help!!

[Juynal Miah]

It's been quite active here lately, good to see, heres my attempt to keep it up.

Help.

I started reading Ian Rankin’s Rebus novels around six months ago, and as they are set in Scotland, I read them with a Scottish accent.

But now everything I read, I read in a Scottish accent, I even think in a Scottish accent, I now even write in a Scottish accent.

But I’m English.

I find the accent more lively and emotive, and helps me get a better sense of what I’ve when I read it back. It’s not a problem as such, but it is becoming annoying now.

Anyone else use similar techniques? or had the same issue?

[Maisie Masson]

Oh dearie me, ye hae a real problem, laddie! I wad tak masel along tae the doctor as fast as ma leggies c'd carry ma, that's ae sair scunner!

Actually, I live in the Edinburgh area and I can't write or speak a la Rebus so I would be delighted if you would give me some tips.

A the best frae Maisie

[Kitty Foyle]

Hmm. You didn't ask for a (half-ass) explanation or remedy, but maybe your most recent linear past life as a Scottish bloke (perhaps even Robert Burns himself, who by the way was a distant relative of mine) keeps bleeding through. As it were.

But, hey, it might be a good idea to get a smudge stick and swirl it around you....or light some incense. Or, what the heck, sprinkle some holy water all over you....or throw some sea salt in the corners of your house, or....

Just in case, you know, some dude from the Lower Astral World is trying to take over your body.

<blink> Bwahahaha! </blink>

*_*

[Alexx Deshaw]

That's quite intresting.

That's never really happened to me.
Once I did try to read in a British accent, but I kept forgetting. Maybe try doing a different accent and forcing yourslf back to English?
I'm sorry but I find this really funny.

Good luck!

[shannon castleman]

Are you serious? If you read one series and it made you use a Scottish accent, seems to me the easiest way to get back to English would be to...............read a book written in English and use the accent you have had your entire life-English!

[Juynal Miah]

Some of the replies are hilarious.. brilliant.. thanks for the laughter.. makes me think how silly i must sound.. lol.

Maisie you should write an entire novel in that speech.. i for one would be first in line.

The thing is I've found it lends so much more to my reading and writing, if that makes any sense.

I've tried with a cockney accent.. apples an' pears, luvly jubly Guv, aawwright Mucka, yooou Ma-pit (muppet).. and all that, as my story is based in London and I've read a few novels set in London as way of research.

But i can't explain it, i get so much more emotion out of what I'm reading, if I do it in an Scottish accent, have yet to try an Irish accent, I think that will work just as well.

But in case you were wondering, I haven't lost my sanity altogether, although i adopt a Scottish accent when im thinking and writing words on my laptop, i don't start dropping in Scottishism's in my writing that have no place there. I am still of my own mind enough to make the distinctions.

But i fear it may be only a matter of time before i start doing it subconsciously: My lead character starts walking out in a kilt, when there is nothing Scottish about him.

I'm just wondering if it will ever end.

P.s as i read this back before hitting the post button, i did it in a Scottish accent, perhaps i was Robert Burns in a previous life.

[mar quesa]

Juynal,

Be true to yourself; learn to accept your limitations so you can write Juynal Miah's story. Emotions can be expressed evocatively in any "accent" provided that you have the skill... work on technique.

BTW, There are different "accents" in London. Cogney is just one of them.

[Sam Fletcher]

Read something by Ian Fleming with an English accent and in no time at all you will be afflicted with a stiff upper lip once again.

[Virginia Browne]

I've never had a 'Scottish' problem but I remember having a similar experience after I'd read several stream of consciousness narratives. I ended up analysing people's conversations, writing unpunctuated emails, talking on and on...

I had to force myself to stop in the end as I was driving everyone nuts.