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???

Smile and Fake It!

This is the best advice my mother ever gave me.  I’ve used it countless times:

  • When the midwife came around and was asking about breastfeeding and I’d just been busy hiding all evidence of bottles.
  • When accidentally fair jumping on the underground in Budapest and had a run in with the transit police which resulted in a tug-of-war with passports.
  • When making small talk with someone who I can’t stand and I know the feeling’s mutual.
  • When leading a training session on a piece of software I’ve never seen before.
  • When I was the 2nd woman ever allowed into the Ministry of education in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia and the entire meeting was in Arabic.  I didn’t have a clue what was going on.
  • In the bedroom, I don’t think I need to elaborate on this as you ladies know exactly what I mean!
  • When talking politics, if you were to ask me who the Prime Minister of Canada was I’d have to look it up.

What’s the best advice anyone has ever given you?