How to Fake a British Accent?

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I’m Canadian but have been living in the UK for 11 years and prior to that I lived in New Zealand for a couple of years and dated an Irish guy.  Over time my accent appears to have morphed.  When I’m in England, I don’t go a day without someone asking me where I’m from and when I go home to Canada I get the same question and when I reply ‘from here’ I always get very odd looks. 

I can assure you that this happened naturally and wasn’t a conscious effort as I don’t have time and energy for such things and if you’ve ever heard me try to copy an accent I inevitably sound like a British Taxi Driver (can I say that???) no matter what dialect I’m having a go at. 

To be honest I don’t like that it has changed. It’s not because I was particularly fond of my Canadian accent, eh, but I hate when people accuse me of putting on a phony British accent. 

So what, do you think???

Author: mediocremum

A slightly older mum of one, who drinks far too much red wine and has an unhealthy obsession with her slow cooker. During the day she's an ICT Trainer, Social Media/Online Marketing consultant and does a bit of public speaking. Full Profile on Google+

32 thoughts on “How to Fake a British Accent?”

  1. My friend and music-making cohort Steve lives on in Minnesota now, but we both grew up in Northern Delaware. He sounds about the same, but I can hear the subtle influence of the local accent, dohn ya knooo.

  2. I'll add: You sound to me like someone originally from the UK, who perhaps has been living in N. America for 10 years or so. That's what I'd guess not knowing any better. I guess the effect would work both ways.Some folks are pretty sensitive – I once told a colleague who turned out to be Australian that I couldn't tell at first if her accent was Aussie or Kiwi. That didn't go over very well.

  3. It sounds more Irish than anything! My aunt who has live in Canada for the past 40 years has a very strange mid-atlantic accent, when shes over in the UK for a bit it morphs to a very posh london accent but back at home she sounds more canadian…she doesn't say 'Eh' though and I'm a little dissapointed that she doesnt but my 100% canadian uncle does (a hell of a lot when he's drunk) so he makes up for it lol

  4. It probable sounds 'fake' because of the way you down pitch a lot on pauses and full stops. And people may think you're Irish because of the fast speed in which you deliver the words.

    :)

  5. hi, I have a very similar problem to this. I got told lately that my accent sounded fake by someone who hardly knows me..this is the first time someone has told me anything like that to my face. I thought it was so rude..it was like he was laughing at me while saying it. I told him I didn’t appreciate the comment, told him it was rude. He scoffed and said ‘i’m just a rude person’ and walked away as I was talking to him. THAT really pisses me off. Had he told me something like that in front of a group of people I have no idea what I would have said or done. I think it’s wrong to judge people this way. Who cares really anyhow??

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