On Fri, 11 Jul 2008 09:11:35 -0700 (PDT), Duggy
 wrote:


>
>There's also the fact that people do "play-up" their accents whether
>consciously or subconsciously, I certainly noticed myself doing it
>when travelling with American, and I've heard actors/comedians talk
>about noticing themselves do it when working oversea.  I've seen
>Australians on US shows, in US movies and even vox-pops who sounded
>like they were trying to sound Australian.  I guess there's no reason
>why Americans wouldn't do that themselves when in England.

I know I have to plead guilty to this one!  As some of you know, I
used to make my living doing telephone technical support for technical
software.  I spoke with customers from around the world, at one time
or another, and I have a bad habit - I adapt to the accents of whoever
I am talking to!

Now, I normally have a fairly middle american accent (Dad - Indiana,
Mom - Michigan) but I was raised in Memphis, so I have a few
'regionalisms' in my speech patterns.  But, it used to amuse my
co-workers in the cubes around me no end when I got on the phone with
someone from Atlanta or Texas, as they would hear my accent getting
more and more southern every minute!

Unfortunately, I do the same with English and Aussie accents (haven't
spoken with too many Irish or Scotts) and my Indian Tech Suppot voice
could get them rolling in the aisles!

It wouldn't be too bad if it was something I did consiously, but it
just happens.  Fortunately, I do it naturally enough that it just
helps communications, rather than causing offence...

--
Charlie Edmondson
Edmondson Engineering Inc
www.edmondsonengineering.com
--- SBBSecho 2.12-Win32