Yes, I understand there are many dialects and accents from Mexico, But in general, you can definitely tell the diference between a "Mexican"accent and a Spanish one from Spain, and there are many accents within Spain, I have a very difficult time understanding my Cordoban friend (Andaluz accent)....My family is from New Mexico, and we definitely have an accent when speaking English. If you are tuned in and have traveled and have met many people, then you are able to hear variations in whatever language you are accustomed to.

So, please do not take any offense to any of my comments....i was over-generalizing.

Now I agree with you

I think I speak more like american people (instead of English) because my pronunciation comes from what I see on tv: USA films and soap operas. I learnt English from Spanish teachers and I've never go to England or another country to learn it. I've just been once (for nine days) in NY and twice in Amsterdam (less than a week).

I can notice the difference between USA and English speakers, but hardly notice the difference between regions in USA or England/Irelad...

Most all Spaniards I talk to, those whom I know speak at least some English, do not have any kind of British accent. But that's not to say they speak with an American accent but maybe with no (foreign) accent at all.

As a twist to the topic, I have some British friends, both of whom are (nearly) totally fluent in Spanish, but when they speak Spanish to the waiter or waitress or store clerk, I cannot understand a word they're saying for their strong English accent. OR, is that to say, that they speak Spanish with NO foreign accent at all, simply speaking another language with their own voice, one which lacks a foreign accent (foreign to them, that is). But even when they speak in English I sometimes have difficulty understanding them.

Similarly, I have some American friends who speak PERFECT Spanish but with such a harsh, personal American accent that it sounds totally weird, much like the parodies you see when Las noticias del guiñol (Spanish puppets giving daily news in a comedy format) doing American political figures speaking in Spanish with strong American accents.

Many people say that although they can notice I'm not Spanish (really??? ) I do have a fair-to-good Spanish accent. I think I have to attribute that to the American tongue/accent being more similar to that of the British/English tongue/accent and, maybe, for that reason Spaniards seem to think my Spanish accent is fair-to-good. (not to brag, but I do pride myself on my pronunciation. It's my only fair vocabulary and fair conjugation which needs more work).

Saludos, MadridMan

I still think that most Spaniards speak with an American accent. Because in their minds that is the way they think they sound when speaking Enlgish. Obviously, when your native language is not English your are going to have an accent from your own country.

For exaple, people from India have a very distincitive accent. But still some groups there complain the youth speaks English with an American accent instead of British....So the point is not whether you in fact sound like an American or British, but what the kind of accent is the people trying to resemble. In the case of Spain, again, I think the average is American.

Hey MM, I have a couple of American friends that are very fluent in Spanish, but can't get over the English pronunciation of the vowels. It is like if they were trying to make fun of their accents...Cuomou Istas Me Emigou???

well natives always can tell your accent no matter how good you think you speak it. And some many cases they can even tell you from what region you are from.
I am spanish native speaker or mother tongue native and I can tell from where the other spanish natives speakers come from after a short conversation.
Here in France, when I speak French, the natives tell me is an american accent -French. When living in the US;my accent was from the NY area, when I speak portuguese,they tell me its from Brazil, and when i speak Spanish, non natives and some native speaker do not know from where its from due to the fact that I have travel for business or pleasure to 49 countries, lived in 4, citizen of the 4 and cover all of Latin America!

But do not get it wrong accents are great, that is what you are, be proud and speak it loud!!!