If an american moved to Australia would they eventualy pick up an Australian accent?

Question

If an American who grew up on the west coast moved to Australia and lived there for say 10+ years would they eventually pick up the local accent? Since both are English speaking countries it wouldn't be like moving to Germany or France where the language is completely different. I would imagine (depending on age, I'm an adult) that you would still retain some of your American accent and native Australians could tell you're not from there. I have a neighbor who moved to the US from the UK nearly 20 years ago and she now only has a slight hint of her English accent, but she can also sort of "turn it on and off" if that makes any sense. Would I also be able to speak with an Australian accent and then revert back to my American accent when I visited home? Just curious, thanks for your answers!

Answer 1

To an Australian you would always sound obviously American, but to an American they might think you sounded Australian.

Answer 2

No. I've known a number of Americans who have been in Australia for 20, 30, even 50 years, and still sound as American as ever. Perhaps Americans might listen to them and think they're beginning to sound Australian, by to my half-Australian-half-English ears, they still sound quite American. The same goes for Scottish people - Scots never lose their accent. On the other hand, English, Irish, Welsh, and Canadians all tend to lose the accent after enough time in Australia (depending, of course, on how much the socialise with other English/Irish/Canadians). I'm not sure why American and Scottish accents stick around so much, even if you come out as a teenager. (Younger children, of course, can lose the accent, but there's a girl in my sister's class at school, 15 now, has been in Australia since she was about 8 and lived in America before that, who still sounds quite American. Then again, she openly claims to hate Australia and can't wait to move back as soon as she's old enough to go by herself, so maybe that has something to do with it).



Also, I strongly recommend that you don't try to "put on" an Australian accent! Even if you've lived here for years, your accent has faded slightly, and you feel you've got the accent pretty much perfect when you practice to yourself and your American friends, Australians will pick up on you and get offended! I don't know why, but that's how it is - Australians get offended when people fake the accent, and NO-ONE (except possibly Kiwis) can ever fake an Australian accent and get it right. They might get close sometimes, but an Australian can always tell, and with their tendency to still pronounce Rs, Americans usually come out sounding more Irish than Australian.

Answer 3

Only if they Integrate



he Americans at the US post Office have maintained their US accent

Answer 4

Sean, no you will not. I have lived in Australia, as I have in England, USA, and a couple of European countries. I have a good rate of picking the accents. The Australian accent is a hard one to fudge. It is not something you learn, or pick up like you do if one moved to the states.



To get a good sounding Australian language or accent, you would need to move over there when you like 3, and do your pre-school and rest of your education over there.

Answer 5

Come here at eight years old and finish your education here and you will have an Australian accent. Come here at 16 and even if you do two years of high school and go onto university you will always have a trace of your American accent which will be identifiable to any Australian. Accents are learned in the school yard starting in primary school. Miss that period in Australia and your accent for life is already established.

Answer 6

nope

Answer 7

Depends at what age he came to Australia

Answer 8

.

Nope.



Same as the English, or even a New Zealander. They might think they sound Australian after a number of years here but a real Aussie will always pick them out.

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