Yep, North Carolina - in the mountains, along the coast - is especially rich in certain isolated 'pockets' with the older, more British dialects that have survived to a certain degree for hundreds of years now, interestingly not just amongst the 'white' population but amongst some native American and former-slaves communities as well.

Here's an example of the Outer Banks dialect/accent ('Hoi Toid' they call it) and unusual vocabulary:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WfsxP...20DE57&index=0

and

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgi9w...0DE57&index=18

As a 'saarf london girl' I don't think I have an accent!

When I'm in NY people only occasionally comment on my accent as I guess they are used to 'foreigners' visiting. I probably get the most comments from my Mum who, after 25+ years in NY cannot understand a word I say...to the point where I will abandon a conversation after she says "what?" for the 10th time.

When I'm in Florida I've had to resort to Spanish to make myself understood!

My dad does that but I think he is going deaf

I got many comments on how cute my british accent is the first time i went on an american post with my o/h. Some people even find it hard to understand me To me my accent is nothing special lol

I have to agree with that I've been working in NC for the last few months and several times I've heard snippets of conversation which sounded as if they could have been British.

this made me laugh out loud cos I have to spell out my name sometimes and then they go, "oh Paul, you said Pool".

I'm a londoner and have completely kept my accent despite living here over 6 years and work in a call centre in california. I speak to clients in every state and find that people on the two coasts know you're english 90% of the time. In the heartland (red) states like kansas, georgia and the southern states, I've been asked if I'm german, russian, south african with australian being the most often question.
Certain words you have to say to americans their way or you wont be able to communicate to them, I'm talking here about "water", "daughter", "tomato", "tube" etc, as much as I hate not saying them in my accent, it beats having to repeat it 5 times, the only problem though is that it stays in your sub-conscious and last time I was back home in blighty, I got some funny looks when I asked for "water" in an american accent.
Americans are slowly getting more worldly and are travelling more but its still a slow process over here.

[QUOTE=pepekwa;7415286]Certain words you have to say to americans their way or you wont be able to communicate to them, I'm talking here about "water", "daughter", "tomato", "tube" etc, as much as I hate not saying them in my accent, it beats having to repeat it 5 times, the only problem though is that it stays in your sub-conscious and last time I was back home in blighty, I got some funny looks when I asked for "water" in an american accent.
QUOTE]

I'm the same. I don't think my accents's changed but there are little sub-concious changes you obviously make to be understood. When i was back in UK in Feb I went for a curry with a few mates and without realising it I asked for some wadderrr. I managed to pretend that i'd done it on purpose for a laugh but it was totally natural.
Words i find myself still saying saying when i'm back visiting in UK are gas, vacation, soccer (sorry). They've just become habit now.

i will never say soccer, i'd rather be deported than use that dreadful excuse for a word, i'm always reminding yanks its football and the NFL is throwball, oh and i love asking them why their championship winners are known as "world champions" .

Wells Fargo bank - in Washington State - speaking to the account opener (not the lone arranger)

Her - 'You speak English really good, where did you learn it '?

Me with a smile - 'England'

Her - 'Do they speak English there' ?

Me - 'Yes, a lot of them'

Her - 'wow that's great'

I have the exact same feeling about that as you
And yea whats with that world champion stuff about? Then again a lot of Americans do think America is the world

Good news for me

Nice too hear that. Or should i say, nice to ear that

Go Suffolk

I'm English i cant help but to be cheeky

Good man !

Not sure about Birmingham and the North as a whole though...

...only kidding!

Could it have been the Lone Ranger?