Do you ever change the way you speak around different people?

username927016

For example when interacting with people of different social classes...

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Yes

I try not to become patronising or sarcastic but sometimes it does come through.

Yeah

I definitely do and I usually don't even realise it

Reply 5

manic_fuzz

I try to talk more formally to people with any form of authority, like to my tutors - but I have just slipped into using words like 'totes' in tutorials from time to time without thinking. It seems that when I purposely try to alter how I speak I just end up tripping over my own words :tongue:

Reply 6

Doglamlico

Yes, definitely, especially with foreigners where I will adopt a more neutral accent, speak more clearly and use an appropriate level of language (mostly without thinking).

As for 'social classes' I don't think so, but depending on the knowledge/vocabulary I believe someone has in the topic of conversation then I will adjust my language accordingly.

Lastly my language will be different among friends/family compared to, say, in an interview, in which case I would be more formal and avoid slang.

I think it's quite natural for our brains to adjust the way in which we communicate depending on our environment. After all, we learn languages mostly in context.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 7

BurstingBubbles

Life & Style Forum Helper

Of course! Technically, it's called "accommodating" to other people

Reply 8

Jokerjon

Well I don't talk slang at work or when I'm around family members who won't understand me so yeah to some extent I do change how I speak around people.

Reply 9

RedArrow

I live in multicultural society. I need my gimmicks to be well aware of what's happening where.

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Reply 10

LeFailFish

I try to speak with better diction and clarity around adults I don't know/ people of importance - I don't know if it always comes across though.

Also, I'm half Northern Irish, and when I'm around that side of the family or over there on a visit, I believe my accent changes a little subconsciously and you can hear the Irish side more. Which I like, because I love their accent. :biggrin:

Reply 11

Arketec

When I was at school I used to try and act tough around older kids.

Reply 12

beccac94

I do this all the time, I pick up accents do fast so around "Posh" people I start talking like that but talking to someone with another accent I'll start speaking like that. But if you just mean whether I'm talking to my friends or parents I talk completely different with them as well, even with different friendship groups.

Reply 13

Doglamlico

Original post by Arketec

When I was at school I used to try and act tough around older kids.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 14

Xarren

Of course. If you don't speak differently to a girl you fancy at a party than to the pakistani shopkeeper at your local off-license, you're a retard.

Reply 15

Arketec

I went through a phase of thinking I was an american rapper. LoL what a ****.

Reply 16

Tai Ga

Yup.

Unfortunately I have to change my intonation and vocabulary around some people so as to not be labelled a "coconut" :colonhash:

Sad but true.

(edited 10 years ago)

Reply 17

Theflyingbarney

I tend to subconsciously tone down my west country accent when I'm at university since sometimes people have difficulty understanding me, if I'm talking particularly fast. On the flipside, when I first came home for the holidays my friends from home told me I now sounded posh from the more BBC-English style I was speaking at uni, so I tend to relax a bit more at home to keep them happy as well :tongue:

Reply 18

ChemicalBond

All the time. I rarely use my Dover accent (I've watered it down quite a bit and have been accused a few times by the charming locals as being "posh"-I'm not). When visiting relatives in Plymouth (or my grandfather, who is from Plymouth), I end up picking up their accent, same as when I spend time in York or anywhere.

Reply 19

mxliss

Yeah, definitely. It's not on purpose or anything, it's just natural.
If someone with an accent speaks to me, I talk back to them in their accent and I don't know why :lol: