Foreign accent syndrome (FAS) happens when you suddenly start to speak with a different accent. It's most common after a head injury, stroke, or some other type of damage to the brain

damage to the brain

Brain damage can occur following a traumatic injury, such as a fall or car accident, or a nontraumatic, acquired injury, such as a stroke. The brain does not fully mend itself the way a cut or other injury does in the body.

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. Although it's extremely rare, it's a real condition.

Why do I unconsciously change my accent?

According to a 2010 study by a research group at the University of California, Riverside, people subconsciously mimic other accents due to a phenomenon called "the chameleon effect". The chameleon effect describes our human instinct to “empathise and affiliate” with other people.

Why does my accent sometimes change?

Sometimes our accent changes a bit, subconsciously

When we move to a new area or are around different regional dialects, we tend to mimic the sounds that we hear around us. This helps us to fit in. It's called bidialectalism and it's mostly subconscious.