Glaswegian

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?

Iginla

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!

Glaswegian

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.

willmore

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......

iaink

You have an accent??? I'd never noticed

Glaswegian

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

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.

iaink

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

Glaswegian

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

Rete

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

Glaswegian

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"

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"

iaink

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

prodigyking

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 :scared:

willmore

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.......

Glaswegian

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

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

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

Corky

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