I will not mention which country I live in, or which country I was born in yet, because I plan on uploading an audio file in the future. I imagine that if I told you the countries, you would search for a specific accent when I do get the audio files up.
Here is my situation.
I moved here (An English-speaking country) in 1994, I was born in 1989. My first teacher (SK) in this country happened to be from the same country I was born in. She had a heavy foreign accent, so I believe that affected my accent.
Fast forwarding a few years, I must've been about 10 years old, I was told I have a foreign accent. And again, a few years later, I heard the same thing.
So there have obviously been situations where people could tell where I was from. What I don't understand is that there has also been situations where people had no idea. Here are some examples.
A few months ago, a teacher who has taught me two five month courses over the last one and a half years (I also talk to him a lot on my own time during lunch.) just found out where I was from. The teacher, my friend (who was born in the same city as me), and myself were having a conversation. The teacher knew where my friend was from, then my friend mentioned that I was born in the same city as him. We joke around a lot, so the teacher didn't know if he was serious, and he turned to me and asked "You're not ------, are you?". I confirmed that I was. He still seemed confused and asked "But you're born here, right?", and I said I wasn't.
One person (Not really a friend) who I've known since grade 9 says that I don't have an accent.
About a year ago, I was with two friends (Both born in the country I live in now) and we were talking. One of them who knows me a bit more knows where I was born. He mentioned me and my nationality and the second guy, in confusion, asked "He's from -----?". The same happened on at least one other occasion, but with different people.
So why is it that some people seem to know where I am from, and some have no idea? All the people I've mentioned were born in this English speaking coutnry, unless I specifically noted otherwise.
Here is my situation.
I moved here (An English-speaking country) in 1994, I was born in 1989. My first teacher (SK) in this country happened to be from the same country I was born in. She had a heavy foreign accent, so I believe that affected my accent.
Fast forwarding a few years, I must've been about 10 years old, I was told I have a foreign accent. And again, a few years later, I heard the same thing.
So there have obviously been situations where people could tell where I was from. What I don't understand is that there has also been situations where people had no idea. Here are some examples.
A few months ago, a teacher who has taught me two five month courses over the last one and a half years (I also talk to him a lot on my own time during lunch.) just found out where I was from. The teacher, my friend (who was born in the same city as me), and myself were having a conversation. The teacher knew where my friend was from, then my friend mentioned that I was born in the same city as him. We joke around a lot, so the teacher didn't know if he was serious, and he turned to me and asked "You're not ------, are you?". I confirmed that I was. He still seemed confused and asked "But you're born here, right?", and I said I wasn't.
One person (Not really a friend) who I've known since grade 9 says that I don't have an accent.
About a year ago, I was with two friends (Both born in the country I live in now) and we were talking. One of them who knows me a bit more knows where I was born. He mentioned me and my nationality and the second guy, in confusion, asked "He's from -----?". The same happened on at least one other occasion, but with different people.
So why is it that some people seem to know where I am from, and some have no idea? All the people I've mentioned were born in this English speaking coutnry, unless I specifically noted otherwise.