SultanOfSwing

It'll be interesting to see what happens to mine. I dabble in amateur theatre, and recently got a role in a play on the strength of being able to do a (if I say so myself) reasonably flawless English accent. They were a good group and I'd like to do more plays but the problem is, while I can do a bunch of regional English, Scottish and Irish accents and a passable Aussie, I can't do an American accent for shit

Sally Redux

I find it hard to say my name with an American accent, so Americans usually hear it as 'Sunny'. Other names like Dotty and Betty I also tend to stick to a British pronunciation rather than "Darddy' and "Beddy'. My son gets ribbed for his pronunciation of 'art', something to do with the 'r' sound. My kids can generally switch between the two accents, especially the younger one.

Xebedee

Yes, having to repeat a very common English first name (due to my "accent") is pretty frustrating. I honestly have never been able to pronounce my name in an acceptable American fashion (unlike most words I have mastered)

So my name is now Mary

Nutmegger

That is so funny -- I'm just the same! I do French, Aussie, Russian (though I think it comes out more Bela Lugosi!), Irish, Welsh, Scots, lots of English regional, but the only US I can attempt to muster is a really hokey "country" accent, like something from an old cowboy movie!

SultanOfSwing

I always sound like Private Joker's John Wayne impression from Full Metal Jacket . Somewhere between that and a Canadian stroke victim

Malashaan

Yep, when my parent's were here for the wedding my in-laws stopped being able to understand me lol. All the Yorkshire "by 'ecks" etc. were coming out

Keith

My wife and I have been over here for 48 years and both of us have taken on some of the accent of the Ottawa valley. My wife less so because she didn't go out to work. On my rare trips back to the UK (last in 1985) most people I spoke to detected the change in accent.

Some people make a conscious effort to obtain an accent and I myself tend to use some North American pronunciations.

You may think that your accent hasn't changed, if it hasn't it could be due to regular trips home.

An old friend of mine married a Welsh girl and moved to North Wales. He didn't return for a visit for over 5 years and guess what? he had a Welsh accent.

We all tend to assimilate, some more than others, but why fight it?

CitySimon

I've found that words I learned over here I do say with something of an Amurikan accent. However, my accent is still fairly strong English. Admittedly, a good number of the words which were specifically English or phrases which were just English have gone, but apart from that, it's still English.

taffie77

I don't think I've picked up the local accent yet but I'm sure it's only a matter of time. Like others, I will say tomayto (especially in a busy deli), but have had no probs with Water so far.
I think most people's accents are influenced when they move elsewhere, it's just the degree of change that differs.
I don't have my original accent anyway, I don't even know what it is. When I went to University in Plymouth I had to tone down (and slow down) my Welsh accent to make myself understood, but living in various parts of the West Country for 14 years probably had more of an effect than a concious effort. Which is why I don't get toooo upset when people ask if I'm English
When I was 11, we lived in Turkey and I spent the entire summer hanging out with an Australian girl. My accent at the end of the holidays was certainly interesting
Only one person here has asked if I'm Australian, and that was at the Aussie Rules Footy club I've just joined, so the confusion was almost understandable!

Macca67

They're probably scousers.

Bob

Tbh, I normally do the same after the missus or whoever asks for a glass...but it is a small chore when it's just me asking for a glass.

It seems that's the only one that really causes problems, either that or every waiter is taking the mick

Malashaan

I can't figure out why nut when I say my name is "John" a lot of American's think I'm saying "Joel" - seems an odd one to me. I also can't break the habit of saying "cheers" when people hold doors for me etc. which gets some odd looks

Xebedee

Black people seem to understand when you say "allright" as being hello. Whites in the US think it means "are you feeling well?" So now I only talk to people of a darker persuasion..........

Funny, that.

Sally Redux

I have fallen foul of that, with people somehow thinking I'm accusing them of not being all right.

I would say, in general, black people are more 'on our wavelength' for humour/outlook.

N1cky

We received the local college course magazine a few weeks ago and were laughing because there was a course to teach you how to speak with an American accent. It said something along the lines of 'tired of repeating yourself, not getting the sandwich you ordered or problems with automated telephone systems, enrol on our course and we'll teach you how to pronounce your words like a local...'

Personally, I'm still broad Yorkshire. My daughter was 5 when we moved and is now she has a very strange Yorkshire/Valley Girl twang going on. Neither of which belong in the Bay Area.