conuly | So the guys who'll take care of the tree got here...

Autism, maybe? A lot of us pick up accents without any intention/effort, or have a slightly odd "accent" by nature. P grew up in Hawaii, then was trained to have a Nebraskan accent in broadcasting school, yet he sounds faintly British-of-some-kind to people, especially if he pronounces his own name.

That's my fallback, for sure. I mean, I attribute it to my speech classes growing up, but why did I need speech classes (other than my horrendeously crooked teeth)? And why does the school say I still need them now?

It probably doesn't help that I do use some british expressions... but people who've heard me say nothing but "hi, how are you?" shouldn't be able to claim that's why they think I've got an accent.

Must be the teeth. That's the English stereotype: bad (by American standards) teeth and a posh London accent.

*shakes head*

I had braces. That's no joke, I honestly couldn't close my mouth the way my teeth were.

Oh, people are always assuming the same thing about me. I don't sound british at all, but I enunciate words very carefully most of the time, and I think that that makes them think english for some reason. I've had people swear back to front that I am British, when I am so very not. It's always interesting & rather odd.

I can much better understand the people who think I am Canadian. My good friend Tess and her husband Dalain are Canadian, and when I spend a lot of time with them I unconsciously mimic their speech patterns. (I do that with most everyone. Sometimes I even extend it so that I am mimicing their physical movements. I usually notice before other people do, and make myself stop.)

Many of your countrymen cannot distinguish between Australian and English accents. That they consider your accent English should come as no particular surprise after that.

I wonder what they'd make of South African...

And you can't tell the difference between a Brooklyn and a Queens accent. This is New York, people aren't like that usually.

I doubt they could tell West-Country from Geordie. But then, I wasn't asking them too. I was simply making a joke based on the numerous occasions whilst I have been in the US and people have asked about my Australian accent. I should have included a smiley or something to indicate that I was being light hearted, not serious.

I'm joking too - New Yorkers aren't Americans like the rest of 'em. We're NOT!

I occationally get that, despite having been born in New Jersey, and spent time in Philly, in Oregon, and in Texas.

I asked someone once and he said, "Well, the way you pronounce every word all the way through. And you're so formal when you talk."

So that's mine.

My sister was in Florida for a while a couple of years ago. She says people asked her if she was British. Thing is she (and I) is Canadian.

*shrugs* People always think I'm from Canada or Minnesota, and apparently it was worse for my mom (who's from Massachusetts but hides her accent quite well.) People are just weird.

I've had friends who get told they have accents, and it's usually because they pronounce their words very precisely and don't cut them off or run them all together.

Me, I pick up the accent of whoever I happen to be talking to. And I grew up with an English mother. I've been told both that I "talk like an English person" and that I "talk like an English teacher."

Lol, my friend is from Long Island and has a pretty New York type accent and someone told her that her accent sounded British... pretty weird.

I on the other hand have a cross between a Connecticut and a New York accent. So CT people think I sound New Yorkish, and NY people think I sound Connecticutish... lol.

People are always telling me I have an accent, and I've never been able to figure out why, since I've never lived outside of Washington state. Mostly, I hear that I sound British, or Australian. Once, someone told me I sounded like I was from the deep south..

Lol, too funny. My cousin swears I have a british accent too, but when he imitates me, it sounds more like a... VERY fake scottish accent mixed with better enunciation than he usually has.

Btw, Uly, I'm Caitlin,

tiger012345. I felt the need to clarify. This is my new account.

A few people have told me I sound Canadian... except that I was born and raised in Georgia.

Many Americans may not have as much exposure to foreign accents, and kind of jump to conclusions.

I've also been told to have a Canadian accent, which doesn't make much sense since Canada has a billion accents.

Don't mind them. Some people are crazy...

Many Americans may not have as much exposure to foreign accents, and kind of jump to conclusions.

In New York? Home of the tourists, immigrants, and other foreign accents?

That was my best shot at a reason :P
No more ideas {bows}

I think it really is something about how I talk... I just can't figure out what it is. Hm. This calls for another phone post!