JennieG's post three above reminds me of my first visit to US in 1971. It was one of those programs where one travelled from town to town, staying a week or two as guests of different families whom one had not previously met. Our hosts in Damascus, Md [a bit north of Bethesda] were a delightful couple. But at least twice a day I would make some casual remark in my normal RP English accent, for my hostess to exclaim "Doesn't he talk funny!".

≈M≈