The americans are invading!

Once you start thinking with a British Accent (like speaking a foreign language - you become fluent as you're able to think in that language) American accents (or similar) tend to stick out sorely when you're out and about, especially if you live in an area where you don't hear them that often.   

Whenver I go to London (which isn't often) I can always find Americans, but I think it's more because of the work / tourist draw more than anything else.  Most companies have their headquarters or main base in London, opposed to other cities around the country...

I know our village is small, but I can't lay claim to being the only American in the village.  It's funny when you're on forums or in meetup groups and people are adamant they're the only person in x city (even though there are people on same forum / group living in the same place).    

In our village I know there're a few Canadians (one woman I used to speak to regular, repatriated back to the UK as a child - her parents were originally from the village, but she spoke in a mixture of Canadian / Yorkshire - she said she still has a hard time living here and she was well into her 40s).  I've heard there were other Americans in our village, but yet to meet anyone.  One of the Mums I met from our local Sure Start Centre says her husband is a British and American dual citizen despite originating from Sierra Leone.  Ironically as well there's another American woman that work's at the village High School and she's American and lives nearby and another American woman that lives a couple villages over as well.

When I'm out and about in Sheffield I don't really hear a lot of American accents, but then again Sheffield's not exactly a tourist hotspot...   

Oh yeah... NOT where I live. lol

The only thing I have heard that sounded like an American.....the first time, I was in the grocery store and I heard a child speaking, she was about 3 or 4 years old.

She sounded SO American; I desperately accosted her mother in the produce section and said "Are you from America?"

She looked at me like I was crazy and said "NO!"

I said "Oh, she sounds American."

Apparently her child had a speech impediment. OR she kidnapped her . lol

The other time I thought I heard an American.....I was sitting at the bus stop, I heard someone blabbing nonsensically about their bus pass...etc.
But it sounded like I was hearing a voice from home.

I immediately yelped out” Are you from America?"

She said "No, Canada."

Unfortunately this was BEFORE I noticed that she was sitting there, eating a take away tuna and corn salad with her fingers.

Oh lord, I could go on...but I’ll spare you.

Hijack. Highjack.

Jewlz,

Didn't Roland Atkinson grow up in your area? Also didn't Richard Todd live in your area prior to him passing on?

Sorry for the highjack.

I don't know about either one. I'm not sure about any well-known people from Northumberland, but there are quite a few famous Geordies from Newcastle or elsewhere in the Northeast - Sting is from that area.

I do know that the first season of Black Adder was filmed at Alnwick Castle, so maybe that's the Rowan Atkinson connection you are thinking of.

It's funny when you're on forums or in meetup groups and people are adamant they're the only person in x city (even though there are people on same forum / group living in the same place).    

  Who me?    I know there are some Americans within 10 miles of where I live, it's just that I haven't met them yet and none of them are on this forum. Maybe one day I will. I know where a few of them work and hang out from the rumours (of course if anyone else I know bumps into an American, they always tell me... lol) so maybe I could just start stalking them! 

Oh man, I run into Americans all the time. I'm thinking that MrsRobinson is stalking me.

JK.

There are a few in Leeds. A lady with a North American accent works at my local Starbucks. I've never asked where she's from.

When I first moved here I actually found it difficult to tell which accent was which at first. I met a girl from Kentucky who had been here awhile and I could have sworn she was British and in the beginning I too accosted a few people thinking they were American and much to my embarassment they were not.

Now, American accents stick out like a sore thumb. I never ask simply because of my embarassing encounters in the beginning.

Uh, not in my little part of the England. In fact, last night, DH and I had to go pick up some prescriptions so while at the mall, we went to the Subway there and while I was ordering, my DH noticed the young woman behind the counter and the teenager next to me giving me some strange looks. It was my accent, I suppose.

I tend to forget that I even have one (an American accent, I mean), and living in the same place for over six years, forget that I can startle other people with it. 

Like georgia, I forget I have an accent until someone reminds me!

I also seem to have a dead ear where American accents are concerned - I don't notice them at all...or I have to hear someone speaking for quite some time before it starts to sink in, but I personally am generally not interested enough to approach them...except for the guy who sold my soon-to-be-ex a pair of hiking boots - he was from Madison, Wisconsin, and I'm from Wisconsin, so we did chat.  We probably wouldn't have but their name tags actually said where they were from!

To the OP, I think you've only just arrived in the UK not too long ago?  If so, I'd also suggest that you have that syndrome that you all of a sudden notice that you're different.  It's like when you're pregnant, all of a sudden there seem to be LOADS of pregnant women around!!  lol. 

Like georgia, I forget I have an accent until someone reminds me!

I also seem to have a dead ear where American accents are concerned - I don't notice them at all...or I have to hear someone speaking for quite some time before it starts to sink in, but I personally am generally not interested enough to approach them...except for the guy who sold my soon-to-be-ex a pair of hiking boots - he was from Madison, Wisconsin, and I'm from Wisconsin, so we did chat.  We probably wouldn't have but their name tags actually said where they were from!

