I had very similar experiences at school - Australians always thought my accent was English, and I was often teased about it. (I actually can never take the words 'whingeing' and 'Pom' in any kind of good humour even now, because they were thrown at me so mercilessly and so OFTEN at school)
Of course, my Mum is English, and most of our TV diet was British. But the enounciation thing you mention probably had a lot to do with it too! My Mum carefully cultivated herself out of her Lancashire accent, and she worked in radio for a while, so she ended up with a kind of half-London, half-cultivated Australian accent. And I speak pretty precisely.
It is a cool explanation, thanks for that! (I blamed it on BBC TV shows too)
??? Are you me??? :) My mum is English from Lancashire, too. I gained what still is mistaken for an English accent due to that, and my parents living with my mother's parents (who pronounced book as "bewk") for my first four years.
I'm pretty sure I'm not you... for a start, I'm a Ms, not a Mr (tho this time tomorrow I will be a Dr, hooray!).
My mum deliberately lost her Lancashire accent, but my uncle (also living in Australia since the 70's) has I think re-cultivated his so that it is stronger every year!
Of course, my Mum is English, and most of our TV diet was British. But the enounciation thing you mention probably had a lot to do with it too! My Mum carefully cultivated herself out of her Lancashire accent, and she worked in radio for a while, so she ended up with a kind of half-London, half-cultivated Australian accent. And I speak pretty precisely.
It is a cool explanation, thanks for that! (I blamed it on BBC TV shows too)
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:)
My mum is English from Lancashire, too. I gained what still is mistaken for an English accent due to that, and my parents living with my mother's parents (who pronounced book as "bewk") for my first four years.
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My mum deliberately lost her Lancashire accent, but my uncle (also living in Australia since the 70's) has I think re-cultivated his so that it is stronger every year!
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