Accent complaint
 

Someone I work with has an issue with the fact I have an "accent" (like Canadians don't, eh?) ... in the UK I could smack him around the head with a racial discrimination complaint ... anyone got any experience of doing the same in Canada?

Re: Accent complaint
 

Haven't had it as bad yet as to consider it rude, thank god.

Although many patients at work comment that my accent is strange and ask where I come from.

About 70% see the joke and another 30% are left with a very confused look when I tell them Medicine Hat! :D

Re: Accent complaint
 

Most people like it or start a story about how their grand dad came from Scotland in nineteen-canteen or whatever ... I've only come across two people in almost four years who have had a real issue with it.

Re: Accent complaint
 

Tell him/her to FOAD and get a life......if he/she don't like living in a country as multi-cultural as Canada - move somewhere else.....the nerve of some people...... :p

Re: Accent complaint
 

:confused: You have an accent??? I'd never noticed:D

Re: Accent complaint
 

There's a certain percentage of Canadians who have a major issue ... they just don't know when they've crossed the line ... I don't think most of them would last 5 minutes out on their own in any major UK city :mad:

They just aren't smart enough to know that a polite, quiet, calm Glaswegian just isn't in a very good mood ...

Same goes for anyone from any of the traditional inner city areas in the UK's industrial centres ... start worrying and take a step back when we stop being friendly and start being very, very polite.

Re: Accent complaint
 

Have you seen Trainspotting yet? You still sound like a Begbie!

Re: Accent complaint
 

Not yet ... just imagine Begbie the size and shape of a typical rugby hooker ...

Re: Accent complaint
 

OMG You're not kidding are you? People in the UK would really do that to someone because they commented on another person's accent? And I thought the US was overly PC. I see that we have a lot to learn and damn straight hoping we never learn it.

My Canuck is often asked about his accent down here in the States. He laughs it off with a joke or two and then lays the accent on heavier and thicker ;-)

For myself, as an American, while I might find conversations with accented people difficult because of my hearing impairment, I would not think to mention it unless it was so thick that I was truly unable to understand what was being said and had to mention it with some type of gracious apology when asking to speak with someone else.

Rete

Re: Accent complaint
 

No, I'm not joking.

There's a fine line between commenting on it, which doesn't bother me, and complaining about it in a professional context ... the implication being that an accent could be a career limiting characteristic.

I like your comment about "accented people" ... I'm obviously the vocal equivalent of a "colored person" :D

It's very unusual for a Canadian to comment on an accent in anything apart from a positive way ... anyone who commented on a quebeccer's accented English would be in deep doo-doo ... or they would get told to "Farg off" :eek:

Re: Accent complaint
 

I always maintain that its not me that has the accent, its all these bloody foreigners around me:D We Brits brought the langauge here, and they have gone and bastardised it! :mad: :rolleyes: :D

Re: Accent complaint
 

Why is this such a big deal? It's not like your co-worker is making it up? You do have an accent. You can't sue somebody because they are pointing out the truth.

Have you tried to adapt to the local accent? Maybe they should sue you for incomptence in adaptation :confused: :scared:

Re: Accent complaint
 

Knew that expression did you.....I nicked it from a IT guy whose a good friend.....

This type of prejudice has been going on for many years. I can remember the stories from the polish side of my family moving to Canada and my dad/grandparents had to learn english....they were confronted with this type of small-mindedness all the time.....I have no patience for this type of nonesense......

You know of course that you and all other immigrants aren't the one's with the problem. It makes me ashamed to be Canadian to hear stories like this....that expression is a very effective way to make your feelings known very clearly......

And yes, I've learned the hard way......about Glaswegians when they stop being friendly and start being very very polite.......

Re: Accent complaint
 

Hey bud ... I've missed you and you're quaintly warped Albanian world view :D

I've got an accent with a heritage that I'm proud of ... believe it or not I've also used a north american accent training course ... I learned to spread budda on my bread and use a dellifone for making calls ... it's really hard to cover up the underlying nature of your native accent.

Are you in Quebec yet, or did they successfully stop you at the border as you marched across weapon proudly held aloft to startle the natives?

Some day when you're all growed up and your world view has expanded a bit, you'll appreciate the finer points of career progression :p

In the meantime, go back to the nursery and play with your dollies :D

Re: Accent complaint
 

Wow I am amazed.....he must be a redneck westerner with no personality!
I'm with Willmore...........tell him where to go!!!

Re: Accent complaint
 

Well I guess you better start practising then!!!

Re: Accent complaint
 

Obviously that course didn't work well for ya! Don't worry about me, I am not the one coming over here crying because "I can't play well with others", and I want to sue somebody because of my shortcomings. I thought you were going back to Scotchland, anyway. See you in hell Willie!

