New Zealand accents
#1
New Zealand accents
Sandra's post from New Zealand referring to their strange accent reminded me of my one and only visit to NZ.
Got to the hotel room, turned on the TV, only to hear a reporter actually say: 'Thet was a fentestic, ection-pecked fleck'. (He'd been reviewing the current James Bond movie).
I thought it was so funny that I wrote it down so I could repeat it ad nauseum to all the New Zealanders I know here. It's also now a family catch-phrase used whenever anyone's seen a good movie.
It struck me that most of the world can't tell the difference between the Australian and NZ accents, yet a lot of what NZers say is either hysterically funny or almost unintelligible to Australians - wonder why that is?
Got to the hotel room, turned on the TV, only to hear a reporter actually say: 'Thet was a fentestic, ection-pecked fleck'. (He'd been reviewing the current James Bond movie).
I thought it was so funny that I wrote it down so I could repeat it ad nauseum to all the New Zealanders I know here. It's also now a family catch-phrase used whenever anyone's seen a good movie.
It struck me that most of the world can't tell the difference between the Australian and NZ accents, yet a lot of what NZers say is either hysterically funny or almost unintelligible to Australians - wonder why that is?
#2
Re: New Zealand accents
JUst reminded me of a quote we heard on NZ TV - "...so at 9 o'clock it's sport, then at 10 o'clock it's rugby.."
Sorry I can't do the accent.
Sorry I can't do the accent.
#3
(Jon) returning to NZ 04
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 816
now of course, being one that talks funny - I just can't hear/see this...
I always get people saying "what" when I say "ten"....
I can't for the life of me figure out I'm supposed to say it!
I say it like it looks, just like I say sex, or fish and chips....
funny things accents...
how are you supposed to say these things!?
(that's a semi serious question - someone please try to explain it in kiwispeak)
I always get people saying "what" when I say "ten"....
I can't for the life of me figure out I'm supposed to say it!
I say it like it looks, just like I say sex, or fish and chips....
funny things accents...
how are you supposed to say these things!?
(that's a semi serious question - someone please try to explain it in kiwispeak)
#4
If you say "ten" then we'll hear "tin".
Anyone called Geoff has to get used to thinking he's named after that cleaning preparation Jif.
Try saying "conservation" and see if anyone understands, or at least keeps a straight face.
Anyone called Geoff has to get used to thinking he's named after that cleaning preparation Jif.
Try saying "conservation" and see if anyone understands, or at least keeps a straight face.
#5
(Jon) returning to NZ 04
Joined: Jul 2003
Posts: 816
okay so should I be saying "tin" to make it sound like "ten"?? or something else again?
i really don't have an ear for this stuff
now see, when I say igloo I don't say eggloo, so then shouldn't tin have the same 'i' as in igloo, and ten have the same 'e' as in 'egg'?? :scared:
i really don't have an ear for this stuff
now see, when I say igloo I don't say eggloo, so then shouldn't tin have the same 'i' as in igloo, and ten have the same 'e' as in 'egg'?? :scared:
#6
Originally posted by lesleys
If you say "ten" then we'll hear "tin".
Anyone called Geoff has to get used to thinking he's named after that cleaning preparation Jif.
Try saying "conservation" and see if anyone understands, or at least keeps a straight face.
If you say "ten" then we'll hear "tin".
Anyone called Geoff has to get used to thinking he's named after that cleaning preparation Jif.
Try saying "conservation" and see if anyone understands, or at least keeps a straight face.
Anya
#7
Re: New Zealand accents
Originally posted by lesleys
JUst reminded me of a quote we heard on NZ TV - "...so at 9 o'clock it's sport, then at 10 o'clock it's rugby.."
Sorry I can't do the accent.
JUst reminded me of a quote we heard on NZ TV - "...so at 9 o'clock it's sport, then at 10 o'clock it's rugby.."
Sorry I can't do the accent.
#8
please spare a thought for us infortunates who have married one....after living htere 2yrs and having to listen to the accent daily, i now have to suffer the mickey taking when i talk to my daughters in London as they reckon ive got a bit of a twang myself!!! :scared: :scared:
#9
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2004
Posts: 77
You may have heard the story about the Aussie on his first trip to a NZ farm. He found the farmer getting very close and personal with one of his flock.
Aussie: "Mmm, that's interesting. In Australia, we shear 'em.
Kiwi: "I'm not shearin' thus wuth innybody."
Apologies to any kiwis present. Just a joke.
Aussie: "Mmm, that's interesting. In Australia, we shear 'em.
Kiwi: "I'm not shearin' thus wuth innybody."
Apologies to any kiwis present. Just a joke.
#10
Bitter and twisted
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Upmarket
Posts: 17,503
Originally posted by mozzie
You may have heard the story about the Aussie on his first trip to a NZ farm. He found the farmer getting very close and personal with one of his flock.
Aussie: "Mmm, that's interesting. In Australia, we shear 'em.
Kiwi: "I'm not shearin' thus wuth innybody."
Apologies to any kiwis present. Just a joke.
You may have heard the story about the Aussie on his first trip to a NZ farm. He found the farmer getting very close and personal with one of his flock.
Aussie: "Mmm, that's interesting. In Australia, we shear 'em.
Kiwi: "I'm not shearin' thus wuth innybody."
Apologies to any kiwis present. Just a joke.
G
#11
Damn, I was about to post that joke It`s only funny to people who know the differences between the accents though
Kiwi`s main thing is that they can never pronounce `i` .... it come`s out as `e`. Weird.
Kiwi`s main thing is that they can never pronounce `i` .... it come`s out as `e`. Weird.
#12
Joined: Aug 2003
Posts: 11,149
Originally posted by Stormz
Damn, I was about to post that joke It`s only funny to people who know the differences between the accents though
Kiwi`s main thing is that they can never pronounce `i` .... it come`s out as `e`. Weird.
Damn, I was about to post that joke It`s only funny to people who know the differences between the accents though
Kiwi`s main thing is that they can never pronounce `i` .... it come`s out as `e`. Weird.
How to speak Kiwi
#13
I got it wrong. I remember now that kiwi`s `I`s come out as `U`s.... ie fush and chups instead of fish and chips.
#14
Banned
Joined: Aug 2002
Posts: 7,613
Took me a while to work out that my neighbour wasn't called Kim but Ken. And there I was thinking his old man had been reading too much Kipling.
#15
Originally posted by jandjuk
now of course, being one that talks funny - I just can't hear/see this...
I always get people saying "what" when I say "ten"....
I can't for the life of me figure out I'm supposed to say it!
I say it like it looks, just like I say sex, or fish and chips....
funny things accents...
how are you supposed to say these things!?
(that's a semi serious question - someone please try to explain it in kiwispeak)
now of course, being one that talks funny - I just can't hear/see this...
I always get people saying "what" when I say "ten"....
I can't for the life of me figure out I'm supposed to say it!
I say it like it looks, just like I say sex, or fish and chips....
funny things accents...
how are you supposed to say these things!?
(that's a semi serious question - someone please try to explain it in kiwispeak)