My Son Does NOT Have An English Accent

[deb1]

My hubby is from New York City but he grew up all over the United States. I am from NC. When we married, my hubby was in the Air Force. We have lived in almost every section of the country. A couple of years ago we moved back to NC.

My youngest son-16- is taking some courses at a small community college. He was asked if he was from England. Surprised he said, no. He also explained that he has a slight speech impediment and thought that was what his classmates were hearing. A young man in his class said in all seriousness said that he wished that he had my son's speech impediment because girls' like an accent.

Yesterday, a taxi bus service(I think that it is run by the county) pulled up to the school. The driver heard Chris talking. She got out of the vehicle to ask him where he was from. He explained but she said that she thought he had a very nice accent. He said that she kept asking him where 'his people were from, " And What his nationality was.

Really, my son does not have a British accent nor does he sound as if he does. So we are puzzled why some people think that he does.

I think that perhaps because he doesn't have either a southern or northern accent that people are assuming that he is from outside of the states. I also think that because he has been homeschooled that maybe he isn't using the same slang as the other kids. The class that he is taking has younger adults attending. Maybe his grammar is a bit better then theirs?

These are the states that we have lived in. Any idea how the accents from these places can be combined to make a nonAmerican accent? Washington State, Mississippi, Iowa/Nebraska, California and NC.

 

[ems_chick]

it's probably the fact that he has proper grammar... when i first moved to the US everybody was awed by the way i spoke (i'm not british) i fit in just fine now afer 10 years in ga!

 

[Chickie'sMoma]

interesting.

my sister was born in MA and only lived there for her first couple of years but seemed to have picked up on the Bostonian accent that everyone over the years seems to notice and mention to her. so now that she lives back in MA she fits right in again. i have been born and raised in NH and still live in the same town but i certainly have a NH accent/speech and never get any compliments on it. maybe it is because NH is stuck between the Bostonian and Downeast Mainer accents that it isn't that special sounding.

it could be the accent that has been picked up from living in Iowa/Nebraska and CA areas. they aren't as twangy as some of the southern states. if he has a speech impediment it may just give him that slightly different edge to how well he speaks.

 

[fordmommy]

I am from Wisconsin and people say we have accents. Nope. Most common way of speach in the US actually. But...when I hear people talk from some of those places you mention, I hear an accent. Faint....but it's there.

I wouldn't let it bother you much. If it does attract women.....

......maybe he should keep it up.

You better just start worrying about being a grandparent too soon.

lol

 

[Nupine]

I have a slight speech problem as well, and I have been asked where I came from.

 

[deb1]

Quote:
Ahhhhhh!!!

There better be no grandkids until he finishes college.

 

[deb1]

Quote:
I think that it might be a combination of his speech problem(although it is slight) and all the places that we have lived. We were in Iowa and Nebraska for four years. (Husband worked in Nebraska and we lived in Iowa)

 

[rainplace]

I'm originally from rural Florida and had that accent... Florida southern. Then we moved to Chicago and the kids made fun of me so I would practice all the time in front of a mirror with a tape recorder and slowly but surely my southern accent went away... it was replaced with a Chicago accent. When I lived in California my roommate was Mexican and I ended up with a Chicano accent. By the time I moved to the pacific northwest, I had that all round US accent. /shrug

However, when I got visit my family in Florida, after a week or so I sound like them. Takes me about a week to lose it when I come back home. Same goes with whoever I spend enough time around, I start sounding like them, but if I'm away for a week or so, I go back the American neutral. I was in Australia for a month last year, and when I came back I was told I sounded like an Aussie who had been in America too long... go figure.

Maybe this is relevant. I had a speech impediment growing up and spent many years in speech therapy.

 

[rebelcowboysnb]

He needs to just say that he does not have an accent, they do. That goes for anyone who is actually English too.

For the record, I love my southern draw!

 

[PineappleMama]

My StepMom's brother once asked me "Where ya from"

I said "Arlington"

"Virginia?"

"Nooo, Texas"

"Well where the __ did you get a Yankee accent!"

Really, it's not as though enunciating is THAT hard.

It can be annoying to be asked that all the time, or even better being asked if you are Swedish, Jewish, Indian, think someone once suggested Russian... good grief... Oh and I also always look like someone someone knows... one guy actually thought I was his ex-gf from back in high school... so trust me, it could be worse... at least his 'problem' is attractive, and not something he's made fun of for... (IE my boney beak and frizzy hair) for that I'd just be thankful... and roll my eyes at the goobs.