‘I’ve lived away for a while, that’s all,’ I said, defending my weakened Derry accent
A writer reflects on their experience of being challenged about their Derry accent after living away for two decades. The piece explores themes of identity, belonging, and the social perceptions of regional accents.
Why it matters
It highlights the cultural nuances of regional identity and the common experience of feeling like an outsider in one's own hometown after a long absence.
“You don’t sound like you’re from here,” she said. I was sitting outside a Derry pub last weekend when these fateful words were uttered by a woman who, in traditional Derry fashion, had jumped into a conversation I was having with two pals. “No. I am. I promise,” I replied, as cheerfully as I could, deploying that thin-lipped smile that’s customary any time you hope an unprompted conversation might end as soon as possible.
Sadly, she wasn’t having it, and sat down beside us instead, where she proceeded to listen to every word I spoke, pulling the kind of faces you do when you’re intent on ferreting out a German spy caught deep behind enemy lines. “I’ve lived away for a while, that’s all,” I said, struggling to find a response that would make this interaction less awkward than it needed to be.
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