--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: It's not that I don't understand it. But…" description: "\"It's not that I don't understand it. But people think if you speak with an English accent it somehow makes you smarter.\" — Billy Bob Thornton" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0e/billy-bob-thornton-2003_accents_it-s-not-that-i-don-t-understand-it-but_263039.jpg" --- # It's not that I don't understand it. But people think if… ![“It's not that I don't understand it. But people think if you speak with an English accent it somehow makes you smarter.” quote by Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0e/billy-bob-thornton-2003_accents_it-s-not-that-i-don-t-understand-it-but_263039.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0e/billy-bob-thornton-2003_accents_it-s-not-that-i-don-t-understand-it-but_263039.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/c0e/billy-bob-thornton-2003_accents_it-s-not-that-i-don-t-understand-it-but_263039.jpg) > “It's not that I don't understand it. But people think if you speak with an English accent it somehow makes you smarter.” [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Accent bias reflects a superficial judgment that equates speech style with intelligence, which is unfounded. **In simple terms:** People wrongly link accents to smartness. Key Takeaway Challenge assumptions about language and intelligence. Themes prejudice communication identity Mood critical reflective Type social observational When to use this quote - job interviews - social gatherings - media representation - education Key Concepts sociolinguistics bias perception Questions to Reflect On - Why do we associate certain accents with competence? - How can we reduce language‑based prejudice? A Different Perspective Accent bias can reinforce stereotypes and limit opportunities. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Accents](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accents/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Thinking](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/thinking/) ## Related quotes > [I haven't been abroad in so long that I almost speak English without an accent now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/robert-benchley/i-haven-t-been-abroad-in-so-long-that-i-almost-speak-english-without/) [Robert Benchley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/robert-benchley/) > [I speak English without an accent, and I speak Spanish without an accent. I really do have the best of both worlds.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/eva-mendes/i-speak-english-without-an-accent-and-i-speak-spanish-without-an/) [Eva Mendes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/eva-mendes/) > [Just because I don't speak English with an accent anymore doesn't mean that I'm better than the people who do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-o-yang/just-because-i-don-t-speak-english-with-an-accent-anymore-doesn-t/) [Jimmy O. Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-o-yang/) > [I came to this country when I was 13 years old, I couldn't really speak English, and I had an accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jimmy-o-yang/i-came-to-this-country-when-i-was-13-years-old-i-couldn-t-really/) [Jimmy O. Yang](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jimmy-o-yang/) > [I have traveled more than anyone else, and I have noticed that even the angels speak English with an accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mark-twain/i-have-traveled-more-than-anyone-else-and-i-have-noticed-that-even/) [Mark Twain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mark-twain/) > [Seriously, I don't know any American girl who can resist an English accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stephanie-perkins/seriously-i-don-t-know-any-american-girl-who-can-resist-an-english/) [Stephanie Perkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/stephanie-perkins/) > [Afrikaans is my first language, although you would never know, as my English accent has more of an American-British thing going on from all…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tanit-phoenix/afrikaans-is-my-first-language-although-you-would-never-know-as-my/) [Tanit Phoenix](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tanit-phoenix/) > [It's kind of a cross between, I think. It's not, you know, over the top Old English, like Lord of the Rings would be…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jaimie-alexander/it-s-kind-of-a-cross-between-i-think-it-s-not-you-know-over-the-top/) [Jaimie Alexander](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jaimie-alexander/) > [An agent once told me that if I would lose my English accent, I would never stop working in America.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jane-seymour/an-agent-once-told-me-that-if-i-would-lose-my-english-accent-i-would/) [Jane Seymour](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jane-seymour/) > [Many Americans feel themselves inferior in the presence of anyone with an English accent, which is why an English accent has become fashionable in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edwin-newman/many-americans-feel-themselves-inferior-in-the-presence-of-anyone/) [Edwin Newman](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edwin-newman/) > [A lot of American actors when they do Shakespeare put on a phoney English accent and it drives me crazy. You're always fighting against…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ethan-hawke/a-lot-of-american-actors-when-they-do-shakespeare-put-on-a-phoney/) [Ethan Hawke](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ethan-hawke/) > [English is no problem for me because I am actually English. My whole family are English; I was brought up listening to various forms…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/guy-pearce/english-is-no-problem-for-me-because-i-am-actually-english-my-whole/) [Guy Pearce](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/guy-pearce/) > [My wife is funny. And I dabble in it. So being funny is big around our house. But what's surprised me is my daughter…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jerry-seinfeld/my-wife-is-funny-and-i-dabble-in-it-so-being-funny-is-big-around-our/) [Jerry Seinfeld](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jerry-seinfeld/) > [The Australian accent just a very lovely accent and it doesn't have the pretention maybe of an English accent, but yet seems a little…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/owen-wilson/the-australian-accent-just-a-very-lovely-accent-and-it-doesn-t-have/) [Owen Wilson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/owen-wilson/) > [At first I thought I would have to put on an English accent and try a sort of affected Shakespeare thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/at-first-i-thought-i-would-have-to-put-on-an-english-accent-and-try-a/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) ## More by Billy Bob Thornton > [Robert Duvall taught me years ago. He said, "You know theatre is not real. I don't like plays." You know, he doesn't like plays.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/robert-duvall-taught-me-years-ago-he-said-you-know-theatre-is-not/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I think I fully commit myself to any role to the extent to which I can. In other words there's some roles that maybe…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-think-i-fully-commit-myself-to-any-role-to-the-extent-to-which-i/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Just the other day, my assistant was on the line with Calvin Klein. Golly, I usually shop at Sears.