The Curious Case of the Accented Crowd

The other day, I happened to be in the restroom of a plush South Delhi hotel where a known Emcee was speaking with a couple of her friends. They were like any other giggling, late-twenty somethings - sharing some light moments, powdering their noses, exchanging notes about the new salon in town, making plans for the upcoming weekend etc. Nothing singular in that.

So far, so good.

Which is why, it came as a surprise, when outside the hotel, when she was approached by a ‘Zoom’in channel for a quick byte, she drawled her reply in a noticeably fake, nasal American accent.

Leaving me and the others very startled at the sudden accent-switch.

Now I am all for accents. I quite like some of them - the clipped Brit accent, the soft Scottish and the laidback Aussie accent (even though they do eat most of their syllables).

However, the key to liking all of them is the same - authenticity.

Which was not the case with the above Emcee in question. Dressed in her vintage Chanel dress, red-soled CLs, an LV bag in tow, and an Omega Constellation (yes I do notice these details), she hardly seemed to be in want of confidence – which is why it was harder to put down her accent as a case of one of those low self-esteem days.

Which led me to wonder – why do some people imitate accents? And do a bad job at that?

Madonna couldn’t carry off her weirdly-pronounced Brit accent either, drawing many mocking jeers and stifled chortles from those who heard her. Closer home, Bollywood’s brat – SK – and his ex-flame, the ethereally beautiful Miss World – AR (or is it ARB now), are known, albeit infamously, for their nasal accents. Mid-life crises, anyone?

The nerdy Ross from the American sitcom F*R*I*E*N*D*S, also tried his hand at a British accent, but only managed a hint of an Aussie one. But full marks for effort - he after all, did manage to have the viewers in splits.

It’s plain amusing to ask someone where they picked a Texan accent, and hear that they ‘can’t help it,’ ‘it’s au naturale’ (they were raised all their lives in some North-Indian town) or because they studied overseas - for a semester, no less! Ahem!

Some people do it subconsciously – speaking with their friends in their ‘regular’ English, and as soon as they are approached by a blonde tourist at let’s say, a watering hole, embark on a put-on accent. The kind that makes their friends eyes pop out, faces distorted with barely-conceled hilarity, waiting for their chance to hoot at their accented friend.

Is it some deeply-entrenched inferiority complex that makes these people break out into an American twang / Irish accent?

Do they want to blend in and adapt with the accent of the listener?

Do they think they make the cut and sound cute / hip / hot?

Do they love being the obnoxious jackass that everyone listens to carefully, only to be made the butt of severely-unkind remarks behind their backs?

Do they suffer from a tragic case of low self esteem and image?

Do they think an accent elevates their status?

Let’s hear your thoughts...