Or so it seems. . . In the space of a week, I had three completely unrelated people in two Australian cities ask if my accent was Irish. Since we arrived, I’ve found that my accent confuses many Australians. Most ask where my accent is from, and they’re always surprised. I assumed they thought I was Canadian or something, but only recently did we bother asking “Where did you think it was from?” I have to say, never in a million years was I expecting “Ireland” to be not only the most popular, but also ONLY response.
I clearly can’t hear what they’re hearing because to me I sound American, so I don’t know if it’s me or the entertainment industry that is to blame. Maybe they only know one American accent here: generic Hollywood, or maybe there’s been a tv show with an Irish character played by some American (or Aussie for that matter) with a really dodgy accent.
All I know is that I don’t want to walk around sounding like I’m doing a bad Irish accent all the time. That would be horrific!
I second the “not Irish” motion. I hear Amanda every day, and she’s definitely American. There may occasionally be words where you can hear my influence, but she has never come across as being from the Emerald Isle. To be sure.
I get people thinking I am from inverness….which is at least in the correct country! Irish….no way!
I take it that you obviously thank them for mistaking you from the lovely part of the country that is Inverness…
Nothing wrong with sounding like a Highlander.
… to which I’m sure Crispin will attest. Of course all that time in LA will surely have changed his Highland lilt into some kind of American drawl … again
Who said its a bad Irish accent ?
Must be the lilt in your voice that comes from being so happy & in love.
‘Now der’s a wonderful t’ing’ that many an irsihman would identify with.