[Jimbee (OP)]

When I was a little kid, I thought British people all had thick accents. So did Australians, apparently. But you know, we all have accents. I have an American accent. People in Windsor, Canada near where I live have Canadian accents.

But what is that called when you think everyone has an accent, except you? I once heard the term ethnocentrism. That might apply. There's also the word culturocentrism.

And what is the explanation for this? Why does everyone seem to have an accent but you? Do the language centers of the brain have anything to do with it?

[Origin]

Why does everyone seem to have an accent but you?

It sounds like you have hearing problem or something.  Most people will find that people that they grew up with would have the same accent as themselves.  I have never heard of anyone who thinks that everyone but them has an accent - very weird.

[Janus]

When I was a little kid, I thought British people all had thick accents. So did Australians, apparently. But you know, we all have accents. I have an American accent. People in Windsor, Canada near where I live have Canadian accents.

But what is that called when you think everyone has an accent, except you? I once heard the term ethnocentrism. That might apply. There's also the word culturocentrism.

And what is the explanation for this? Why does everyone seem to have an accent but you? Do the language centers of the brain have anything to do with it?

It depends.  I grew up in a part of Northern MN which had a regional accent(people from other parts of our own state could tell we were from there by hearing us talk.)  Later, when I was almost 11, we moved to the Pacific NW.  I remember being told by other kids that I "talked funny".  I, however, didn't notice anything odd about their speech.  This is likely due to the fact that I grew up exposed to TV, on which pretty much everyone spoke with a neutral "American" accent and I just grew used to it. On the other hand, I had one uncle who lived in Georgia, who, to my ear had a Southern accent.

[vhfpmr]

My mother was from Essex, with an Essex accent, and my father from Yorkshire, with a Yorkshire accent. I was born in Yorkshire, but grew up in Essex with an Essex accent. What intrigues me is that whilst I hear Yorkshire accents, I didn't notice it in my own father (but others did).

My theory is that people perceive their own parents accents as neutral (a bit like not being sexually attracted to your own siblings unless you were raised apart).

[alancalverd]

In almost every aspect of perception, we tend to habituate to the everyday and only notice differences. This applies to wine tasting (taste and smell habituation is very rapid, which can be dangerous) background noise, (my copilot is partially deaf but can pick out our callsign in a thunderstorm), color (compare photographs taken under incandescent light versus daylight - the real objects look exactly the same to us but the camera records the actual refvlected spectrum, not what we expect to see) clothing (no other animal artificially constricts itself) and accents.

Just as well, because there is so much information in every sight, sound and taste that our central processor would be overwhelmed if it couldn't subtract the normal kernel and concentrate on the differences.

[paul cotter]

I have heard that the best, as in the most accurate, English can be heard in Dublin. I don't know if I agree.

[Bored chemist]

I have heard that the best, as in the most accurate, English can be heard in Dublin. I don't know if I agree.

Define "accurate English" please.

[alancalverd]

I have heard that the best, as in the most accurate, English can be heard in Dublin. I don't know if I agree.

It used to be, but my contract expired and I haven't been back for a few years. However a young lady of my acquaintance will soon be changing jobs and bringing the pure language of Essex to the Emerald Isle so thasauwrite, innit? Go'a learn 'em the glo'al sto', ennai?

[paul cotter]

Yes BC, criticism accepted. No language is monolithic with various dialects, accents and pronunciation. I was just quoting what I had heard, "the best queen's English is to be heard in Dublin". I am not suggesting any veracity.

[alancalverd]

Dialects can be dangerous!

When automatic level crossings were introduced in the UK, the accompanying notice read "Do Not Cross While Lights Are Flashing". 

Problem was that "while" in Yorkshire means "until". 

[rohite]

"ethnocentrism" and "culturocentrism" can both be used to describe the belief that one's own culture or group is superior or central. It might relate to thinking that only others have accents while considering your own way of speaking as the norm.

Now, as for why we perceive others to have accents but not ourselves, it could be because we're most familiar with our own way of speaking. Our brains are wired to process and recognize the speech patterns of our native language and culture. So, what sounds "normal" or "accentless" to us is actually influenced by our linguistic and cultural background.