Can you ‘catch’ an accent from someone?

As social creatures, humans are good at blending in.


Asked by: Simon Thompson, Liverpool

If you spend enough time with them, it’s almost inevitable. Studies have found that we subconsciously try to imitate speech patterns of strangers, especially if we spend time abroad, where everyone speaks with a strange accent and we are the odd one out. Natural selection seems to have favoured people who have a desire to show empathy and fit in.

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