Are you picking up the local accent?

To Americans living anywhere in the UK- have your American relatives told you that you are picking up an accent? I lived in Australia and Canada for a time, and there were a few Aussie and Canadian inflections and pronunciations I picked up that my family noticed right away- They faded quickly though..The Canadianisms were the hardest to shake, ay?

To Americans living anywhere in the UK- have your American relatives told you that you are picking up an accent?

Nope. I've been here several years and sound as fresh off the boat, er, airplane as I did when I arrived.

This has been discussed numerous times before, here's the most recent one: http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=66115.0

Yeah, my family tell me I sound English. They can't distinguish between local accents, though.

I have had a few of my English friends comment on how Yorkshire I sound sometimes. I don't even realise I'm doing it and I don't know what it is that sounds Yorkshire. Funny how you can pick up things without noticing.

This has been discussed numerous times before, here's the most recent one: http://talk.uk-yankee.com/index.php?topic=66115.0

Whats the harm in talking about it again?

Whats the harm in talking about it again?

Never said there was...just providing recent historical reference. 

Yeah, my family tell me I sound English. They can't distinguish between local accents, though.

I have had a few of my English friends comment on how Yorkshire I sound sometimes. I don't even realise I'm doing it and I don't know what it is that sounds Yorkshire. Funny how you can pick up things without noticing.

Same.  But Yorkshire o's and Minnesota o's sound the same to me, so I've changed one for the other.   

I apparently sound Scottish to my family.  Probably my vocabulary rather than my accent is what makes them think so. 

I was told once by a cabby that I sound Irish... Don't know how true that is.  I can't imagine that Liverpuddlian is an easy accent to pick up, it's so distinctive.  Just got back from the states though- and my family said my cadence had changed, but after a few days I was back to my old "California Girl" accent... Now my English family say I sound " too American".  .. What's a girl to do?

My mom says I enunciate my words a bit better and my inflection is slightly different on some things.  But a Scottish accent is just far beyond my capabilities.  I can't roll an R to save my life. 

I believe I pick up certain things like my o's which remind me of Minnesota...I also have been asked if I am Irish and by all accounts I can say yes but not from there ;-)

I didn't think I had any accent but the way I speak I articulate words differently and of course some of the words have slipped into my vocabulary.  Some days I have to think hard what it is called in america (as others have said before).

The two days ago when writing a grocery list I thought: "I need Toe-Mah-toes"
Disturbing because I never have thought in an accent other than my own before.
In our wedding guestbook my aunt, who is married to a Syrian and lived in Syria with him for 5 years before moving back to the US, wrote "One day you will wake up and won't notice his accent. When you realize it- it will freak you out!"
I ended up leaving the toMAYtoes off the list

As Weby mentioned, there's about a million threads on sounding more British.

Personally I think using British words (especially slang) makes you sounds more British even if your accent doesn't change at all.  I've noticed (only through looking at old videos) that my Southern drawl is not as strong as it used to be...my voice has turned more into a Mid-Western "non-accent" accent...but it's definitely not turning British. 

Saying things like "Put this in the rubbish bin" naturally make you sound more British regardless of accent.

The two days ago when writing a grocery list I thought: "I need Toe-Mah-toes"
Disturbing because I never have thought in an accent other than my own before.
In our wedding guestbook my aunt, who is married to a Syrian and lived in Syria with him for 5 years before moving back to the US, wrote "One day you will wake up and won't notice his accent. When you realize it- it will freak you out!"
I ended up leaving the toMAYtoes off the list

I thought about this the other day.  I was reading something and I 'pronounced' (in my head) always as 'allus' and right and 'rate'.  It freaked me out a bit when I realized I was doing it.

I don't think I picked up Yorkshire -- even after 20 odd years. I spent about a week in Northern Ireland and went home with a definite "Norn Iron" accent.
I think the more distinctive an accent is the more likely you are to pick it up.

I don't think I picked up Yorkshire -- even after 20 odd years. I spent about a week in Northern Ireland and went home with a definite "Norn Iron" accent.
I think the more distinctive an accent is the more likely you are to pick it up.

I think it also depends on the strength of the accents of the people you are around. DH, his mum and his friends have very mild North Yorkshire accents - it doesn't even sound to me like they have accents - so there isn't really much to pick up. In fact, once I had a slightly stuffy nose from a cold and DH thought I was making fun of his accent because my stuffy nose made my "o"s slightly shorter.

If I spent all day around people with broad Yorkshire accents and constantly heard words like baby pronouned beh-bih, it might be different.