In May 2008, she had a stroke, giving her the rare condition known as foreign accent syndrome - something believed to affect only a 100 people worldwide.
Most people with her condition speak in only one new accent, but Jill has a variety - American, Irish and Scots, depending on the mood.
6 comments:
How interesting! Does a person have to be familiar with these accents, or do they suddenly know how people from those areas speak?
In this case Jill has never left NZ and doesn't have any family from these areas. She would have heard the accents at some time.
That's fascinating, maybe a part of her brain has absorbed these accents from someone she's met or heard in the past?
Perhaps, but is very intriguing. There is so much that we don't know about the human brain.
Huh. Really? True story? Reminds me of a woman from the region of Calabria in Italy who is completely uneducated but apparently speaks all languages with those who seek her guidance. Modern-day muse of sorts. Have no idea of her name or more info - will have to ask my husband. She's a legend over there.
Alana, I might check that woman from Italy out and see if I can get another story posted.
Thanks,
peter
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