Accents

As I learn to distinguish a Yorkshire accent from a Liverpudlian accent, I fear I’m losing my skills when it comes to American accents. I was on a call last month with my friend M from Birmingham and I was amazed at how un-Southern she sounded. I had to email her afterwards. Is it me or have her travels mellowed her speech?

A’s accent hasn’t changed but her speech patterns are changing. The other day in the car she asked H and I why our accents aren’t changing at all. I joked with her and said, “How do you know that when I get to work that I don’t talk with an English accent?” Her response, “Because I’ve been to your work and besides, when the two of you try and do an English accent it’s horrible”.