Do people ask if you have an accent?

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I got the "accent" question every now and then, probably about 7-8 times in my life that I can remember.
In fact, it's one of the most observances that led me to getting my Aspergers diagnosis in 2001. As it didn't make sense.

It seems to fit the "odd prosody" category. I've often thought that from a neurology perspective, it's related to stroke or head injury victims too, as I have heard stories about such people developing "accents" that they didn't have before. Like the example of this one woman in Ireland who had a head injury from falling down the stairs, and when she came out of her coma, she spoke like somebody from Alabama despite the fact that she'd never been there before. I watched that on one of those believe or not type TV shows. And I can believe it.

In any case - if I was confronted about this, to avoid embarrassment I would just tend to play silly and say "yeah, I've been told that before - it's also part of my stand-up routine" - so that way they might think I'm weird, but probably not as weird if I told them that I had no idea.

my daughter got bullied for her american accent

my son talks like he went to public school ( = posh private in the UK)

neither of them talk like either their parents or their peers

I'm asked frequently if I have an accent.

I'm half Japanese, but born in the USA. So English was my first language. However, people are usually shocked to learn that I didn't recently immigrate from another country. I don't have a Japanese accent, specifically. I think this is a result of studying foreign languages since I was very young. I do pronounce English words differently than my peers. I'm used to languages with much more rounded vowels and even say my "r" differently. As far as which accent I have? Just a generic foreign one, I guess!

People often think my aspie son does.


As a teenager and older, people have thought I had an accent. American but an accent from a different part of the country I lived in. I assumed because we lived in several different places because my dad was in the Navy. When I lived in England, as an adult, a couple of times people asked if I was Dutch. I thought it was kind of funny. My son lived in England from 9 mos to 3 1/2 years old. Then we lived in Texas for a year or so and then Georgia until he was 8. I think that affected his "accent". Add that to the fact that his voice is a tiny bit higher than most men. Some people think he has an English accent.

YES!! ! I've been told by several people that I have a Californian, Keanu Reeves, surfer dude/stoner accent (I am neither a surfer or stoner or Keanu Reeves!). Whoa...who knew it could be related to Aspergers...dude....

I'm actually getting quite self-conscious of my voice, not a fan of people commenting on it.

In earlier years, I was often asked, Where are you from?

Plus, some people think I'm a 'flamer,' as in flamingly and obviously gay. (I actually think my voice is miles away from any kind if stereotypical 'gay' voice. But I'm a nerdy guy, in some ways a squirrely guy, and I'm 5' 5". So, someone who views the world this way, maybe they have their own personal or religious issues, and/or someone with a limited number of categories, might well view me as gay.)

By the way, I believe in full civil and legal rights for gay persons, including the right to marry. I believe this because I believe in the human project. But, for the time being, I'm not going to say whether I'm gay or not. I shouldn't be judged and classified based on my voice.

There aren't as many accents and dialects in Canada as there are in the US (if you don't count all the people who recently came from around the world to live here) but in Nova Scotia we're quite well known for our unusual speech. I've been told I don't speak with much of an accent at all, although years ago a boy asked if I was from New York because he said he was from NY and said I sounded like him. I think that was only because I used to talk loudly, something I was praised for back in grade school when I would read out loud in class, but when I entered adolescence people, especially my mother, often said I talked too loudly in public and it was embarrassing for them. I thought it was something I couldn't help doing but since my diagnoses I've somehow gotten better at not speaking too loud. My mother even once said to me she really enjoys being out with me now because of it. I just wish people wouldn't use words like "generic", because it's the same as saying "boring"! Sorry I don't speak in a way that confuses and even annoys other people.

I remember watching Malcom in the Middle, and there was an episode where he meets a girl he likes while coming home from a trip but then he sees the license plate on her parent's vehicle and is shocked to learn she's from *gasp* Nova Scotia! Maybe it was because she lived far away from wherever in the States he lived?

The only people who have ever really told me that are people from outside of my area. But sometimes when I listen to myself speak (I am a radio DJ after all), I feel like my pronunciations of certain vowels sound unusual. I also sometimes find myself unintentionally slipping into a Southern accent, perhaps because I find those pronunciations to be less odd-sounding than the usual ones I slip into.

On the subject of "slipping into" accents:

I do this so easily! I had an Indian accent long after I broke up with my ex who was from India. It just became habit.

I am Australian but my accent comes out as a mix of American/British at times. Odd

Many autistics have odd prosody. I have been told by a few people that I sound like I have a British RP accent, but when I listen to recordings of myself, I think I have a mechanical/robot voice.

I didn't know until today that this was something possibly related to AS. But I've always gotten this question. I'm from NC but live in CA (US) and I always thought it was maybe just because my mom was from CA and I had a mixed Southern and Californian accent. But sometimes people think I'm European or I've been told I say things weird like "teacher" especially. I suppose "r" sounds in general. I also tend to pick up accents/speech mannerisms of people I spend time with.

I have been told I lack an accent.

Just recorded my voice (for science!), it sounds a bit monotone, a bit australian and posh british :S

My 7 yr old Aspie son sometimes talks in a deep voice that sounds like a man. The adults think it is cute and funny, the kids his age, not so much. They want to know why he talks funny. He can talk in a normal voice, but sometimes he just chooses to talk in his deep man voice LOL!