American kids are getting British accents from watching too much Peppa Pig during the pandemic
· Jul 19, 2021 · NottheBee.com

You've probably heard of a few kids getting accents from watching too much of a foreign TV show, but did you know that it's apparently become a serious problem during the decade that was 2020?

The hit cartoon was the second most downloaded kids show from February 2020 to February 2021, and parents all over the nation have noticed their kids using British words.

  • One California kindergartner reportedly asked her mom, "Mummy, are you going to the optician?" The same child is apparently saying "petrol" instead of "gas" and "biscuits" instead of cookies.
  • In Rhode Island, another young boy told his family he wanted to make "mince pies" for "Father Christmas" and calls the TV the "telly."
  • In Boston, a mom explained a power outage to her 3-year-old by calling it a "power cut" and says her daughter is saying "lovely" and "please" and "thank you" a lot more frequently.
  • In Seattle, another 3-year-old's first word was "George," the brother of Peppa on the show. Everything else she began saying was a direct quote from the show, helping her parents and doctor realize she is autistic.

The Wall Street Journal also mentions another hit show, "Bluey," which features a family of dogs from Australia.

If you're wondering if that show might lead kids to speaking Aussie lingo, I can confirm that my kids have indeed picked up some slang from Down Under, including "bush wee," "brekkie," "blimey," and "grey nomads"!


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