People make fun of his Southern accent

DEAR AMY: I have worked with people from all over the world for more than 13 years. In all this time I have never discussed people's accents with them; this topic has never come up. I am from a big city in the South and don't really have that much of a Southern accent. However, for the past seven months I have been dating a girl from the Northeast and she mentions my accent all the time and also mocks it occasionally. When I visit her hometown, they also point out that I have an accent. To me, they have an accent, but I am used to it and don't think anything about it. Part of the issue is that I get tired discussing it with so many people up there. Are they sheltered and not used to it, or are they just rude? How should I handle this?Lee

DEAR LEE: In my experience, people in the North are both charmed and flummoxed by Southern accents.

They think of their own inflections as being completely neutral (though, go to an accent-rich place like Maine, Chicago or Pittsburgh and you know that's not true).

I recently had a friend visiting from England and became aware for the first time of what a burden it is to sport an accent unlike the one used in the place you're visiting.

People would not shut up about it.

I also saw from my friend's perspective how rude it is to have people focused not on what you are saying but instead on the way you are saying it.

You must tell your girlfriend that her comments and mocking are very rude. It's time for her to get over the novelty already.

But give her hometown people a break. Assume they are curious about you but just don't know how to express their interest graciously. Your line, "To me, you have an accent," is a perfect response.