The women who woke up with foreign accents | 60 Minutes Australia

Summary

The video script explores the rare and perplexing Foreign Accent Syndrome, where individuals wake up with accents from different countries despite no foreign exposure. It features three women, including Cindy Hastings from Australia, who now speaks with an Eastern European accent after suffering epileptic seizures and medication side effects. The condition has left them misunderstood and isolated, struggling to adapt to their new identities and the impact on their personal and professional lives.

Takeaways

• 😲 Foreign Accent Syndrome is a rare and perplexing medical condition where individuals wake up sounding like they are from a different country.
• 🌍 The condition affects people globally, with cases described from Australia, England, and Iran, despite the individuals having no connection to the accent's country of origin.
• 🗣️ Patients with Foreign Accent Syndrome do not consciously adopt a foreign accent; it is an involuntary change in their speech pattern.
• 🤔 The exact cause of Foreign Accent Syndrome remains a mystery to the medical community, though it is often associated with brain injuries or neurological events like migraines or seizures.
• 💊 In some cases, the syndrome has been reported as a side effect of certain medications, as experienced by Cindy Hastings after suffering epileptic seizures.
• 😢 The condition can lead to significant personal and social challenges, including the loss of employment and strained relationships due to misunderstandings about the individual's speech.
• 🏥 Diagnosis of Foreign Accent Syndrome is not straightforward, and patients often face skepticism and a lack of understanding from others, including medical professionals.
• 🧠 The syndrome is thought to involve changes in the brain's speech processing, possibly affecting the rhythm, intonation, and pronunciation, which can be perceived as a foreign accent by listeners.
• 📉 The impact of the condition can be profound, leading to feelings of isolation, frustration, and a sense of loss of identity for the affected individuals.
• 🌐 There is a small global community of Foreign Accent Syndrome sufferers who share their experiences and seek support from one another.
• 🔬 Dr. Nick Miller from Newcastle University is studying the condition, suggesting that it may not be the patients speaking with a foreign accent, but rather changes in speech that listeners perceive as foreign.

Q & A

What is Foreign Accent Syndrome?

Foreign Accent Syndrome is a rare medical condition where a person suddenly starts to speak with an accent that is perceived as foreign, often following a brain injury or neurological event.

How many people are estimated to have Foreign Accent Syndrome worldwide?

It is thought that there are only around 80 cases of Foreign Accent Syndrome worldwide.

What was the initial reaction of people when they first heard about Foreign Accent Syndrome?

The initial reaction was often disbelief or confusion, with people thinking it was a joke or that the affected person was pretending to have a foreign accent.

What was the cause of Foreign Accent Syndrome in the case of Cindy Hastings?

Cindy Hastings developed Foreign Accent Syndrome after suffering a series of severe epileptic seizures and being prescribed a new anti-convulsion medication.

How did Foreign Accent Syndrome affect Cindy Hastings' personal and professional life?

The condition led to Cindy no longer being able to run her career development agency and experiencing difficulties in maintaining some long-term friendships.

What was the impact of Foreign Accent Syndrome on Sarah Colville's speech?

Sarah Colville's speech was affected to the point where she sounded like she was from Shanghai, which was a significant change from her original accent.

What was the initial cause of Foreign Accent Syndrome in Sarah Colville's case?

Sarah Colville's Foreign Accent Syndrome was triggered by a severe migraine that was close to a stroke.

How did people in Ke Russell's local community react to her new accent?

People in her community often asked about her accent and where she was from, and some locals even accepted her as a French person rather than an Englishwoman.

What is the general perception of Foreign Accent Syndrome among those who are not familiar with the condition?

The general perception among those unfamiliar with the condition is that the affected person might be pretending, acting, or seeking attention, rather than understanding it as a genuine medical condition.

What challenges do people with Foreign Accent Syndrome face in their daily lives?

They face challenges such as being misunderstood, treated as if they are less intelligent, and experiencing social isolation due to the change in their speech.

What are the emotional impacts of Foreign Accent Syndrome on the affected individuals?

The emotional impacts include feelings of frustration, loneliness, and a sense of loss for their original identity and the way they used to communicate.

Outlines

00:00

🗣️ Foreign Accent Syndrome: A Baffling Condition

This paragraph introduces the rare and perplexing condition known as foreign accent syndrome, where individuals wake up with accents from entirely different countries despite having no connection to those regions. It details the experiences of three women who developed foreign accents overnight, leaving the medical community stumped. Cindy Hastings, an Australian, now speaks with an Eastern European accent; Sarah Colville from England now has a Chinese accent; and another English woman, K Russell, sounds French. The condition has profound effects on their personal and professional lives, causing confusion and sometimes alienation from their communities.

05:02

😔 Life Altering Impact of Foreign Accent Syndrome

The second paragraph delves into the significant impact foreign accent syndrome has had on the lives of those affected. Cindy, who previously ran a career development agency, can no longer work due to her accent. Her social life has also been affected, with long-term friendships suffering as a result of her new speech pattern. Sara Colville, who joined the 'foreign accent syndrome club' two years prior, lost her job as an IT specialist after a severe migraine triggered her condition. The paragraph also explores the challenges of being misunderstood and misperceived by others due to the condition, leading to feelings of isolation and frustration.

10:08

🌐 The Global Struggle with Foreign Accent Syndrome

The final paragraph of the script highlights the global nature of foreign accent syndrome and the unique challenges faced by those who suffer from it. It discusses the case of Kay, a former sales representative for a British paint company, who now speaks with a French accent following a migraine. The paragraph emphasizes the difficulty of adjusting to the new way people perceive and interact with them, often treating them as if they are foreign or less intelligent. It also touches on the emotional toll and the sense of loss experienced by individuals who can no longer engage in their previous professional roles or enjoy aspects of their lives as they once did.

Keywords

💡Foreign Accent Syndrome

Foreign Accent Syndrome is a rare medical condition where a person suddenly begins to speak with an accent that is foreign to their native language. It is often associated with brain injury or neurological events such as a stroke or migraine. In the video, several individuals are affected by this syndrome, causing them to speak with accents from different countries, which is central to the video's theme of the unexpected and profound changes in speech and identity.

💡Accent

An accent refers to a distinctive way of pronouncing a language peculiar to a particular country, region, or social class. In the context of the video, accents are significant as they become a new and involuntary characteristic for the individuals with Foreign Accent Syndrome, leading to changes in their social interactions and self-perception.

💡Epileptic Seizures

Epileptic seizures are sudden, uncontrolled electrical disturbances in the brain that can cause changes in one's behavior, movements, feelings, and consciousness. In the video, Cindy Hastings suffered from severe epileptic seizures, which were followed by the onset of Foreign Accent Syndrome after she was prescribed a new medication, illustrating the link between neurological events and the development of the syndrome.

💡Neurological Events

Neurological events encompass a range of occurrences in the nervous system that can affect brain function, such as strokes, migraines, and seizures. The video script mentions neurological events as triggers for Foreign Accent Syndrome, showing how such events can lead to the condition and significantly alter a person's speech pattern.

💡Migraine

A migraine is a severe headache often accompanied by other symptoms such as nausea, sensitivity to light, and in some cases, an aura. In the video, Sara Colville's Foreign Accent Syndrome was triggered by a migraine that was severe enough to border on a stroke, demonstrating the variety of neurological incidents that can lead to the syndrome.

💡Speech Disorder

A speech disorder refers to any condition that affects a person's ability to communicate effectively through speech. In the video, Foreign Accent Syndrome is described as a type of speech disorder where the affected individuals' speech patterns change to sound like a foreign accent, even though they are not intentionally mimicking one.

💡Cultural Identity

Cultural identity is the sense of belonging to a cultural group, which is often linked to shared language, traditions, and values. The video discusses how the sudden change in accent can affect an individual's cultural identity, as they are perceived and treated differently due to their new, foreign-sounding speech.

💡Social Interaction

Social interaction refers to the process of communicating and engaging with others. The video highlights the impact of Foreign Accent Syndrome on social interactions, as the affected individuals face challenges such as being misunderstood, treated as foreigners, or even perceived as rude or arrogant due to their altered speech.

💡Adaptation

Adaptation is the process of adjusting to new conditions or changes. The individuals in the video must learn to adapt to their new way of speaking and the reactions it elicits from others, which can be a difficult and ongoing process as they navigate their altered social and professional lives.

💡Professional Life

Professional life pertains to one's career and work-related activities. The video script describes how the onset of Foreign Accent Syndrome has a profound impact on the professional lives of the affected individuals, with some unable to continue their previous work due to the challenges posed by their changed speech.

💡Identity

Identity refers to the characteristics determining who or what a person or thing is. In the video, the individuals' sense of identity is deeply affected by Foreign Accent Syndrome, as their new accents alter how they perceive themselves and how they are perceived by others, leading to a sense of loss or change in their self-identity.

Highlights

Introduction to Foreign Accent Syndrome affecting three women who woke up sounding like they were from different countries.

Cindy Hastings, a fourth-generation Australian, now speaks with a thick Eastern European accent despite never having been to Europe.

Sarah Colville from England now has a Chinese accent after suffering a severe migraine bordering on a stroke.

K. Russell, another English woman, developed a French accent following a migraine.

The impact of Foreign Accent Syndrome includes feelings of frustration, shame, and loneliness.

Cindy Hastings' life changed profoundly after suffering epileptic seizures and being prescribed new medication.

The syndrome is rare, with only around 80 known cases worldwide.

Dr. Nick Miller explains that patients don't actually speak with foreign accents but their speech sounds that way to listeners.

Sarah Colville's friends and family initially thought her change in accent was a joke, but later understood its serious implications.

The syndrome affects not only personal identity but also professional life and social relationships.

Cindy Hastings could no longer run her business due to the syndrome.

People often misinterpret the syndrome as arrogance or rudeness, causing misunderstandings.

The syndrome can lead to feelings of isolation as friends and family may distance themselves.

Medical professionals are still unsure about the exact cause and treatment of Foreign Accent Syndrome.

Cindy Hastings has come to terms with her new life, acknowledging the permanence of her changed accent.

The emotional toll of the syndrome is significant, with patients feeling like they have lost a part of themselves.

The documentary aims to raise awareness about the syndrome and the challenges faced by those affected.

Transcripts

imagine waking up one morning and not

sounding like yourself

in fact sounding like someone from an

entirely different country I've just

spent a few fascinating days with three

otherwise normal women who have the

medical world completely stumped one day

I felt sick the next they were jabbering

away with thick foreign accents one can

now pass for Russian another has

developed a French lilt the third sounds

Chinese it's called

foreign accent syndrome and it's a

condition that's as rare as it is

strange on the New South Wales Mid North

Coast the accents are characteristically

Australian but one local sports stands

out

[Music]

