Abrupt or aggressive NI accent

[Bookishnerd]

Bout Ye, mumsnetters. Please help. I’ve had a work thing lately where one of my colleagues said I was abrupt and aggressive. I was floored - that was absolutely not my intention and I was genuinely surprised. It came from nowhere. Trying to work out where the miscommunication has sprung from and someone said that maybe it was my NI accent?

I’ve been away from Ireland a long time so it’s much softer than it used to be, more Gloria Hunniford than Ian Paisley. But could that be misconstrued as aggressive? Anyone else had similar experiences?

Yes, had the same. I’m quite direct as well with a natural stern expression so with. NI accent been told a few times at work I’m ‘aggressive’

I personally don't get it as someone from NI.
In my job I speak to people with all kinds of accents (uk and otherwise) and I'm told on a nearly daily basis my accent is soooo haaaard to understand.
It actually gripes me as saying this to people with non uk accents would be offensive, but because I'm not from "England" it's ok?

I think it's a lovely accent and a special country! I know others don't share that viewpoint but I think it's great 😆

@scaredofchange123
But it can actually be true - some accents are almost unintelligible to others.

I know I speak as a foreigner (see my first post) - but I'm proficient in English, I was in the top percentiles for the Leaving.

But someone from say Glasgow might as well be speaking Gaelic to me.... And a native English speaker - say a Canadian - wouldn't understand them either, while they'd understand me.

Like similarly French people would agree with my finding Québécois unintelligible, and not say that I'm not proficient in French because of that.

People can be abrupt and aggressive in any accent so you may need to work on this. However I think an accent doesn't help, a slower more sing song accent is less likely to sound aggressive. Harder consonants are more aggressive than vowely sounds just think of a German v French sound.

I had a colleague who had an abrupt no nonsense manner. She had a naturally frowning type face and always had her hair pulled back very tightly and only wore black polo necks. She had a very strong Belfast accent and a strong voice. She was terrifying. The sad part is she was a gentle soul with a heart of gold but few took the time to get to know her.

I should add I personally love a NI accent, I could listen to it all day and love how unique it is.

Belfast accent is very sexy I think.👹

I like most Irish accents but Belfast sounds...scary?

Our accent isn't scary 😂
I do find that I am quite a bit more direct than my English friends (who live in NI).

Brummy?

I'm quite shocked - i LOVE a NI accent and 'abrupt' or 'harsh' aren't terms I'd ever have associated with it. (And it's not difficult to understand, at all - once you've tuned into the vowel sounds you're away).

Mix of accent snobbery (rife among some English people - I say that as an English person) and misogyny is my bet. Agree with asking your critic to clarify.