Stressing over accents
Dear Annie: Sometimes, in the course of conversation with someone who has an accent, I'll find myself mimicking their speech. It's entirely unintentional and embarrassing, and I'm sure it irritates the other person. I've had to explain multiple times to people of varying vernaculars that I'm not mocking them. How do I defuse awkward situations like this, short of avoiding conversation in the first place?
Don't Shoot the Mockingbird Dear Mockingbird: Your flock is bigger than you'd think. A common psychological phenomenon known as “mirroring” or “the chameleon effect” leads people to unconsciously emulate those with whom they're speaking. Though it can be embarrassing, this tendency is not inherently a bad thing. In fact, psychologists believe that it signals high levels of empathy, and a 2013 study found that this kind of unconscious imitation actually tends to make conversational partners feel more positively about the speaker.
Of course, we shouldn't go around deliberately imitating people's accents. But when you do find yourself slipping up, briefly apologize when it feels appropriate, and then move on. You're probably not the first person they've encountered who's done it.
Dear Annie: Concerning the lady who was attacked by her neighbour's dogs: You were exactly right to recommend she contact the authorities. I can't imagine any local jurisdiction where vicious unleashed dogs attacking citizens would be allowed or their owners not held responsible. I'm sure I will be one of many voices who would encourage her to immediately contact an attorney to file a civil suit for wrongful injury. There's no doubt she has a case.
Lawyer Dave
Dear Lawyer Dave: Dozens of you wrote that I should have recommended that Sincerely Confused hire a lawyer. The following letter includes a few more tips.
Dear Annie: Sincerely Confused should notify the dogs' owners' home insurance company of the incident. She'll need to provide a detailed, written account of what happened. She should also seek such statements from those Good Samaritan witnesses, too, if possible. Additionally, she should include copies of the police reports, as well as copies of her hospital records. And she should compile a list of every medical cost associated with her attack.
Since some time has passed, it seems she might be reluctant to pursue a lawsuit. But she should still talk it over with an attorney. At the very least, she may be able to negotiate a settlement with the insurance company privately. Bitten Once in N.D.
Send your questions for Annie Lane to dearannie@creators.com. To find out more about Annie Lane and read features by other Creators Syndicate columnists and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at creators.com.