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Re: Is your accent a problem here?
Originally Posted by jasper123
(Post 8076487)
One thing that I will never understand is this ---- when a person from U.K. first starts to live here in the U.S. when they discover that people over here just keep asking them to repeat themselves because they can't understand certain prunoninations of many of the words in the sentence ------ why the British person still continues to talk like they did in U.K. surely they can easily get into the habit of pronouncing all there words the way American's do then they will have no problems,
When I first started to live in the U.S. 32 YEARS AGO within the first year all my words were pronounced the way American's pronounce them, it was not hard at all,and It quickly became a habit, and everyone over here could understand me perfectly, and everytime I returned home to my native England everyone there could understand me perfectly, so what does that tell you, who speaks the more correct English? It's nice I suppose to try and keep you British accent but at the cost of sounding like a compleat idiot over here?:confused: |
Re: Is your accent a problem here?
Originally Posted by cindyabs
(Post 8076226)
After our posting in Germany we used the phrase mox nix, a bastardization of macht nichts-makes no difference. Trouble is if someone wasn't in the military there, it doesn't mean anything to them.
I learned that one from my Ohio Dad; I though he picked it up there. But he was in the Air Force for a little bit...(not in Germany though..) |
Re: Is your accent a problem here?
Originally Posted by jasper123
(Post 8076487)
One thing that I will never understand is this ---- when a person from U.K. first starts to live here in the U.S. when they discover that people over here just keep asking them to repeat themselves because they can't understand certain prunoninations of many of the words in the sentence ------ why the British person still continues to talk like they did in U.K. surely they can easily get into the habit of pronouncing all there words the way American's do then they will have no problems,
When I first started to live in the U.S. 32 YEARS AGO within the first year all my words were pronounced the way American's pronounce them, it was not hard at all,and It quickly became a habit, and everyone over here could understand me perfectly, and everytime I returned home to my native England everyone there could understand me perfectly, so what does that tell you, who speaks the more correct English? It's nice I suppose to try and keep you British accent but at the cost of sounding like a compleat idiot over here?:confused: |
Re: Is your accent a problem here?
Originally Posted by jasper123
(Post 8076487)
One thing that I will never understand is this ---- when a person from U.K. first starts to live here in the U.S. when they discover that people over here just keep asking them to repeat themselves because they can't understand certain prunoninations of many of the words in the sentence ------ why the British person still continues to talk like they did in U.K. surely they can easily get into the habit of pronouncing all there words the way American's do then they will have no problems,
When I first started to live in the U.S. 32 YEARS AGO within the first year all my words were pronounced the way American's pronounce them, it was not hard at all,and It quickly became a habit, and everyone over here could understand me perfectly, and every time I returned home to my native England everyone there could understand me perfectly, so what does that tell you, who speaks the more correct English? It's nice I suppose to try and keep you British accent but at the cost of sounding like a compleat idiot over here?:confused: Arny only sounds like a complete idiot because he is right winger from an extreme right wing country - but it isn't his accent. I don't think Hispanics sound like complete idiots. Having said that, I reckon you are spot on and make an excellent point - if I went to live in Spain I would learn Spanish and try and pronounce it as close to them as poss. Just coz the Americans speak a form of English doesn't mean we should speak as we would in Glasgow or Newcastle. Its a different country - so why not treat it as a foreign language and try and 'do it' I am in the 'in between' stage right now and I know they understand me more when I talk cowboy - but sometimes it sounds like I am taking the micky and they look at me funny I shall have to try harder so it doesn't sound like that - but I realised that standing in mcdonalds and asking for coughy was getting me nowhere - and when I asked for carfee i got it straight away |
Re: Is your accent a problem here?
