Have you still got the Accent?

[Harleyman]

Hope you took his advice, Harleyman. When I started studying French,a colleague at work asked me, "Why don't you take a French mistress?" My wife wouldn't go along with it.

 

Had to move to other places rogG as the construction industry was seasonal in that part of Canada so French went by the wayside. Still have fond memories of Montreal though.

 

Over the years I've learned spoken Spanish (as spoken in Mexico) due to owning a construction company and many in that industry are ethnic Mexican in this part of the world.

 

Few years ago we went to visit some friends who live in a small town just across the border in B.C. First day there I was walking along the main street when an elderly woman passed me and said something about Loony.

Loony? Me? Why? I thought:hihi:

 

Found out later from our friend that she had probably asked me to spare a dollar. When I lived in Canada the dollar bill was paper and I hadnt been aware of the change to a coin

[Janner]

There must be something distinctive in the Sheffield accent. While looking for a particular hotel in Brighton, I asked a chap who was in a yard behind a shop, he said "Which part of Sheffield are you from", he was'nt from Sheffield or Yorkshire so how he knew I have no idea especially since I left Sheffield in 1949.

[okismoki]

we were in kusadasi in turkey in 1993,a pair of australian girls had overheard us talking and asked if they could just listen to our conversation,i asked why,and was told we sounded like the gardener in the tv adaptation of lady chatterlys lover,one sean bean...for two overweight 30 somethings,it made our day.

[Filey]

We moved down to Hertfordshire in 1970. For years I tried to loose my Sheffield accent but it was so hard. Now I'm much older I dont bother anymore. I never have to give my name over the phone as people reconise my accent. I seem to laugh more and take great plesure in shouting "ay up" if someone trips up etc. Just last week someone said to me "you from Sheffield". Feels good!!!

[Redneck]

I was in an open air market on the island of Samoa about 6 weeks ago when I heard this Sheffield voice discussing fish with a stall keeper. Had to go up and down three aisles to find him but sure enough he was from the old place , now living in Scarborough.

[Notrom]

I moved from Sheffield in 1982 to join the RAF. I still go back to visit my parents and I live in Blackpool now. I think I have pretty much lost what accent I had - my mother, although born in Sheffield, expected us to speak 'properly', so I only had a slight one anyway. I work in a call centre and occasionally some one will mention my Yorkshire accent, though I was once asked if I come from the same place as that broad accented girl from 'Absolutley fabulous'! As if!

I love the accent and always chuckle when I think of that blood donor advert that was voiced over by Sean Bean - 'Do somthin' amazin' today.'

[Texas]

I think I've mentioned this before somewhere, but there's a famous tourist destination in Arizona, the Petrified Forest. Slap bang in the middle of desert country, it consists of very, very, ancient trees which have been buried so long they've turned to stone. Anyhow my wife and myself were there a few years back and while quietly discussing the various chunks of tree/stone, this guy approaches and asked what part of Sheffield we came from.

His parents had moved to the U.S from Worksop. I tell you, if your not an actor or something like that you'll never lose it.

[IAN S]

I live in Scotland and most people here say I sound English but back in Sheffield people think I'm Scottish.Suppose after 26yrs away you do change .My kids born in Sheffield sound scottish you would not know they were originally from south of the border

[Mrs H Solo]

I left Sheffield in 1981 and lived all over the place and still have my Sheffield accent which gets stronger after a visit. My daughters have always adopted the accent of where we were living at the time. They are now very firmly Notts (unfortunately).

 

The funniest was when my girls were little and my mum came to stay with us in Germany, my youngest daughter who was about 4 years old asked me "what language does Gramma speak?"