Cindy Hastings is fourth-generation

Australian she's never been to Europe

but you'd swear she was born there such

as her thick Eastern European accent

where do you think she is from I'd say

probably it's interesting that you will

perceive it that the way because I'm

actually Iranian oh okay

I'm born Sydney and Australia all my

life oh well Cindy is a victim of the

curious condition known as foreign

accent syndrome it's rare it's causes

vary but all those affected literally

wake up one day sounding exotically

different but but butter butter battery

battery battery charger battery tire

Sarah Colville from Plymouth in England

is a dead set home here now sounds like

she's from Shanghai it wasn't until I

was in ambulance on the way to hospital

Chantilly say oh you're aware of the way

you were speaking and I say oh I sound

like a vassal or I said no you sound

like you can work at a Chinese

restaurant I said yeah

look good working to local China house

or Safi the robber you saying Armenian

and another English woman k Russell

sounds like she's just flown in from

Paris okay to the locals here in your

village accept you as a french person or

as an english they have asked on many

occasion what my accent is and where i

come from and then have expected so

they're unsure as well

Oh dad it's almost possible these three

women share an extraordinary illness

that sounds like a joke but has left

them frustrated ashamed and lonely

imagine one day talking like this and

the next having to explain why your

mother tongue now sounds French let's

just hold on second I started sounding

total de France when I heard my spell

speed and the speech process in my heads

was total difference you'd learn to live

with it you learn to adapt but it's not

easy and it no it never is it's the same

every day for Cindy Hastings life

changed profoundly just over a year ago

she was running a successful career

development agency from her home near

Port Macquarie then one day she suffered

a series of severe epileptic seizures

and was prescribed a new anti convulsion

medication but there was a bizarre side

effect you started noticing a change

change a speech speech slowed down I had

trouble word finding so to choose the

right words to say but when the doctor

said foreign accent syndrome he must

have thought what is that it was it was

a shock to us to hear something like

that first of all yes okay i

speakerphone accent so it makes sense

but fukken mystic what is fun accent

syndrome employment choice is your

business Cindy yeah I started it back in

2004 and it was really based on wanting

to do something for the community in a

local radio interview from three years

ago his Cindy's one and only memory of

how she used to sound and a life now

lost that's very very different is that

I could say what I wanted at a speed

that didn't sound like I wasn't make

sense well you sound like a normal

intelligent Australian woman I do it's

very distressing to hear that because

from what we've been told is that is

very unlikely I ever very turned to that

invested to me return thank you really

nice emotion what's it been like living

through all this the impact has been far

greater than you might expect for Cindy

and her husband David she could no

longer run her business and some

long-term friendships have suffered you

can see just the Wonder in their faces

is this the same lady as David got a new

girlfriend perhaps or they just try and

make their own mind up on the situation

to the very thing you are taking the

mickey over I often do I think at the

beginning but when you when you tell

them it's a medical condition that's a

result of the wrong medication and in

the brain condition they tend to take

that serious they'll have some

intelligence that the Brazil is working

on in there still going is just it just

just doesn't connect with this bit this

bit seems to have mind over some stuff

what's been the worst part of all this I

think the worst part was me how it

affected me and nobody really

understands what it's like to to go from

being accepted in your local area you

know and all of a sudden everybody wants

to treat you like you're deaf or your

brain damaged or your foreign I Sophie

to see you again there you want to take

a seat just here it's two years since

Sara Colville joined this rare foreign

accent syndrome Club thought to number

only 80 around the world let's try some

sounds can you say for me pee pee pee

pee pee pee pee over and over again as

fast as you can pppp pppp Sara was an IT

specialist until a severe migraine

bordering on a stroke brought the

syndrome on and can you try dee-do

dee-do dee-do dee-do dee-do dee-do

dee-do trash kasia crash karachi crushed

car showed up okay let's try reading dr.

Nick Miller from England's Newcastle

University says his patients don't

actually speak with foreign accents it

just sounds that way you wish it to know

all about am a grandfather the listener

hears a foreign accent so because for

instance you might add earth to

everything I want to poverty

please and couple that with changes to

the to the rhythm in your speech it

might ruin all that sounds Italian to me

or you can't pronounce the word or the

sound work anymore so instead of water

you say water or vice the fart of us on

in the glass or something like that and

so a or hmm sounds a bit bit German to

me you're saying these people have a

speech disorder which happens to sound

in the year of the listener like a

foreign accent yeah I think you've hit

the nail on the head have all your

friends and family stuck by him friends

no family

yeah yeah why have you lost friends

I think particularly in the early days I

didn't like to see what Thai to become

because maybe it was too upsetting for

them I don't know I they're not around

for me to ask you know but so they think

you are different just from your voice

yeah yeah pretty much

I'm a good romantic OLS they will

say oh you said this around Sarah's

husband Patrick has stuck by her but he

can see why people might be put off

thinking she's arrogant or rude she used

to say to me like you did you do say can

you can you make me a cup of coffee

please I have to learn to say can you do

you coffee so now I look like a rude

order yeah all the time

the oldest bridge in her little village

in Gloucestershire english-born ke

Russell

sounds like she belongs in Provence and

okay foreign accent syndrome was also

caused by a migraine but its onset was

especially frightening for her and

downright weird she recorded herself in

those inarticulate first few days we got

the idea kay was once a sales rep for a

British paint company and made a TV ad

using her married name and I would like

to welcome you to the premier products

insight video highlighting one of our

selected products it can be found it's a

huge difference isn't it

you can't blame people though can you

for saying okay you've been watching too

many Inspector Clouseau news if only

they would sure if you've been through

this or go through this you know jolly

well there's no way of fighting it it's

impossible but sometimes you seem to

actually say a word in French you just

did impossible I say the words in the

way that I can speak it from our brain

through the speech process method your

intonation tongue movement etc if that

sound French to you then that sound

French to you I can see that the despair

on the face is a lot and this

something's happened to me and it's

caused me to do this I'm not putting

this on it's not something I'm doing to

get attention it's something that's

happened to me please tell me what

what's happened to me why why is this

happen there we go

I'm good thank you it's I've been in so

speak to yours

being a new sufferer and the only one in

Australia it's good for Cindy to know

that she's not on her own I don't know

what it's like for you but you you get

spoken to like you stupid or you know

people play really slow death speech to

speak so you have to yeah you have a lot

to get used to other people how they

treat you so many times if I had the

money for every time someone said to me

when you're born I'd be millionaire by

now it's incredible it's taken more than

a year for Cindy to come to terms with

her new life a life that seems to be

changed forever because doctors tell

Cindy her familiar Australian accent and

the woman she once was almost certainly

won't come back I would love to to still

be able to do the things that I loved

doing in my professional life you don't

think you'll ever get back there so that

T is really like losing a part of you if

there's a big chunk of me gone yes it's

almost an entirely different person

isn't it mmm it is but I still the same

person is type I still here I just am

very different No

hello I'm Tara brown thanks for watching

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