Dialectology

-is the scientific study of linguistic dialect, a sub-field of sociolinguistics. It studies variations in language based primarily on geographic distribution and their associated features.

I've always loved accents. And I like to believe that I have a knack for them. I get ridiculed enough for slipping into one depending on what I've been watching (mostly Doctor Who). My mom says that I just speak with British intonations, so I sound like a Brit without actually speaking in the accent.
At one point I wanted to look into talking classes from an accent coach so that I could learn a Scottish accent. The one that I can't seem to be able to master (and the one my dad can do with such success that he even fools a few Brits). So I looked into accents coaches. I never thought that I would want to be one.
But that seems to be the only job I can think that I would want to have after professionally studying the field of dialects. I see it like this:

I want to be involved in some form of art for my career. If I choose to follow the path of Dialectology, then I can become a brilliant accent coach, and work with actors. That allows me to still be involved in the arts, and then I can have a flexible work life, because I'll be working based on appointments. It may even be a way for me to travel, depending on how good I am and if some film needs a coach on location.
My one draw back is that I'm not sure if I would be accepted in the UK or Europe as someone to teach say, an Irishman a Cockney accent. It seems like they would want to go to a born Brit, someone who was raised with the accent, and didn't just learn it like they have to.
But then again, if it is what I'm supposed to do, then I guess it will be something I would excel at, so it wouldn't matter that I'm just some girl from southern Cali, born and raised with a Standard American accent.

I'm going to try to schedule a meeting with an academic adviser when I go back to school, and see what my options are, and see if this is something I want to pursue. I may have to end up doing a double minor in Sociology, or Linguistics. It's that or do dialects on the side as a hobby and continue in art and get my masters.

This is the point in my life when if there is something I may want to turn into a career, then I have to go after it. It's the time in my life to explore options and study in different fields.
I need to pray about it, and see if this is what God has in store for me.
It may be how I meet my good-looking English husband ;)

Oiche Mhaith ("Good Night"- I'm starting off my new hobby with reading up on dialects and learning Irish Gaelic)
- Brenna