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Comment by strongpigeon | Hacker News Reader

I would say I agree. That being said, my experience is biased from working in Big Tech where the accents are on such a wide spectrum that people have no choice but to develop a "flexible" ear.

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I think you're right that working in certain areas (geographical or professional) gives you an ability to grasp all kinds of English.

I've worked in universities and in tech, in New Jersey, LA, and Silicon Valley, and I feel like I can understand just about anyone's English.

Ironically, the ones I have the hardest time understanding are almost always Brits.

Yep, a common anecdote from European science conferences is that by the second day, everybody do settle into the thick, averaged Spanish/German/French/Italian/Russian accent of their English which is pretty much equally understandable to everyone present except from the actual guys from Oxford, England.

Exactly! When I have to speak with actual English people, I do try my best to imitate a Americanised, TV show accent. When I speak to non-native speaker, I don't try and let my french go through. It's easier for everyone.

I'm the other way around. I sound like a native US English speaker, but when I'm speaking English around French people who aren't as fluent, I "Frenchify" my accent so it's easier for them.

My spouse finds it amusing, which is probably the biggest benefit, TBH.

At some point I started to embrace my rolling Rs, "ze" all the way and rhyming passage and massage. But luckily I live at the bottom of the sea, where everyone is an English speaker, but nobody is a native.

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