Pronunciation difficulties
#46
Re: Pronunciation difficulties
i never really experienced any problems when i came over for my interview with people understanding me.
possibly because i'm relatively well spoken?
possibly because i'm relatively well spoken?
#47
Re: Pronunciation difficulties
BTW, Jimmy, did you get the job?
#48
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Joined: May 2012
Location: Calgary, Alberta
Posts: 213
Re: Pronunciation difficulties
#50
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2011
Posts: 147
Re: Pronunciation difficulties
The ir in thirty and the ear in earl rhyme in lots of dialects, including Scottish English. The ear in earl in Canadian English rhymes with the ur in curl, but those don't rhyme in Scottish English (at least not in my own dialect?). And that is probably what is causing your problem. They're expecting earl to rhyme with curl, and thirty to therefore come out something like thurty (rhyming with dirty).
The rrrr's are probably the least of our problems, at least we pronounce ours!
Last edited by Deficient; May 30th 2012 at 11:10 pm.
#51
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Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 256
Re: Pronunciation difficulties
I keep getting asked if I'm Australian and I'm bloody welsh!!! Not valley Welsh but guttural North Walian Welsh. My OH is talks like Hugh Grant and I've noticed the swoons from shop assistants.
#52
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Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Toronto
Posts: 453
Re: Pronunciation difficulties
Them: "Good morning, Suchnsuch company, how may I direct your call?"
Me: "Can I speak to Sophie Smith please?"
THem: "I'm sorry?"
Me: "Can I speak to Sophie....Smith please?"
Them: "How are you spelling that?"
Me: "Sophie....S.O.P.H.I.E....Smith....S.M.I.T.H."
Them: "Oh Sophie, oh ok......<looks up extension> putting you through."
#53
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Location: Toronto
Posts: 453
Re: Pronunciation difficulties
The Aussie thing doesn't happen that often......well to me at least. I'd say probably 1 in 20 comments, but I have learnt now that sometimes it's fun to say 'Yes I am Australian'. I had a sales assistant in a clothing store at the weekend look at me wide eyed and almost incredulously (which is freaky) and then say 'are you from Britain?'.....'Yes, yes, I am', and then he kind of smiled and said 'wow' and kept smiling and looking.......I think the time has passed that I will ever be famous, but I imagine that this is how a z-list celebrity might feel when asked by random members of the public if they are Keith Harris etc.
#54
Forum Regular
Joined: Mar 2012
Posts: 256
Re: Pronunciation difficulties
The Aussie thing doesn't happen that often......well to me at least. I'd say probably 1 in 20 comments, but I have learnt now that sometimes it's fun to say 'Yes I am Australian'. I had a sales assistant in a clothing store at the weekend look at me wide eyed and almost incredulously (which is freaky) and then say 'are you from Britain?'.....'Yes, yes, I am', and then he kind of smiled and said 'wow' and kept smiling and looking.......I think the time has passed that I will ever be famous, but I imagine that this is how a z-list celebrity might feel when asked by random members of the public if they are Keith Harris etc.
#55
Banned
Joined: Apr 2009
Location: SW Ontario
Posts: 19,879
Re: Pronunciation difficulties
Reminds me of this Peter Sellers skit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74aK8w2910c
Last edited by Siouxie; May 31st 2012 at 12:00 am.
#56
Re: Pronunciation difficulties
Don't even go there - I have had so many frustrating moments trying to explain how to pronounce town names, sigh.
Reminds me of this Peter Sellers skit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74aK8w2910c
Reminds me of this Peter Sellers skit http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=74aK8w2910c
I'm a bit strange.
#57
Re: Pronunciation difficulties
If you're anything like me... "therty"
The ir in thirty and the ear in earl rhyme in lots of dialects, including Scottish English. The ear in earl in Canadian English rhymes with the ur in curl, but those don't rhyme in Scottish English (at least not in my own dialect?). And that is probably what is causing your problem. They're expecting earl to rhyme with curl, and thirty to therefore come out something like thurty (rhyming with dirty).
The rrrr's are probably the least of our problems, at least we pronounce ours!
The ir in thirty and the ear in earl rhyme in lots of dialects, including Scottish English. The ear in earl in Canadian English rhymes with the ur in curl, but those don't rhyme in Scottish English (at least not in my own dialect?). And that is probably what is causing your problem. They're expecting earl to rhyme with curl, and thirty to therefore come out something like thurty (rhyming with dirty).
The rrrr's are probably the least of our problems, at least we pronounce ours!
#58
Re: Pronunciation difficulties
The one that gets me is the Ontarion pronounciation of 'Tottenham'. I think it goes like: 'Toat-in-harm' or something like that. Given that I'm a Spurs fan this one always makes me chuckle. Then again, round North London way we used to pronounce this 'yeeeeeeiiids' so swings and roundabouts.
#59
Re: Pronunciation difficulties
The one that gets me is the Ontarion pronounciation of 'Tottenham'. I think it goes like: 'Toat-in-harm' or something like that. Given that I'm a Spurs fan this one always makes me chuckle. Then again, round North London way we used to pronounce this 'yeeeeeeiiids' so swings and roundabouts.
#60
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Joined: Oct 2008
Location: the GTA
Posts: 3,824
Re: Pronunciation difficulties
WHAT, all of them? Surely there is no such thing as a British accent. There are hundreds of accents in Britain and quite a few are horrible. I come from Glasgow but never did have a Glesgae accent such as wurrum for worm or whit ya dain. I've made a concerted effort over the years to disguise my origins with, I hope, a modicum of success.
I hate Glaswegian speak.
I hate Glaswegian speak.