We have already observed, when discussing pronunciation and individual identity (5.2)., the truth in La Rochefoucauld’s remark that accent is an emotional issue. It is important to have a good accent if one wants to be integrated into a foreign community rather than marking oneself as an outsider from the very first word uttered. Even if the foreign listener is favourably disposed towards the British or North American communities, he may still become irritated at constant mispronunciations of his own language, or simply distracted by this source of interference. Poor pronunciation can have effects other than psychological ones, of course. It makes understanding hard and can lead to serious misinterpretations: She cut off her hair and She cut off her heir are distinguished by a single sound.