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11/30/2003 Archived Entry: "FOREIGN ACCENT SYNDROME"
FOREIGN ACCENT SYNDROME
An American woman told how how she suddenly developed a British accent after suffering a stroke.
This is a strange story:
"When Tiffany Roberts, 57, recovered from the stroke she found she had an accent placed somewhere between East London and the West Country.
Even the pitch of her voice changed, becoming much higher than the deep Indiana drawl she once had.
The dramatic change is even more surprising because she has no links with Britain.
She has never been to Britain or followed British television programmes.
Doctors have diagnosed her with a rare condition called foreign accent syndrome, which is caused when part of the brain is damaged.