Texas Accents :: the Posh Phenomenon.

No, not the Spice girl. I’ve just realised that every “UK” person I’ve met over here has been — or has been pretending to be — posh. it’s amazing. So many people over here speaking the Queen’s English! Not a regional accent in earshot. Somehow I suspect someone is playing up to the US image of little ol’ England…In the hairdressers, there was a tense silence among the two people who I knew were British, already in their chairs. They listened to my accent as only the English can. I am sure they would have scanned me from my shoes to my necklace too, if they’d been able to turn their heads, with that special, English flick of the eyes.

The Accent prickled between we three like electricity between three lightening conductors, uncomfortable and intangible.

The Texans are largely humble about their accent, blushingly acknowledging an inflection of hick; the English are proud of theirs, like a shiny diamond brooch in a Hermes scarf, stiff and unbending.