Aussie accents
 

Has anybody else noticed how quickly Brits seem to pick up Aussie accents? I've noticed it particularly on these Get a New Life type programmes where people who've been there for a short time already have the Aussie twang. I am travelling out there myself tomorrow for two weeks so my guess is that by the time we come back we will have accents too! An interesting thought because it certainly doesn't happen the other way round. Can you imagine an Aussie coming to live in, say, Cannock, and within two weeks picking up the accent? I can't.

Re: Aussie accents
 

I worked with someone from melbourne. He deliberately dropped his aussy accent when he moved here to work. He hates it when i mention it and he admits he dumped it on purpose. so perhaps if you wnat to integrate you subconsciously get into the lingo!

I think mumomonty might have a point about the subconscious thing. We've been here almost 2 years now but I don't think I'll ever lose my yorkshire accent!!

I find that I use aussie phrases and pronounce words how they do, but that is more for convenience sake as I find they have trouble understanding my accent otherwise.

Mind you, my mum says she thinks my husband sounds really australian now...although I reckon she's just mad...either that or Telstra have an "australian accent" filter on our phone line...he sounds more yorkshire than ever to me (he's from Wakefield and the accent is much stronger from there than Leeds!!)

Our 4 year old has a very definite Aussie twang now tho...he sounds really funny cos his accent is now predominantly WA but he uses yorkshire slang phrases...well weird!!

love sophia xx

88 - Mate
 

The guy from Cornwall on Get A New Life yesterday had been in Oz for 6 years and sounded as Aussie (to me) as a native. When I hear things like that I get the impression these people are frauds. A little unfair, maybe, but having come from Dubling 16 years ago to work in London, I can't understand how anyone can lose their accent completely.

Sure, having worked with English people and having English friends means I've picked up the odd word and phrase (much to the amusement of my family back home) but I try to hang on to my original accent.

Maybe that's what it is - you only gain the new accent if you want to.

On the other hand, there may be something particularly insidious about the Aussie accent - it creeps up on you. Seeing as my missus is Australian I occasionally say things with my version of her accent (she cringes) for a laugh. This is how it begins. She's been back in the UK for nearly 3 years and all her Aussie friends say she now sounds English - but she lived in the Uk until she was about 10 anyway. Oh, all confusion.

No worries.

Anyway, I think it's normal to pick up the odd word. I think it's abnormal to lose your accent completely if you emigrate as an adult.

Just my tuppence-worth.

Big.

Friends of mine have been out there for 50 years now. They're both originally from West Yorkshire. She has a wierd accent Yorkshire/Australian - with the word "but" at the end of every sentence whereas he is still as Yorkshire as they come. To this day he keeps "gettin ont' bus" and "goin t' shops"

nice to see you back sophia,hope all is well with you and yours.I come from the fens originally and have done my utmost to lose that accent.
donna

Did the Aussie accent come about from a mixture of cockney ans irish accents?

I have to disagree with you on this one. All the Brits I know out here have not lost their accents! I am friends with a few Northern lasses that have been here 5 years plus and they are very much still Northern. I have even met people who have been here for 20 years and sound completely British. Possibly your accent loses the edge, but it is still recognisable.

One thing that is great about Britain, is all the different dialects so be proud of them!

You do pick up the lingo though:
alrighty
youse
gday

etc.

Hi:)

We have been over here for nearly a year now and mine and Cheryls accent no different, you may say the odd "good on yer" or "how ye doing" but that I think is just learning and using different phrases which we all do at some stages where ever we live!. The kids though through there mates and schooling etc have started to adopt the aussie twang! raising the pitch at the end of each sentence and making each sentence a question:D :D .

Cheryl had a lady round at the weekend one of these claivoyant type things;) an old lady about 70 originally from Doncaster been over here for about 30 years and still very much a Tyke!!!.

We are heading back to Wakefield West Yorks in Sept so it will be interesting to see if anyone comments on our or the kids accents:)

Mick n Cheryl:)

Northerners keep their accents longer - a mate of mine in Tas has been here since 1960 but still sounds like he belongs in Corrie! Same with the woman living next door - brooooad Yorkshire, and again been here 40 years. Scottish seems to last as well, theres a guy at work who's been here about 25 years but people have terrible trouble understanding him!

Re: Accents
 

Hi People

I spent 6 months doing the backpacker bit over 17 years ago and been to Sydney 4 times now since and in order to get any good work I found I was more accepted when I sounded Ozzie. As you say it just creeps up on ya! An being a southerner some of the vowels are similar, so it was easy. Put a little effort into it and bingo! You sound fair dinkum! A true blue! Anyone with a northern accent such as my wife Lynne just doesn't cut it. Her bro has bin there 4 17 years and he still sounds Yorkshire. A bit strange sounding in tonation but still a brit! I think they call those people who adopt the lingo etc as 'Sociopaths' or similar. It's actually a psychological condition, a state of mind, a willingness or desire to be accepted. Most people like that tend to be very successful at what ever they do...can't think of any examples but that Lifeguard in 'Get A New Life' done good!
Listen to me go on! Must've taken something...
I've finished now.
:D

Re: 88 - Mate
 

The Cornish are very laid back like the Aussies so it was probably easier for him to intergrate :)

Nobodys yet answered me.

i was about to say the same :)

i left manchester in 1963, and can still be recognised by my accent, even after spending many years in both south of england and australia.

So the historians tell us.

As an aside, TV here in Dallas once showed an interview with a woman from St. Helens. I understood her perfectly, bu they subtitled it for the benefit if Texans. :rolleyes: