What makes us subconsciously mimic the accents of others in conversation

[Hugh_Lebowski]

1. I totally do that around British people ... it's like so automatic for me

Though I'm a Yank, I've watched SO MUCH British comedy and drama, and I lived in a BCC for 3 years as a kid ... granted it was Hong Kong but we were around Brits really quite often. When I came back to the States people used to ask if I was British for years.

I can also do a mean Cantonese accent, but I don't use it much.

British people are REALLY used to Americans trying to copy their accents and it's always collegial if I start using it when talking to a Brit ... you know, UNlike if I mimic Cantonese to a Chinese person.