Head Injury Induces Foreign Accent Syndrome

An anonymous reader writes "Researchers have identified a rare disorder in which people, usually who have suffered a brain injury, find themselves speaking with a foreign accent. As reported by Science Blog, a Florida woman found herself speaking with a British accident after a stroke left her partially paralyzed. Fewer than 20 cases have been reported since 1919."

Comments

Tongues

[Fux the Penguin]

BBC
NY Times

Here's a couple of links on recent developments in understanding this rare and curious disorder called. It got me thinking about how some people, when in the company of people speaking with accents, take on some of accent themselves. This latter phenomenon obviously doesn't have to do with a change in brain structure, but is an interesting little psychological happeningI've noticed. Have you ever found yourself talking with an accent (not on purpose)?

Re:Tongues

[Cranx]

No, never "not on purpose" but I have noticed it. I've spoken with many people who've had an accent and found that communication sped up tremendously when either of us did a little bit of "adopting" the other's terminology and pronounciation. In fact, I see this happen between people who have the same accent; they will both shift into a common subset of words when talking, so communication speeds up a bit. One person will say "bike" and another will say "motorcycle" and soon they will refer to the object as "motorcycle." It's just sort of something people do when speaking to others.

The name of the disease

[Gzip Christ]

Here's a couple of links on recent developments in understanding this rare and curious disorder called. It got me...

I think you meant to say that the disease is called "Foreign Accent Syndrome". Next time, do a better job cutting and pasting when you repost other people's blog entries as your own (see the second post on the page). Other than that, you copied this other guys blog posting verbatim. Why do you insist on copying other people's work? You sir, are worse than Darl McBride.

I once had a british accent...

[Wubby]

I once had a british accent for about a day when I had fallen asleep listing to the radio broadcasts of "Hitchhikers Guide to the Galaxy" on tape. The player had auto side switching, so I just kept listening to the same two sides over and over for about 9 hours of sleep.

I actually tried very hard that day to NOT speak with the accent, but found I couldn't. By that evening it was over nd I was normal again (well, as much as I was before).

I don't think there is any mystery in it. It's likely the same as moving to an area with a different local accent and eventually you start speaking with one. I just happen to have the accelerated course.

Take it for what it's worth.

Re:Aha!

[aminorex]

Cute, but a more informative rejoinder would have included a link to the great vowel shift.