Developing Accents

I've definitely picked up a slight accent, or at least slightly dampened my US one. I've had several people not realize I'm from the US---and I regularly amuse friends by saying things a variety of ways (I apparently say "bus" with a northernish accent and other things with a more southern/london accent).
I'm enjoying it, but not forcing it.

Really??? Do tell, never heard hers before

Oh you'll have to youtube it (I'm on crappy internet service here or I'd send you a link).  Probably put in something like "Britney Spears British Accent".  It was during her "crazy, head-shaving, beating people's cars up with umbrellas" stage.

I think they have Rich F***er Visas probably and the rules don't apply to them like the rest of us plebs.

LMAO - That's Tier 5, correct? 

LMAO - That's Tier 5, correct? 

Huh, and here I was just being silly about Tier 5 being the "Rich F**ker" tier, but it was the working holiday tier for a period...

At any rate, "artists" do get a lot of leeway, and can even apply for ILR after five years like other visa categories: http://workpermit.com/uk/writers_composers_artists.htm

Global Moderator Hat On: I know using the F word in this topic is part of the joke, and I'm not going to sift through it all and erase them... particularly since they are already bleeped out and meant in good fun... but let's cool it with the F word as a lot of people still do find it quite offensive, even in this type of context. Merci, much obliged, etc.

At any rate, "artists" do get a lot of leeway, and can even apply for ILR after five years like other visa categories: http://workpermit.com/uk/writers_composers_artists.htm

I don't think that visa exists anymore - I believe it was replaced by Tier 5 in November 2008 and the Tier 5 rules are different. Under the new visa (category: Tier 5 - Temporary workers - creative and sporting), you cannot qualify for settlement (ILR) as it is only a temporary visa. Sports people can only stay in the UK for a maximum of 12 months and entertainers for a maximum of 24 months (see: http://www.ukba.homeoffice.gov.uk/workingintheuk/tier5/creativeandsporting/ and http://www.ukvisas.gov.uk/en/howtoapply/infs/inf27pbstempworker#9150011).

The family-based visas currently actually ILR after 3 2 years rather than 5, so if you marry a UK citizen (like Madonna did) and get a spousal visa, you can get ILR 2 years earlier than someone on a work visa (note: I say currently because the rules are changing next year and ILR won't exist after June 2011).

The family-based visas currently actually ILR after 3 years rather than 5, so if you marry a UK citizen (like Madonna did) and get a spousal visa, you can get ILR 2 years earlier than someone on a work visa (note: I say currently because the rules are changing next year and ILR won't exist after June 2011).

Acutally the family based visas can get ILR after 2 years on a spousal visa and then naturalisation after 3 years consecutive residence.

I say currently because the rules are changing next year and ILR won't exist after June 2011.

WHAT?! They're getting rid of it entirely? Or are they replacing it with something? What if you get a Visa before June 2011, will they allow those people to get ILR still?

WHAT?! They're getting rid of it entirely? Or are they replacing it with something? What if you get a Visa before June 2011, will they allow those people to get ILR still?

ILR will not be issued after June 2011...in July 2011 you will have to apply for Probationary Citizenship of which the requirements & specifics we do not know because UKBA hasn't announced them yet.

The only people that can qualify for ILR are those who entered on Spousal/Civil Partner/Unmarried Partner visas before July 2009 and most work visa holders that entered between July 2006 - July 2007.

The only other visa holders that can qualify for ILR before July 2011 are those with the 'KOL' endorsement who have been married to a British Citizen for 4+ years and living together for that period of time outside the UK. Those persons are eligible to apply for ILR when they take the Life in the UK test, but again the must take the test and apply before July 2011.

I apologise if I have offended anyone with my comment, as it wasn't my intent at all. It was truly meant in good humour.

Acutally the family based visas can get ILR after 2 years on a spousal visa and then naturalisation after 3 years consecutive residence.

Yeah, sorry - I was thinking of naturalisation... I'll go back and amend it - thanks .

My husband moved to Ireland from England when he was 8 and he never picked up an Irish accent! He has a very mild English accent, sounds like his parents really. His younger brother and sister however both sound very Irish.

I definitely take on a bit of the accent when I am talking to British people or when I have spent some time there :-/ I don't do it on purpose...but I realized just how different I sound when I was in the UK last summer and phoned up my cousin (who is living in Scotland currently) and as soon as I started talking to her it was like whoa. I could hear the change in my voice.

It could also be that we are both from Miami and my accent changes when I talk to my Miami friends even when I'm in Florida!

speaking of speech anomolies...John Barrowman was born in Scotland and then moved to the states when he was younger I believe..he talks with an American Accent but he says when he is near people with a Scottish Accent his scottish accent comes back

I've heard him do that!  He was on tv on some who do you think you are show or something and there was a bit of him and his parents.  It sounds completely bizarre yet not faked somehow.  Like his voice was dubbed, kinda, but you still knew it was him.

i actually think my southern accent is getting *stronger* while living in the UK...partly because i am no longer living in Boston and maybe partly because i miss the sound of it and am letting it slip back in more? 

i actually think my southern accent is getting *stronger* while living in the UK...partly because i am no longer living in Boston and maybe partly because i miss the sound of it and am letting it slip back in more?  

That's very interesting.  When I worked in South Carolina, dh came to visit me and I worked with a girl who had a very, very strong Southern accent.  At one point, I was listening to them talking to each other and to me her accent sounded like a slowed down version of his and with maybe a slightly different twang, but not much different. It was so funny to me, I actually sent another colleague of mine an email to come hear it.  The other colleague and I just kept trying to get them to talk to each other because we thought it was so interesting.