Everyone has an accent but
me. This is like the mother watching the soldiers march
who said that they were all out of step except for her
son. Everyone uses their tone of voice to show where
they were brought up or who they are identifying with.
But we also use our tone of voice to show when we are angry or
pleased or stern or apologetic.
The problem is that with a
person who has an accent different from your own, you will
make mistakes. Something that for that person is meant
to show concern sounds to you like anger; or something
intended to sound like an apology may sound to you like making
fun of you.
When you notice that someone
has an accent, that is your strongest clue that you are likely
to make mistakes about their attitudes from the way they
speak. And they are likely to make mistakes about your
attitudes as well.
