Do East Anglians get mistaken for Aussies often?
Posted by Holli303@reddit | AskUK | View on Reddit | 25 comments
So, I moved away from Norfolk for a few years. First to Rutland, then London, then Brighton, with a few extra steps. When I turned up, people thought I was Australian. Has anyone else had this experience?
Altruistic_Mud9219@reddit
I should disclose that I'm an American, but when I studied at university in the UK there was a guy I knew from East Anglia who I thought was Australian at first. But several of my British friends did too so it made me feel less dumb.
Holli303@reddit (OP)
I'm finding out that it's more common than I thought! Apparently, it happens a lot!😂
eggs_and_ham_i_am@reddit
I've been mistaken for South African more than a dozen times.
I just don't hear it personally.
Bitter_Tradition_938@reddit
This won’t answer your question, but you might find it interesting/funny.
I don’t know about East Anglians, but my partner is Yorkshire born and bred in York) and he always gets mistaken for an Aussie when we’re travelling outside of the UK. People genuinely do not believe him when he says he is English. To me he sounds like anyone else in the York area…
Holli303@reddit (OP)
That's wild! A lot of my family lives between Yorkshire and Derbyshire. I figured that accent is pretty distinct! Obviously, I'm wrong🤯
Bitter_Tradition_938@reddit
Maybe I don’t get it (I’m not British). To me Yorkshire and Aussie are two different kettles of fish, very easy to differentiate. But maybe not for others?
Holli303@reddit (OP)
Oh, no. They're WILDLY different. In my experience, almost everyone from the Yorkshire area has a fairly noticeable accent. No matter their demographic. And it's unique to the area. Doesn't sound like it could be from anywhere else. To me anyway.
Tough-Oven4317@reddit
I grew up between derby and York, and I've been mistaken for an Aussie by a kiwi. Haven't got a clue why. He also asked like 3 times thinking I was taking the piss saying no 😂
Holli303@reddit (OP)
That's absolutely mental to me!😂 You guys sound exactly like where you're from. It's a pretty distinctive accent amongst all the weird shit we have in this country.
Alert_Mine7067@reddit
I'm in Northern Ireland and certain English accents definitely sound familiar, South African and Australian sound similar to me.
Funny story, I was doing work in a health clinic one day, and I was up a ladder working in the suspended ceiling, it was late May and it was about 20° I said "fucking hell it's roasting in here" she says "I turned the heating on, I'm freezing" and I said "Well, I suppose you're Australian you're probably used to the heat" she said "Australian ? I'm from Birmingham!"
Holli303@reddit (OP)
Well, that one's new to me! The Birmingham thing, I mean. I always thought a Brummy accent was pretty unmistakable! Half of my family is from Belfast and the surrounding area. I love a N. Irish accent.
Alert_Mine7067@reddit
The Birmingham accent wasn't one I was familiar with at the time, I'm not sure why I mistook her as being Australian, she thought it was funny so I got away with it.
Holli303@reddit (OP)
It's pretty unique among UK accents. From the home counties to East Anglia, I feel like our accents are less distinctive. Honestly, I feel like a proper Norfolk accent is more like a West Country accent...we just ignore consonants more in the East.😂
Alert_Mine7067@reddit
I can tell Manchester, Yorkshire, Bristol, London cockney, and of course Newcastle and Liverpool, if you don't spot them then there's something wrong. I could tell a Southern accent is a Southern accent because they tend to be softer, but I couldn't pinpoint where in the south.
In Belfast the North and West accents can be quite hard, with some being softer than others depending on where exactly in the West/North, South and East are slightly more refined, although lower East is rough, but slightly softer than West and North rough. The more North you go, it gets softer before being starting to sound similar to Scottish. The more south you go it naturally begins to sound more Southern, and the West I don't have too much experience with, I'd assume more Southern as the West mostly borders the south.
Holli303@reddit (OP)
I've got a vague idea because all of the older generation on my mum's side have a Belfast accent. I can tell South from North, but from county to county, I wouldn't have a clue with the accent. I've never been to Ireland, or Scotland for that matter. My dad's from Aberdeen, so I'm a half-breed, but my close family is scattered all over England nowadays. My folks haven't been back to their birthplaces in 20 years. I was busy working and couldn't go. Need to do that really.
Born-Wasabi8016@reddit
Happens a lot in Scotland.
Holli303@reddit (OP)
Half of my family are from Aberdeen, the other side are from Belfast. I've never been to either. No idea why. Been meaning to for years. At least I know what to expect now😂
museedarsey@reddit
I once had some kind of boat programme yammering away in the background that was hosted by and interviewing a bunch obvious Australians. Until I started paying attention and realised it was an East Anglian regatta thingy.
Holli303@reddit (OP)
The responses to this have really surprised me! I genuinely thought it was just some weird quirk in the way I speak. I can't hear it myself, but then I wouldn't. I'm from Norfolk 😂
Whocanitbe_@reddit
Moved up to the North West from Suffolk - I’ve been mistaken for Australian and South African up here.
Holli303@reddit (OP)
I don't have a particularly pronounced accent. At least I don't think I do. A PROPER Norfolk or Suffolk accent is.....different. Pretty unmistakable, I think. I don't hear it as often as I used to when I was growing up in rural Norfolk
L-0-T-H-0-S@reddit
I moved to North wales - everyone thinks I'm English.
Holli303@reddit (OP)
Where are you from? Are you an actual Aussie?!
Natural_Bet6685@reddit
Blimey, it's true. They are thick.
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