Even living Canada for many years hasn’t cured it! After all this time you'd think I would sound like a Canadian, but no, it seems my mixed up South African/ British accent is still alive and well, according to folks that meet me for the first time. Some jokingly say I “talk funny.”
I've grown more used to it over the years, but find I still have to do mental gymnastics at times to translate different words from the British/SA/Canadian version to the American one. |
It's an interesting thing, this lifetime imprint of original language that just doesn't seem to go away. Studies show that infants hear different language sounds until they're about 10 months old, but after that disregard sounds that don't occur in their immediate caregiver language. So that's the way they speak as they grow up.
I've always had an intense interest in languages, and my ear can detect where most other folks grew up, even different dialects in the same country. But regardless of this, I cannot hear my own distinctive accent when I speak unless it's a recorded version, when I'm slightly horrified! I guess we’d all like to fit in.
It disappears if you sing!
The most interesting thing is there's absolutely no trace of her Scottish heritage when she unleashes her glorious singing voice. Seems this is the way with a number of celebrities.
Language accents can determine whether you're liked by others, or not. It often depends on their own cultural background. It doesn't seem to matter where you come from, the place where you started in life will always imprint it's echoes on your voice. That's why, to some, I talk funny.
Vicki