Just been watching the French rugby cup final between Toulon and Castres. Toulon with Jonny Wilkinson were huge favourites to win, but lost. After it was all over Jonny was interviewed and it was quite noticeable that despite being quite fluent in French he still has not lost his English accent. I wondered if amongst the posters on here who come from all over, just how many have recognizable accents? On the occasions that I get into Watford it is easy to pick out a local, the same when I go down to Gloucester or up to Leeds. I have two grandsons in Leeds that I find difficult to understand sometimes, but my son has developed a strange Yorkshire -Lancashire accent due to his marriage. Do we change the way we talk to fit in with where we live, or do we keep what we were brought up with?
Got to admit, when I go back to Norfolk after a couple of days, my old accent does seem to be more noticable. People do tell me they can always tell when I've been back 'home'.
I think you know the answer Mr OFH. Nature v Nurture, would you change your accent if you had lived in a different place for a long time?
I think age has a lot to do it... my niece "became" Canadian within a couple of weeks of moving there... whereas my uncle who moved there 50 years ago in his 30s has a sort of a strange accent which is neither one nor the other. I studied in Bradford for 5 years and have lived in Leeds for 20..... but apart from snickets and ginnels I don't really have any Yorkshire accent.... whereas my daughter is born and bred and sounds like it on a bad day.
A bit of each in my case. When I moved from Scotland to England, I had a rather broad Scots accent which attracted some rather nasty bullying at school - from kids and teachers alike, so I soon lost it, but quickly reverted on visits back there. Moving on the Australia, it took a few years longer to lose the English accent I had acquired - there being very little abuse over it and what there was was always more a case of good natured ribbing - but it did change, although certain vowel sounds still give me away. Having been back in Scotland for eight years now, I am still easily recognised as Australian as my accent hasn't reverted at all. Although I have been accused of being a Kiwi a few times.
Morning all Strange things accents. My parents constantly found fault with the South London and then Birmingham accents that we came home from school with. I still find it easy to start adopting the accent of the place I live in, especially when I'm talking to someone with a strong accent. My late father-in-law left Darlington when he was 18 and lived in South London for 55 years, yet never lost a trace of his Northern accent.
Good morning all from a bright and cheerful Weston-super-Mare! I wonder how many more days of Summer will we get? It must be approaching a record by now!
Then we have to pay extra for it..... See the OAP winter fuel allowance may be cut I missed out on free bus travel... and now this ...
Sæl öll. Cappuccino, coffee, tea donuts and fruit are on the bar. Frothy cappuccinos for for al, HH, and W_Y Coffee and cramel frapachino for IB Coffees for COYH, Frenchie, Kev rob theo and vic-rijrode Strong coffee for Sandy Milky coffee for Yorkie Espresso for SuffolkHorn Strong black coffees for Bragi Norway and zen Black coffee half hot half cold and no sugar for Charlie A peppermint latte for DanH Tea for BHD Cornish Mark jsybarry jerzeypie Lloydinio NZ and BCFCRed Tea with skimmed milk and no sugar for GG and Leon Hot chocolate with marshmallows for BBW Caramel latte for Hornette Canary Dave and Maestro Una paloma for Mexican Hornet 11C and we have rain later I think.
