A North South Divide/ Accents within a country.

We have such a mix of people here in Cambridge that people don't tend to comment on one's accent. I think that my accent is more or less 'BBC' (or Upper Middle Class Southern) and, although I was born and bred here, I don't speak with the local accent, though it depends on who I'm talking with. I would tend to use a slightly different accent when speaking with locals than when speaking with people who speak more like me. This is the point, I think. I was once asked. when on holiday in Ireland. what part of Ireland I came from because I had obviously picked up some of that lovely Irish roundedness but she couldn't identify where it was from! I was also told (in Paris, France) that I must be Belgian ("Vous etes Belge, n'est-ce pas?") and on another occasion (in the Loire valley) that I spoke with a Spanish accent! I think that you may have (perhaps unconsciously) picked up something of the local accent - which will be a slight difference in vowels, mostly - and local people detect an anomaly but can't exactly place it as 'here' or 'there'. So they ask!

@Lindalahughes @marguicha Germany has 80+ mill. inhabitants. There are lots of dialects and accents. Some are even impossible to understand for someone living at the other end of the country. I've lived in different parts of the country. I've learnt that some accents are looked down upon and others are not. Nowadays people move around a lot for their jobs. It's not advisable to only speak your local accent but also the standard language if you want to make a career. Yet, there are examples of people who do speak their local accent and have made a great career. I speak only the standard language. Very rarely do I meet someone with an extremely fine ear for accents who can tell me where I've lived during my life by listening attentively to my pronunciation. I find this impressive.

I speak the Northern dialect. I think each states have some sort of their own dialect here.

People also talk differently dependind on their social class here. And now there are lots of different accents due to immigration.

Oh yes, there are great distinctions and that is putting it mildly. They can look at you as if you have 3 eyes here if you are from another state.

I've never moved before. But I'm sure in every neighborhood it's different. There's an environment where people are very friendly but also an environment where people talk about other people behind...

There are different languages spoken in our country. There isn't much discrimination though. Have a good day. Take care