Although the prep school i enrolled into is known for getting “youth from every quarter” im scared my way of speaking will peg me as unintelligent. Today, one of my teachers asked me why I was speaking like that, I said get got, when I was going to a “prestigious school for the pursuit of higher learning” next year. Have any of you have experience getting rid of bad language patterns? I usually slip into these patterns when I get relaxed with individuals.
I have a weird combination of an English, Irish and “nail salon lady” accent, and even lost points in assignments for using English vocabulary. I’m sure that teacher who questioned you was simply judgmental. If you’re going to a good school, everyone around you is going to presume you’re smart. Also, if you’re going to a school with a large international population, you won’t be the only one with an accent. When I moved to the U.S., I found that my English had improved so much just by being around articulate classmates. I’m sure you’ll observe something similar happen to you. But don’t worry about your accent, there are people who will be experiencing your same situation. It’s not something to be ashamed of.
Had a bad accent and lost it by speaking slowly, listening and repeating (took a while to lose). People will judge you by an accent ( unfortunate but true). People used to have me repeat words and laugh. It was awful It also will not benefit you in business.
Sounds more like you are talking about poor grammar rather than an accent?
Poor grammar? Or dialect? The best phrase in the world is “fixin’ to” which my son rarely used at home (I use it all of the time) but now that he’s in NE, he makes it a point to. Y’all is stressed, as well as “yon’t to?” And “do what?” You can be well-educated and not lose your origins and what makes you you! Say get got with conviction and don’t apologize for it…just don’t use it in any of your essays or English papers.
Get got? What?!
Not sure I ever heard that.
@unemployedcardib Is the school Exeter? (Just curious!)
@Ravenclaw3 nah, Andover.
Using these words its natural to me, i compare it to an accent sometimes.
@Happytimes2001 Get got means, in the vaugest sense possible, to be abruptly effected by something. Like, If someone got their computer taken away trouble for playing games in class people say they get got (past tense) or they got got.
Thank you for all the tips!
@unemployedcardib OK I get got, or got got. I hope you won’t have any issues at all at BS with your accent. I hope people are more open than they were when I was young. I think they are based on what my kiddos tell me.
Remember having an accent is fun. When I have a glass of wine it sometimes slips out. Not so much anymore, but when I was younger it did.
This is not an accent, but FYI in and around Boston the word “wicked” means something different than what you may think…drop the “r” in many words, like “chowda” means chowder. But, where I live, every sentence sounds like it ends in a question (“do what?”).
And is usually used in conjunction with “pissah.” But, that’s getting off topic from accents.and into Boston slang.
Again, regional colloquialism, not accents.
As an FYI, I entered boarding school with a distinct accent (not as strong as most people from my country when speaking English, but it’s there) on top of at times struggling to find the right word in English and trying not to use “posh” vocabulary. I survived; you will too. After a year or so, your parents will be cringing at your Boston vocabulary, 
“Wicked” isn’t just Boston; you’ll hear it used most places in New England. (Sorry about getting off topic . . . 
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im in the same dilemma as you, i got an accent thats ubiquitous down here in jersey but i dont really know how its going to fare up north in new england. hoping for the best!