The English, They Emmigrate...

[Moozik: Lloyd Cole - Perfect Skin]

...and they pick up accents. Bumping into English ex-pats is somewhat of a hit and miss affair here in Phoenix. On Sunday I bumped into two in one day which is almost unheard of. As you do, I pay attention to see how much of an American accent my fellow ex-pats have picked up.

Pete from Leicester had an oh so subtle license plate of ENGL4ND. He was quite the lightweight because he had a strong American accent after only six years. After a bit of chit chatting his accent completely changed and he was back to full on English accent.

Then later in the day I met a lady (and I forget her name) who said she was born in Plymouth and left England after Sixth Form. I'm crap at guessing ages but I *think* she was a little older than me. She had totally lost her accent and was completely indistinguishable from Americans around her. I was somewhat skeptical of her claim of growing up in England though.

her: I was born in Plymouth and lived there until I finished Sixth Form.
me: I'm from Cambridge [0] and I left England when I was 21.
her: Oh, I know Cambridge, that's up North right?
me: (sigh) Well, not exactly.

[0] Because it's only 17 miles away, I say Cambridge as that's the nearest City that most people have actually heard of.