Accent inferiority complex?

I lived in the US for 23 years, I've lived here 19 years.
It can happen. Without pretense.

That sounds entirely reasonable to me.

My American brother-in-law thinks I "put on" my British accent to get chicks.  After five years he's still not ready to accept that people in other English-speaking countries really do have different ways of saying the same words.

This may have rubbed off on his 3-year-old daughter. When going through vocabulary flashcards (the fun never stops with this uncle) instead of her being confused/amused when I pronounced words differently, she was annoyed. Having assumed up to now (quite reasonably) that folk speak the same way, for me to screw up words as simple as "fence" was unforgivable.

I concede that if, living in another country, most of your interactions involve talking to natives of that country, your accent might change (somewhat). I won't back down on saying that anyone who's lived here for only a couple of years, and claims to have an English/British accent, is putting on airs.

Well I lived in New Zealand for a few years and picked up a a New Zealand accent very quickly, within a couple of years I had to because where I was working no-one could understand my Home Counties accent! I was in my early 20s, maybe it happens more easily at that age. 

Actually, Liz, I still heard a bit o' the Kiwi in your voice the first time we met!

And there's a difference between how one pronounces a word and affecting any sort of accent.  I don't pretend to have adopted a British accent.

I do pretend to have adopted a Canadian accent sometimes, however. 

There are many such examples of pronunciation, spelling, and word usage  in which the current American version is actually the original British version as well.   You'll run into people who'll never believe that though, and will insist that Americans have corrupted the language. 

I've read the exact same thing with regard to certain points of grammar.  It may have been something to do with past participles (got v gotten), but I can't be sure.

Actually, Liz, I still heard a bit o' the Kiwi in your voice the first time we met!

Yes, just the merest soupçon 

I lived in the US for 23 years, I've lived here 19 years.
It can happen.  Without pretense.

I'm there with you...I moved to the south of the US after living in the northeast...and my accent certainly changed.  I didn't try to change it, it just did...I tend to pick up accents (which helped in my French classes in high school by the by).  So I'm quite certain that because my ears will hear as much 'British' English as 'American' in the next few years, I will most likely pick up some words and accents.  It just happens.  Ask a few people who have met me...I'm not pretentious!

I'm there with you...I moved to the south of the US after living in the northeast...and my accent certainly changed.  I didn't try to change it, it just did...I tend to pick up accents (which helped in my French classes in high school by the by).  So I'm quite certain that because my ears will hear as much 'British' English as 'American' in the next few years, I will most likely pick up some words and accents.  It just happens.  Ask a few people who have met me...I'm not pretentious!

 

Well, everyone's entitled to their opinion, I guess.  Like I said, I think language evolves.  No one else is expected to speak in exactly the same way, using the same vocabulary that they did fifteen years ago.  Why would I?  We all adopt new phrases and slang.  We all learn new words.  I'm not around any Americans so of course it's British phrases I'm going to pick up.  And I certainly don't 'put on' a British accent.  My intonation has just changed over the years-partly to make myself understood and partly from talking to my children.  Call it pretentious if you like, to me it's just  the way I speak.

I look at it this way - if I moved to Japan, I would expect to end up speaking Japanese so if someone moves to Britain why is it a big deal if they end up speaking British English or with a British accent?

ps Mindy, you sound totally American to me, even though you use Brit vocab.

Call it pretentious if you like, to me it's just  the way I speak.

Now that's a word that often comes to mind when reading your posts, Mindy.

(On a tangent, considering that so much of the humor in The Simpsons basically consists of inside jokes about American culture, it's amazing the show's been such a worldwide phenomenon. At least a third of the references in it wouldn't make sense to anyone other than an American.)

You're so right! My UK BF loves the Simpsons, but every now and then I look at him when it's on and ask, "Did you get that?" There is a lot of stuff that British viewers just wouldn't know about. On an even more tangential tangent, when I watch "Family Guy" (which I love), I always think that at least a third of Seth Macfarlane's references wouldn't make sense to somebody not from Rhode Island. Now THAT'S a small target audience!

You're so right! My UK BF loves the Simpsons, but every now and then I look at him when it's on and ask, "Did you get that?"

The other week I was watching Gone With The Wind.  The fifteen year old was in the room but not watching.  When the I'll never go hungry again speech came on she started laughing and explained that she had just gotten a joke from The Simpsons. 

Paul,   You're my hero (seriously)! A classic example of different pronunciations comes from an episode of The Simpsons. The family was at some kind of food fair, and Marge was looking through an herb-and-spice rack. She said, "Look, Homey, they have or-ruh-GON-oh [oregano]."

Excuse me while I fetch my cape!         I think I remember that episode.  

(On a tangent, considering that so much of the humor in The Simpsons basically consists of inside jokes about American culture, it's amazing the show's been such a worldwide phenomenon. At least a third of the references in it wouldn't make sense to anyone other than an American.)

Very true.   As a Brit myself I wouldn't pretend to get every joke in the show, but there have certainly been times when I've laughed at something while fellow Brits have stared blankly or asked "What's the joke?"    

It works both ways of course.    I'm sure many of you who have lived here a while have come across the classic "Carry On...." films.   Although there is plenty of universal humor in them, the movies are also full of jokes and wordplays which would not be understood by anyone who is not familiar with certain aspects of British life.

I've read the exact same thing with regard to certain points of grammar.  It may have been something to do with past participles (got v gotten), but I can't be sure.

You're quite right.  Got vs. gotten is another good example of how it is British usage which has changed.     I've actually gotten (sic -   ) into an argument more than once over this one with a fellow countryman who insisted that gotten is an "ugly corruption by ignorant Americans."  

It's strange how some of the people who criticize the American use of gotten accept it readily in the phrase "ill-gotten gains," which can still be heard here from time to time.    One way I've tried to explain this past participle is to compare get/got/gotten with forget/forgot/forgotten.  

I'm sure many of you who have lived here a while have come across the classic "Carry On...." films.   Although there is plenty of universal humor in them, the movies are also full of jokes and wordplays which would not be understood by anyone who is not familiar with certain aspects of British life.

Too right!  My dh is a huge fan of the Carry On films and while I find them funny I don't laugh NEARLY as often as he does!!!!

It's strange how some of the people who criticize the American use of gotten accept it readily in the phrase "ill-gotten gains," which can still be heard here from time to time.    One way I've tried to explain this past participle is to compare get/got/gotten with forget/forgot/forgotten.

I've pretty much stricken "gotten" from my vocabulary 'cause I'm SO sick of getting stick over it. I like the past participle explaination, though - if it ever comes up again I'll use that!