are different men all the time; I don't have regular customers as such.

It even happened to me at passport control at a UK airport recently. The man scanning our passports asked where we'd been and why we'd been there. I replied and he then mimicked my reply in my accent.

AIBU to think it's fucking rude and disrespectful?

Yes its rude and would fucking annoy me!
But im dying to know... is it scouser or geordie?
Im southern but find these accents so comforting, its possible its a friendly engagement thing but yes... i appreciate daily its a pain in the bum!

Speaking as a guy, I feel like men tend to be more overtly clown like in their behaviour. Banter and all that. Even if it's absolute shite. No self-awareness of how crap their chat is.

Like you say, not all men but enough to be a pain in the arse.

I don't think there's anything intentionally disrespectful in it but I get why it's unwelcome.

Patriarchy

Scouse?
Geordie?
Brum?

They think they are funny? I don't know. But yes it's annoying!

Trying to banter with you I guess

eh ?

Because they think they're funny. Almost all the non funny men I know think they're fucking hilarious but they're just cringeworthy.

Interestingly, I think it's specifically British men. Patriarchy plus emotionally stunted = banter.

Is it Scottish and is it the Mrs doubtfire "ohh helloooo"

Fuck me I hate men

I'm throwing Americans and Aussies under rhe bus, too. If I'm going down, I'm taking them with me.

No filter.
Lack of self awareness.

I have to say this is less about the patriarchy than it is about the twatocracy we have going on currently

Can you just stare at them galacially & ask then what they are on about????

On the phone?

Even when I was writing it @divinededacende I thought of the Aussies.

My husband has a distinctive Northern English accent and it's usually women that imitate it. We met up North but now live down South. I've never ever heard a man imitate him!

And yes it's rude and disrespectful and a way of undermining you.

My husbands accent tends to be commented on in a social capacity - it still annoys him but he's not undermined professionally by it.

You don't think it's intentional? It's intentional. It's just because you're a guy doing it to a woman you think it's okay.

I think loads of people do this maybe without realising. Go to different area start speaking differently accent wise. Dont know why but I think it's common.

I used to do that, not deliberately but automatically. And just just with some accents. The Texan accent was the worst

It’s undermining and unprofessional. Would they do this if they were speaking to a man?

Your are in an awkward position as If you want to retain them as clients, then you’ll probably need to put up with it.

Any other situations though, call them out on it. I done this at a very exclusive wedding in the US. My husband and I still laugh about it

@MrsTerryPratchett not so sure.

American men do this to my kids a few times a year (British accents in America).

Not to me, interestingly.

Couldn't it just be the Chameleon effect?

www.the-star.co.ke/sasa/lifestyle/2022-06-10-chameleon-effect-what-makes-us-mimic-accents-of-other-people/

According to the study, we unintentionally mirror others when interacting by copying the other person’s gestures, body language, tone of voice and accent, in order to bond with others and feel safe in social interactions.
This is called the Chameleon Effect and it is embedded in human nature.