That explains it then...born in London with some Irish blood from some where. Heh! heh! Cheers mate! Good on ya!

Me? LOL, I have no British blood in me at all. My ancestry is Greek. You know, where Lesbians come from.

I hope I never lose my Norfolk accent, although it's already not as strong as it used to be after just 2 years over here. I work on a reception so I try and tone it down on purpose as nobody would understand me otherwise! It comes out when I'm emotional though!
People at home reckon I've picked up the Aussie twang. Some words are hard to say without putting on an Australian accent. For example: we have a friend called Matto. Aussies say it Maddo, whereas I would probably either leave the t's out completey or really pronounce them as t's except then it doesn't sound right and you usually end up with people taking the p$@s!

I love getting on the phone with my mates & family from back home as they sound just like me!! It's reassuring to know I'm not the only country bumpkin!!

No hope from me and the hubby then we are from leeds, I hate my accent but it is so strong I dont think it will ever go ... worse luck

Hiya.
Norfolk? Where? I grew up in Hunstanton! but i still sound like a southerner as the family are from London with a hint of aussie and the north..oddd, I know. Cosmopolitan really...
If the hat fits...

I find I have to translate the dialogue for films like Lock Stock and 2 Smoking Barrels for the benefit of my in-laws.

I also have trouble with trying to be understood by some Aussies on the phone: during a recent enquiry to our local council about zoning requirements and setting up a business from home I was told "Oh I will just put you through to Plumbing and Drainage, they will be able to help you"

I'm seriously surprised the Americans that saw it, understood everything in The Full Monty. I'm surprised that wasn't subtitled somewhere.

The only time I've really had to listen to another person speak English (where it's their first language) was a fellow from Belfast I caught a bus with once.

I had to listen a little closely to a fellow from Orkney I gave a ride to once as well.

I'm English and my husband is Canadian...I do find myself saying some things in 'Canadian', just to make life easier!!

He's been here for over 10 years now but to me he still sounds Canadian, when he goes back to Canada though they all tease him about how English he sounds! I guess his Canadian accent has been 'softened' by the English one so now he doesn't really 'fit' in either place.

Maybe that's what happens to the English in Oz? We all end up sounding English to the Australians and Australian to the English!

Completely agree as speaking to a librarian at S.A. state and I could tell he was from York although he'd been here THIRTY years and didn't sound at all aussie. Think I upset him a bit as he probably thought he sounded aussie

This thread is an intersting one. I too listened with interest to 'Get a New Life' and that lifeguard bokey who sounds'true blue' aussie. I reckon he simply has put roots down and chosen to become Australian.

I get a bit annoyed though with people who say picking up accents is 'fake' or 'sad'. I think it all depends on your background and your desire to fit in. Don't forget, to be in a country 30 years, surrounded by an Australian accent, it takes effort to retain a Yorkshire or whatever accent. Perhaps this is fake? A reluctance to integrate?

I grew up all over Europe and in Canada and spent my formative years in international school in Portugal. So, my English is perfect, but I have a transatlantic/Dutch/Aussie accent as a result of the friends I made at school.

I also know that as I have no real roots (and I think this is key), and no accent to call my own, I pick up accents very easily. I am also very adaptable to other countries and cultures and languages, and thus accents too. I don't consider this a weakness though - I am just a product of my upbringing. In fact I think its a strength.

And, I know I slip into an Aussie twang when I am there. Can't help it.

ONE of the rigs ,i worked on, we had Halliburton engineer ,from Louisiana, we had to get the Texans to interpret for us ....... MM

But which Aussie accent are you refering too ?. When you have been here long enough, you can tell which state people are from by their accent............ MM

It's funny how you all think the Cornish lifeguard had an Aussie accent - to me he sounded like a West Country person with a bit of an Aussie accent (I'm fair dinkum here). It is an interesting topic. To address lathlain's question (was it?) - yes, the Aussie accent obviously developed initially out of the mixture of convicts, largely English and Irish with some Welsh and Scots thrown in for good measure (!) and this was further supplemented when free settlers moved out, the wider mixture in the gold rush days and so on. After the second world war there was a great influx of European migrants and latterly Asian migrants so it is a bit of a mixture of all these influences I think.

I've been in Scotland a long time and to the locals I have a strong Australian accent but when I go 'home' my family and friends tell me I'm losing my accent a bit and picking up a bit of a Scottish accent. I have not made a conscious effort to change my accent at all (be true to yourself and all that) - I dinna' think say anywa'

OzTennis

I'd dearly love to lose my brummie accent but its sticking fast so far a friend of mine from brum has lost hers completely after 8 years here, even ausie friends cant spot her as a pom, until she has a few drinks, then she reverts which is quite strange!!!