Foreign Accent Syndrome

[Champagne]

I never even knew this existed until I read the news this morning!

A 60 year old Geordie woman regained consciousness after having a stroke in March and now speaks in a Jamaican accent. She hadn't even noticed the difference until a speech therapist played her a tape!

Foreign Accent Syndrome was first discovered in Norway in 1941when a young woman started to speak in a German accent after an air raid.

Has anyone else ever heard of this? Any sufferers? I find that when I'm around Liverpudlians I start to mimic their accents. Does this count?

[Lore]

How strange! I've never heard of it Champs but I know what you mean about Liverpudlians ... I do that and I'm only cross the water from them.
I do the same with my partner too!

[Pippa68]

I found this old article

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/health/2300395.stm

Fascinating isn't it? I hadn't heard of it before either, and don't know of anyone who has suffered with it..most odd!
I lived in Manchester for a few years and began to take on the accent, although not severely. My southern relatives noticed a change, but to the Mancunians I still sounded like a 'southern git' ;o)

Whenever my dad goes to see family in Wales he soon changes his accent and speaks like a native ~ even the Welsh can't tell he is English.

[AB Editor]

after being in your lovely country for five years, i've been told that my american accent isn't as "harsh" and it takes me a couple days of ridicule from my family and friends when I return home for holidays to remember to stop pronouncining "tomato" the british way. it sucks, dude!

[Pippa68]

LOL Ed! what sucks ~ the ridicule or your English accent? ;o)

[AB Editor]

bit of both :) but that's because I like to keep it real, innit?

[Champagne]

Pippa, only around 50 cases have been reported since it was first discovered, so 'picking up' an accent doesn't actually count.

I hadn't heard of it until today either. I had to double-check the date to make sure it wasn't April 1st!! I used to play a computer game called Theme Hospital, and in that they had symptoms such as 'Slack tongue', 'Bloaty Head Syndrome' and 'Hairyitis'. Foreign Accent Syndrome would definitely fit in!!

[Pippa68]

When I went over to the USA everyone thought I was Australian...obviously because I don't speak like the Queen or Liz Hurley!

[Pippa68]

LOL Champers, I kind of figured that picking up a different accent didn't count ;o)

My first thought on this was that maybe someone in a coma might wake up speaking with a different accent according to their main carer ~ maybe they had a Jamaican nurse..but after reading about it I can see that this isn't the case and it is due to brain damage of sorts.

it would be interesting to hear if anyone on AB has any experiences on this!

[Amara]

Maybe she was Jamaiican in a past life??

[whiffey]

All women should speak like Claire Miller and all men like Edward Stourton.

[ELVIS68]

Perhaps someone dressed her in a hoodie while she was in a coma.

It happens to most teenagers, they seem to adopt a Jamaican/ Ali G twang as soon as the hood is up

[Booldawg]

maybe she had spent 15 years on honeymoon in Jamaica and was 'chilled to the core man' and asked the customs man at the airport to 'touch her'

[Champagne]

Interesting theory, Amara. I bet the scientists won't agree though!

So Elvis, you think she's simply trying to recapture her youth? It's just an act? :o)

[ELVIS68]

Yep, and she probably ....arksed for a bearcan sandwich

[dot.hawkes]

I get the Jamaican lady thing, but how did the Norwegians know the lady after the airraid was speaking in a german accent? Or was she actually speaking german with a Norwegian accent? How would they know?

[ktlou]

A guy visiting the office yesterday asked me where I was from cos I didn't sound english!! I was born and raised in Surrey, England and as far as I'm concerned have nothing but an English Accent!! I do sit next to someone from Barbados and spend time with a couple of Kiwi's but I can't tell that this has affected my accent and no-one else has ever said anything! How weird!! I do pick up sayings from people though, apparently 'No Worries' is an Aussie saying but I say it all the time (not with an accent I might add)!!

[Pippa68]

Good point dot! hmmmmmm....

Elvis & Booldawg ~ nice ones :o)

[Lore]

Damn you Elvis, I only got over the Beercan thing a few months back - It's all come flooding back now!

[Champagne]

I don't understand your question Dot. Surely they'd spot her German accent in the same way that somebody would spot it if I started speaking with a German accent?

[dot.hawkes]

ktlou my fave Kiwi saying is 'box of fluffies'! Love that.