A Tasmanian woman appears to be one of only a few recorded cases of foreign accent syndrome after suffering a head injury in a car crash eight years ago.
Leanne Rowe was born and raised in Tasmania, an island off the south coast of Australia, and has always spoken with an Australia accent. However, after being in a serious car crash that left her with a broken back and jaw, she began to speak with what appeared to be a strong French accent as the jaw began to heal. Ms Rowe had learnt French at school, but had never been to France or had friends who were French.
While there is no definitive diagnosis, the family doctor believe she is suffering from foreign accent syndrome, a rare condition with only a few people documented worldwide and only one other of which has occurred in Australia.
The condition has been linked to brain damage, specifically the part of the brain that controls speech. Other reported cases of foreign accent syndrome have occurred following stroke, multiple sclerosis and migraines.
Read the source article here http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/australiaandthepacific/australia/10124305/PIC-AND-PUB-PLS-Head-injury-leaves-Australian-woman-with-a-French-accent-a.html
