People with brain damage could end up with a foreign accent of a language they do not speak. This can happen if the part of the brain that controls speech and word formation is damaged. There are about 60 recorded persons with this syndrome around the world. Some sufferers recover spontaneously or after speech therapy, but others do not get their usual accent back.
The syndrome has life changing effects, because it is not easy for outsiders to understand this syndrome. The way you speak plays a big role in how you fit in to the world. With another accent people look at you differently.
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2010/apr/20/foreign-accent-syndrome)
My reaction:
The way you talk has influence on your social status. It is not easy to join a group of people with an accent that is looked on as superior to yours. A foreign language is not always looked on as superior or inferior, but it brings along all kinds of prejudices. If you have, for instance, a French accent, prejudices about the French could stand in your way. I can imagine it is hard to explain to your friends and family that you are not fooling them. Especially the first time you are talking with your ‘new accent’ and you try to explain this is no laughing matter...
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I think it is always fascinating to read about strange syndromes. This article shows that the boundaries within the human mental abilities are still far to be seen. I agree with Ruth that is should be very tiring for these people who have to explain themselves over and over.
BeantwoordenVerwijderenI have read an article about Alzheimer. I was very surprised to read that when you get Alzheimer, you can only speak and understand the first language you spoke. For example, if your first language is Dutch, you will only remember Dutch words even if you haven't spoken it for 50 years. If you would live in another country, the result would be that no one would understand you. Once more we see that languages are very important. Even the accent in the language you speak..
BeantwoordenVerwijderenThe human body is very complicated and at the same time very sytematic. It is strange how very diverse things are connected with each other.
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