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/just-the-other-day-my-assistant-was-on-the-line-with-calvin-klein/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I don't have a fear of flying; I have a fear of crashing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-don-t-have-a-fear-of-flying-i-have-a-fear-of-crashing/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Heavy role in the movies that I've done that I have loved and fit my soul; A Simple Plan, Monster's Ball, Sling Blade, One…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/heavy-role-in-the-movies-that-i-ve-done-that-i-have-loved-and-fit-my/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [When I was coming up in the '80s television, if you were on television that meant either you were a young actor just coming…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/when-i-was-coming-up-in-the-80s-television-if-you-were-on-television/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [The movies I've made about the South, they were my experience and it's something that I know.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/the-movies-i-ve-made-about-the-south-they-were-my-experience-and-it-s/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Man, I was drowning in sadness. And Angelina, she lifted me right up out of there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/man-i-was-drowning-in-sadness-and-angelina-she-lifted-me-right-up-out/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I've been largely an improvisational actor for most of my career, except for when I've worked with the Coen brothers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-ve-been-largely-an-improvisational-actor-for-most-of-my-career/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I always have an idea before we even start the movie because if you hire the wrong person, within a couple of days you're…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-always-have-an-idea-before-we-even-start-the-movie-because-if-you/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [People want the truth but they only want the truth so they can talk bad about you on the blog or on television. They…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/people-want-the-truth-but-they-only-want-the-truth-so-they-can-talk/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [Usually when you're playing a character, you think a lot about their backstory.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/usually-when-you-re-playing-a-character-you-think-a-lot-about-their/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [I've lived in California for half of my life. It's weird, everyone thinks of me as this guy who's from the South ... I'm…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/i-ve-lived-in-california-for-half-of-my-life-it-s-weird-everyone/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [You have to really know what you're saying.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/you-have-to-really-know-what-you-re-saying/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) > [People a lot of times say that you know it must be hard to direct yourself. That's a myth. It's easier to direct yourself.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/billy-bob-thornton/people-a-lot-of-times-say-that-you-know-it-must-be-hard-to-direct/) [Billy Bob Thornton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) [Explore all 192 Billy Bob Thornton quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/billy-bob-thornton/) ## More Accents quotes > [When we first sold the Wallace and Gromit shorts to America, people suggested we get rid of the strange British accents and put clear…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/nick-park/when-we-first-sold-the-wallace-and-gromit-shorts-to-america-people/) [Nick Park](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/nick-park/) > [“It's not my accent, but my brevity makes me stylish.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/it-s-not-my-accent-but-my-brevity-makes-me-stylish/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [London, from the architecture to the culture to the fashion to the accents, feels like it's a special place.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/g-eazy/london-from-the-architecture-to-the-culture-to-the-fashion-to-the/) [G-Eazy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/g-eazy/) > [You can't live in a dialect without tremendous work. Like any muscle, accents and voices and languages are all formed out of the muscles…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lake-bell/you-can-t-live-in-a-dialect-without-tremendous-work-like-any-muscle/) [Lake Bell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lake-bell/) > [At first I thought I would have to put on an English accent and try a sort of affected Shakespeare thing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/leonardo-dicaprio/at-first-i-thought-i-would-have-to-put-on-an-english-accent-and-try-a/) [Leonardo DiCaprio](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/leonardo-dicaprio/) > [I don't think you see a pirate with a parrot on his shoulder, for example. And even with the accents.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ray-stevenson/i-don-t-think-you-see-a-pirate-with-a-parrot-on-his-shoulder-for/) [Ray Stevenson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ray-stevenson/) > [I'm a Yente and I have a terrible accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lynn-samuels/i-m-a-yente-and-i-have-a-terrible-accent/) [Lynn Samuels](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lynn-samuels/) > [In bed watching Family Guy. Love this show.! So hilarious! Stewie is my favorite :) love his accent.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paris-hilton/in-bed-watching-family-guy-love-this-show-so-hilarious-stewie-is-my/) [Paris Hilton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paris-hilton/) > [American accents often sound much more confident than British ones.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rebecca-front/american-accents-often-sound-much-more-confident-than-british-ones/) [Rebecca Front](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rebecca-front/) > [At this point two elderly security guards in parkas, the guys who normally work the front desk at the plant, asked John to step…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-wong/at-this-point-two-elderly-security-guards-in-parkas-the-guys-who/) [David Wong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/david-wong/) > [Much of my playing is rhythmic and choppy; I use a lot of double stops. The wah just accents all those stops and chops…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kirk-hammett/much-of-my-playing-is-rhythmic-and-choppy-i-use-a-lot-of-double-stops/) [Kirk Hammett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kirk-hammett/) > [“The accent of one's birthplace persists in the mind and heart as much as in speech.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/la-rouchefoucauld/the-accent-of-one-s-birthplace-persists-in-the-mind-and-heart-as-much/) La Rouchefoucauld > [Years later, when I was working as a trolley wally in a supermarket, I tackled the boredom by talking to the customers in as…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/romesh-ranganathan/years-later-when-i-was-working-as-a-trolley-wally-in-a-supermarket-i/) [Romesh Ranganathan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/romesh-ranganathan/) > [I think Americans still can't help but respond to the natural authority of this voice. Deep down they long to be told what to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-oliver/i-think-americans-still-can-t-help-but-respond-to-the-natural/) [John Oliver](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-oliver/) > [I live in L.A. so I worry my kids aren't that connected to Britain, I suppose I don't want them to become American kids.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kevin-mckidd/i-live-in-l-a-so-i-worry-my-kids-aren-t-that-connected-to-britain-i/) [Kevin McKidd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kevin-mckidd/) [Browse all 749 Accents quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/accents/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "It's not that I don't understand it. 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