To the OP, I think you've only just arrived in the UK not too long ago?  If so, I'd also suggest that you have that syndrome that you all of a sudden notice that you're different.  It's like when you're pregnant, all of a sudden there seem to be LOADS of pregnant women around!!  lol. 

You too? I do tend to notice when someone is faking an American accent; only because they tend to mix up various regional "accents." I do get tickled when we hear a Scot speaking...I'll turn to my DH and say, "What did he say?" and DH will say, "Don't know, didn't understand him either." (not to say there is anything wrong with a Scottish accent...I think it's cool).

But what does get to me, is in an airport. That's when I happen to hear a lot of Americans. Doesn't annoy me, just strange on the ears.

I think there are a lot of Americans in London, both tourists and residents. I often notice them though not as much as I used to, and I am long past the stage of accosting someone merely for having an American accent. On the other, or same hand, I was just in the U.S. for a month and heard English accents exactly twice. Only once did I say something about living in London, and that was when I was on line at a bookstore and had already heard two people in front of me querying the English bookseller about his accent. Somehow it's not surprising that people in Boynton Beach, Florida would be more curious about a foreigner than a Londoner!

When we lived down south, I knew of 3 other Americans in our area (by area, I mean within 30 miles).  I was the only American at my rather large company.

Now, I have moved the wilds of North Wales and I am one of four Americans just where I work (in Snowdonia National Park).  Three of us originally hail from Texas.  In my village (which has about 400 souls-maybe), I am one of THREE americans.  Two of us have recently moved in whilst the other lady has been there for years and years.  I haven't met either of them, btw.  I just get the updates via my neighbor, Maurice.  He jokingly said that they have reached their quota of Americans and that they are rolling up the welcome mats now (personally, I wouldn't mind because I quite like being in an incredibly Welsh village- many of the elderly folks don't speak English at all).  So strange that I moved to a place where there are actually fewer of us Yanks and found more of us just through speaking to people.  Apparently, being residents is rare so people remember us.

According to Maurice, I am the sweet American woman who gave the kids lots of candy on Halloween and who is married to the lovely English man with the Welsh last name.  You know, the ones down the old road in the old cottage with the three dogs?  I love living in a tiny village.

I live up in the Northwest(Crewe,Cheshire), and I haven't randomly met any Americans up here. When I was in Hanley one day, I did see a kid with his girl wearing a t-shirt that said, "San Diego" on it, and I wanted to go up and ask him where he got it, but, I didn't. I always feel like I'm yelling when I speak in shops and things, because I get "the look". I've finally stopped thinking that everyone's staring at me, though, so, I reckon that's progress.  

I do get tickled when we hear a Scot speaking...I'll turn to my DH and say, "What did he say?" and DH will say, "Don't know, didn't understand him either." (not to say there is anything wrong with a Scottish accent...I think it's cool).

I live in a city near Glasgow and on a daily basis I have to ask the person next to me what the random stranger just said.  It's much worse if Hubby and I have been out for the night and are taking the bus home and some drunken man starts talking to us.  It must be that their accent just gets worse the more beer they drink, hahaha.  At work there is usually at least one person a day (I am a Manager at a clothing store) who I can't understand when they start talking to me so I just smile and nod then ask the girls later on what they said.  The girls of course crack up at me for not understand so again I just smile and nod.

I wish I could figure out how to speak with a Scottish accent just so that every customer I come into contact with would stop asking me where my accent is from.and concentrate on what I'm trying to sell them.

My no. 1 pet peeve:
Customer: "Where does that accent come from?"
Me: "America"
Customer: "Oh I know that! I meant what part!"
Oh really?  Do you actually know I'm American and not Canadian because I grew up there and I don't even know the difference.  Wow you, along with the majority of everyone else, must be a linguistic specialist.     Not to mention every other person thinks I'm Canadian, though I do get the occasional Australian and Irish O_o

My no. 1 pet peeve:
Customer: "Where does that accent come from?"
Me: "America"
Customer: "Oh I know that! I meant what part!"
Oh really?  Do you actually know I'm American and not Canadian because I grew up there and I don't even know the difference.  Wow you, along with the majority of everyone else, must be a linguistic specialist.     Not to mention every other person thinks I'm Canadian, though I do get the occasional Australian and Irish O_o

You forgot the next lines:
You: Im from X state which is no where near florida
Customer: Oh ok.... we've been to Disneyworld! Let me tell you about it for the next 5 minutes...

You forgot the next lines:
You: Im from X state which is no where near florida
Customer: Oh ok.... we've been to Disneyworld! Let me tell you about it for the next 5 minutes...

LMAO!!!! So true..... 

You forgot the next lines:
You: Im from X state which is no where near florida
Customer: Oh ok.... we've been to Disneyworld! Let me tell you about it for the next 5 minutes...

    Hahaha!  Oh you are so right. 

When I was in Hanley one day, I did see a kid with his girl wearing a t-shirt that said, "San Diego" on it, and I wanted to go up and ask him where he got it, but, I didn't.

Probably Hollister . Have they followed Abercrombie across the ocean yet?