A cute accent

I have never really thought that I speak with an accent.  Except when I am speaking my version of pidgin French when I know full well that I speak with an English accent.  That doesn't bother me in the slightest - although I would much rather be told that I speak French like a Frenchman.  I was told long ago - or maybe I read it somewhere - that the French consider an English accent sexy.  Rather like we English think that old geezer Maurice Chevalier speaks (or spoke - he might be dead for all I know) English with a very sexy accent.  He was the guy in the film Gigi who sang "Thank heaven for leetle girrrls".

I don't notice that I speak with an accent  (I'm back speaking English, b the way.) but I am aware that to some people it sounds like it.  My accent is commonly know as a Chatham accent.  It's a bit more estuary English than the standard "received English" but somewhat posher.  It's also posher than a Sarf London accent.

Given what a small country our is, it seems rather surprising that accents change so dramatically in such short distances.  One of the most irritating accents (to many people) is heard in Birmingham - or worse, the Black Country, which is just on the north-west edge of Birmingham.  Oddly enough, although the Brummie accent is nasal and somewhat whining - the Black Country accent being even more nasal and whining - the accent of folk from the south-west of Birmingham - Bromsgrove, say - is much softer to the ear.  The north-east, round Sutton Coldfield and Lichfield, is also easier to listen to.

Moving further north we get the distinctive tones of the Scouse accent from Liverpool.  At least that is understandable, which is more than can be said of Geordie accent of Newcastle Upon Tyne.  And as for Glasgow . . .

Some years ago I was paid a compliment I have never forgotten.  I was at a dinner - not a posh affair - in America and fell into conversation with the people near me at the table, all of them American (except for the Old Bat).  One of them told me that she could listen to me talking all night, my English accent was so attractive!  Just imagine - me being told I have a cute accent!!

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Another bright, sunny day yesterday and I remembered to take the camera with me when I walked the dog across 39 Acres and round the Roman Camp.  This was the view across the Downs to the north-west of the Camp.