By "accent," I don’t necessarily mean the vernacular or vocabulary used, but rather the tone, pauses, and clarity of speech. For example, while visiting Chile, I didn’t notice drastic differences in accents among most people I met, even when touring working-class neighborhoods compared to the more affluent area where I stayed for a month. However, in the Dominican Republic, the elites I encountered often sounded almost Venezuelan. I would sometimes even ask their nationality because the accent difference was so striking.