When I used to go on nights out to my local nightclub students who did not live in my town used to always same the same thing to me " You don't sound like your from here" , which seeing as the city (which I will not name) I am from, is very close to Birmingham I actually used to quite enjoy this sort of compliment, ( I am really sorry Birmingham but I am pretty sure the "brummie" accent has been voted second worst regional accent after Essex, you were robbed Birmingham!) Also 10/10 for your bullring shopping centre, queuing for 10 minutes to even go on an escalator really used to make my shopping trips days to remember. Im kidding I secretly enjoy it.
In fact I was always asked if I was from London, something at the time I quite enjoyed and to an extent I agreed with them as I have always been told I am quite well spoken, until now! Since being in this ridiculous city my accent is often responded with absolute disgust, absolute stomach churning disgust. At a recent house party a complete stranger turned around after hearing my voice from a distance and said "Jesus where the fuck are you from?" Because of this " Jesus where the fuck are you from?" incident I now have started to second guess myself and re think the way I pronounce my words which is difficult as the words bath, grass, dance and pub are words frequently used in my life.
Now I have never been particularly proud of where I come from, although I am definitely not ashamed, generally I would have thought the majority of people my age all have the mindset of if you don't move away from your home town then your a bit of a looser, maybe not the teenagers from Surrey though, god forbid they give up there cleaners and move else where.
I too have voiced this opinion from time to time and Im going to call it snobby, because it is. I realised this when on a visit to my nan who has lived in the same place she was born all her life and she simply explained that she likes home, she likes being able to go round her neighbours for a cup of tea, she likes being on first name terms with the man who owns the local corner shop and she likes knowing that she will bump into at least 4 people in marks and spencers on a monday mourning. This is not something many Londoners can say they have in their lives, well after living here for 5 months I am yet to of even seen my neighbours let alone say hello and the man at the corner shop grunts when I ask to top up my oyster card, there was me thinking it was the start of a beautiful friendship full of sleepovers and makeover parties.
I know for as long as I live in London I am going to be constantly corrected on the way I pronounce BATH, but I would really like Southerners to stop treating me like I'm alien to them. I am no longer irritated when I am referred to by my new friends as 'The Northern One'. Although geographically the Midlands is not the north of England but yes it is north of Watford Junction.
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