Re: Accent complaint
 

It's only an issue when things go wrong - "blame the English guy - Can't understand a word he says". I've even had people phone one of the guys I work with to ask me a question because they can't stand my accent.

I get used to it. Especially when I remember attending a training course in the UK, taught by a South African, and the stick we gave him.

It's just one of those things you have to work around. I know who to e-mail and who to phone.

Re: Accent complaint
 

I'm with the "tell the person to piss off" suggestion...

Re: Accent complaint
 

It did ... I can ask for a kaffee at Dim Hordens too ...

But you have so many shortcomings to choose from ... I only have my poor little accent.

Nope ... they probably wouldn't have me back ... maybe I should head for Albania?

I'm pretty sure you'll be there before I am :eek:

Re: Accent complaint
 

But it makes good reading..............

Re: Accent complaint
 

But its such good fun, and the wee wirey scotsman is kicking albanian butt!

Re: Accent complaint
 

Only 1-0?

Re: Accent complaint
 

Glaswegian's remarks (post20)... definitely a hit there...

Re: Accent complaint
 

I don't see any bickering here - just one nice Scots guy with a different opinion to the highly strung Albanian, that's all.

I doubt anyone needs to say "he started it" cos we all know who started it, lol!!!

Re: Accent complaint
 

OK ... back to the original point.

The Canadian job market discriminates against new immigrants on several levels ... foreign qualifications, lack of Canadian experience, etc ... in reality it ensures that they can take on high quality immigrant labor at a fraction of the cost of less qualified, less experienced Canadian labor.

Feel free to disagree with me, you won't change my opinion on that one ... I've seen it in practice too often.

Qualifications & experience can be acquired, even if its with difficulty.

But if they're going to pick on you for things you can't do a lot about ... skin colour, accent, disability ... there's got to be a line somewhere that they can cross and you can have legal recourse.

Re: Accent complaint
 

Skin color is not the same thing as an accent.

An accent can prevent you from communicating properly. That can be time and money consuming for a business. Why is this so hard to understand? And yes, it's possible to change. You are already displaying baby steps in improvement.

You have all the stupid sentences to order blood-clotting food at your convenience store down near perfect. Now try working on your professional vocabulary!

Re: Accent complaint
 

<whistle>

i still make it 1-0,... oranges anyone?

Re: Accent complaint
 

Tell where to get off Glas! :)

Seriously, how can anyone complain about an accent in this day an age. In my week alone I encoutered, Chinese, Indian and Korean accents, If those don't present a problem from people who speak English as a 2nd language, how can anyone complain about a Scottish one ????


Unless you really do sound like Mr Nesbit??? :D

Re: Accent complaint
 

Actually I was looking for some popcorn and a soft chair to sit in....

I don't think there is any doubt who will win in the end.........is there? :p

Re: Accent complaint
 

I agree with you. The Queen is gonna win this one too. The drama-queen that is! :eek:

Re: Accent complaint
 

If he does win it will be with class and taste, unlike you........ :p

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Taste and class are all relative. Similar to the likings of English cuisine, if you know what I mean.

Re: Accent complaint
 

what's wrong with english cuisine? curries and chinese takeouts are some of my favourites! :D

Re: Accent complaint
 

I didnt realise Willmore was even competing? You'd better let her win, she gets all mad if she doesnt get her way ;)

Re: Accent complaint
 

Hardly, some of us are born with taste and class and use in every day life, others like yourself just breed contempt......

Re: Accent complaint
 

You really are in the wrong place if you are going to bash BritCuisine. Notice the name of this site, BRITISHexpats? Granted, we may have left the country, but I'm still a bit partial to fish and chips or a nice Roast Beef &Yorkshire, and then there is the indian and chinese food we have asymilated along the way. Resistance is futile!


You dont hear very much about albanian cuisine while I think of it, and besides, arent there more michelin stars in the UK than in France or something?

Re: Accent complaint
 

You see. It's just funny when you mention British cuisine in the International spectrum. Enough said, I wasn't going for a culinary debate, just a metaphor.

The hysterical part is that I get gang-jumped on because I point out that Mr. CryBaby is spinning his wheels at another lost cause.

Re: Accent complaint
 

If you don't like what he has to say, then why bother to respond. Put him on ignore and save yourself the aggravation of having to listen to someone who speaks the truth, unlike you who is as prejudice and small-minded as the person who complained about McGrouch's accent in the first place....

something to think about, especially since you want to move to Canada..

Enjoy your day......

Re: Accent complaint
 

What's so prejudice and small-minded about complaining about somebody's accent? Since when has that become part of a ridiculously-politically-correct world? If somebody doesn't understand you, he better make sure to point it out.

Don't worry about my ponderings on Canadian lifestyles. I do not "want" to move there. It's already a done deal.

I also have the pleasure to inform you that my day is being enjoyed talking to such wonderful folk as yourself.