Accidentally imitating other people's voice/accent

[Feeble Scream]

I've noticed that when I talk to people, I rarely use my "own voice" but imitate other's who I have heard speaking before. It doesn't really matter what language their speaking, I imitate them either way. If it's Finnish, which is my native language, I sometimes copy different dialects depending what other people are using.
But it's worse when using English. For few month's now I've been speaking only English because of my studies and when I hear native accents I can't help but to start imitating them. I don't even notice it myself until later on and not to mention controlling it. Like yesterday I was watching tv and there was someone with Scottish accent and you can probably guess how I was speaking today....

It's just leads to more weird and embarrassing situations which I already have too often.

Am I alone with my weirdness or does anyone else have same problem?

 

[TheTemp]

Hahahahhaha my dad is exactly like that! I find it so cute! He's Middle Eastern, so to hear him talking to a Chinese person is absolutely hilarious!

I think it's adorable, don't change!

It's a good way to communicate, it's kind of like mirroring body language, same concept. It's not a bad thing.

 

[Deiradella]

I've noticed that when I talk to people, I rarely use my "own voice" but imitate other's who I have heard speaking before. It doesn't really matter what language their speaking, I imitate them either way. If it's Finnish, which is my native language, I sometimes copy different dialects depending what other people are using.
But it's worse when using English. For few month's now I've been speaking only English because of my studies and when I hear native accents I can't help but to start imitating them. I don't even notice it myself until later on and not to mention controlling it. Like yesterday I was watching tv and there was someone with Scottish accent and you can probably guess how I was speaking today....

It's just leads to more weird and embarrassing situations which I already have too often.

Am I alone with my weirdness or does anyone else have same problem?

Nope, you're not alone. I do the same thing.

I was always kind of on my own. I'm the eldest grandchild by several years, and there was at least two or three years between myself and any other kids around until I started school. Even then, I was kind of an odd child because I didn't act or talk like your typical five-year-old after hanging around adults and much older kids all the time. I think I started mimicking accents and modes of speech in an effort not to stand out quite so much and avoid notice.

It's kind of backfired now that I've developed a fondness for British television though...

 

[LifeInternal88]

I don't think it is a problem, in the tradtional sense of a "problem". I catch myself wanting to do it, with some accents I like. Although I don't.


The talented Mr. Ripley was good at this.

 

[Section_31]

Ive done this unknowingly!!!! hearing MikeyC, i apparently try to become an honorary australian, though i bet if i walked down the street in melbourne id insult someone and get my @$$ kicked haha.

I do that with english and irish accents as well strangely enough :S.

 

[PopulationZero]

i used to copy words my friends would say. if something i heard from them was funny and they said it alot, I would say it too lol

 

[recluse]

no i dont, but does anyone imitate the other persons personality? I dont know if itls because i have low self esteem but if other person is loud i feel i have to be the same or they'll think ilm boring or something, and if the other person is quiet i feel i can be myself. I'm so lame i have no confidence to be myself.

 

[bleach]

I think ths is a subconscious mental tool for creating social cohesion. people definitely relax a bit moreand feel like you are "one of us" if you talk to their vocabulary and speech patterns. give an ex bank manager a job as a garbageman and he will not talk the same way with his new peers, I am sure of that

 

[Deiradella]

I think ths is a subconscious mental tool for creating social cohesion. people definitely relax a bit moreand feel like you are "one of us" if you talk to their vocabulary and speech patterns. give an ex bank manager a job as a garbageman and he will not talk the same way with his new peers, I am sure of that

^^^This exactly.

 

[spider04]

I used to work with this guy that I went to school with, so I've been spending most of the time talking to him and I started using certain words he used to say or even talk like him, for example if he says 'Damnit' every time something happens, I would start using that word too and the exact same way he says it.

There was a guy I went to school with when I was a teenager and I thought he was really cool so I started acting a bit like him, I wasn't fully aware I was doing this until someone said that me and that guy look a bit like each other, then I started thinking that I am really acting like him::