Who doesn't try on an accent here or there, in public or private? What is an accent? What material is chosen when choosing to imitate an accent – which might be how we have all learned accents? What words and phrases, cultural identifiers, examples, and body gestures are chosen to imitate or mimic when accentifying one's verbal capacities and range?
In a quick anthropological study or linguistic analysis, as Thom Dunn did writing about the origins of the "post-punk" accent here, TikTokker Giuseppe Federici, @sepps_eats, asked "Brits to speak in an American accent."
The result reveals as much about the imaginative linguistic talents of some Brits at this food at reproducing a variety of "American" accents as it does about the view that these folks think about Americans. I appreciated the artistically clever statements launched across the pond.
"Literally, Coachella is the best f***ing festival I've ever been to in my life."
"I literally cannot deal with all these people around me. There are just such vegans. I just want some meat, okay? A big fat cheeseburger and some fries would be so good."
"I literally don't know anything."
"Oh my god, you guys are completely killing me right now?
Except for one person who simply refused – with a smirk, the English manners in which these enthusiastic participants embodied the accents, the quick investment in hand gestures, facial expressions, and sly, coy smiles after the contribution is lovely.
There seems to be a stereotyped pattern. Have you met this accent? Note on grammar and accents: spellcheck literally insisted I not use the word "literally."
