It's a funny metaphor this about different people, isn't it? Everyone thinks their accent is neutral, middle of the road, 'normal', everyone thinks their views are the same, and everyone thinks they're right because, for all of us, the world revolves around us.
The funny story and the metaphor is this. I went to Paris a few weeks ago to work with the ITI. I was on stage only moderating a session, not being a proper speaker, but I was working with a guy who I'd become friends with in the ITI, really broad French, massive French accent, obviously, and we're in Paris, so that's cool, eh?
We do a quick rehearsal, and he comes to me (in the broadest French accent you can imagine), "Colin, please could you modify your accent a little bit? It's a little fast for people to understand". I looked at him and said, "Do you not have an accent?" and he looked at me boldly, confidently, and replied, "No".
None of us think we have an accent, but it's worth remembering that all of us do, and that's really cool.
Blog Post Number - 4206