Originally Posted by jasper123
(Post 8076487)
One thing that I will never understand is this ---- when a person from U.K. first starts to live here in the U.S. when they discover that people over here just keep asking them to repeat themselves because they can't understand certain prunoninations of many of the words in the sentence ------ why the British person still continues to talk like they did in U.K. surely they can easily get into the habit of pronouncing all there words the way American's do then they will have no problems,
When I first started to live in the U.S. 32 YEARS AGO within the first year all my words were pronounced the way American's pronounce them, it was not hard at all,and It quickly became a habit, and everyone over here could understand me perfectly, and everytime I returned home to my native England everyone there could understand me perfectly, so what does that tell you, who speaks the more correct English? It's nice I suppose to try and keep you British accent but at the cost of sounding like a compleat idiot over here?:confused: |
Re: Is your accent a problem here?
Originally Posted by meauxna
(Post 8076512)
Nuh-unh.. me, me me! :D
I learned that one from my Ohio Dad; I though he picked it up there. But he was in the Air Force for a little bit...(not in Germany though..) |
Re: Is your accent a problem here?
Originally Posted by celticgrid
(Post 8076531)
Accent and pronunciation are two totally different things.
They are identical. I think you mean accent and enunciation But tyke is a language with different words - so if I spoke tyke with a perfect washington accent, they still wouldn't understand Eyup look sharp Enis - has tha got rag arms ? Try that in a John Wayne accent - I just did. |
Re: Is your accent a problem here?
Originally Posted by cindyabs
(Post 8076532)
YAY!! Now I can use it on here to you. The only other person I speak to regularly that understands it is my son. :thumbup:
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Re: Is your accent a problem here?
Originally Posted by jasper123
(Post 8076487)
One thing that I will never understand is this ---- when a person from U.K. first starts to live here in the U.S. when they discover that people over here just keep asking them to repeat themselves because they can't understand certain prunoninations of many of the words in the sentence ------ why the British person still continues to talk like they did in U.K. surely they can easily get into the habit of pronouncing all there words the way American's do then they will have no problems,
When I first started to live in the U.S. 32 YEARS AGO within the first year all my words were pronounced the way American's pronounce them, it was not hard at all,and It quickly became a habit, and everyone over here could understand me perfectly, and everytime I returned home to my native England everyone there could understand me perfectly, so what does that tell you, who speaks the more correct English? It's nice I suppose to try and keep you British accent but at the cost of sounding like a compleat idiot over here?:confused: Isn't what you're saying rather like saying - when you go to spain, speak spanish, flawlessly, with no accent and no lessons. I'd say that it was almost impossible for most people, unless talented mimics. I know that after 2 years of living in the US that automated voice message systems don't hang up on me now like they did in the beginning, but whilst I conceed that I will Americanise words, I will never lose my accent entirely. |
Re: Is your accent a problem here?
Originally Posted by Trixie_b
(Post 8076547)
errmmm the thing with an accent is that mostly people can't help having one....
Isn't what you're saying rather like saying - when you go to spain, speak spanish, flawlessly, with no accent and no lessons. I'd say that it was almost impossible for most people, unless talented mimics. I know that after 2 years of living in the US that automated voice message systems don't hang up on me now like they did in the beginning, but whilst I conceed that I will Americanise words, I will never lose my accent entirely. |
Re: Is your accent a problem here?
Originally Posted by exvj
(Post 8076543)
They are identical.
I think you mean accent and enunciation Pronunciation as in "The act or manner of pronouncing words", such as 'schedule' with a soft 'ch' in the UK and a hard 'ch' here. I can pronouce that word with a hard 'ch' but it doesn't mean I'm speaking with an American accent. I am merely pronoucing the word in the American way. Indeed, if I tried to sound American I'd simply seem to be taking the mickey. |
Re: Is your accent a problem here?
Originally Posted by Poppy girl
(Post 8076554)
I have no desire to lose my accent what so ever, in my industry it's a BIG plus.
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Re: Is your accent a problem here?
Originally Posted by Sally Redux
(Post 8076544)
Just to be pedantic, the German phrase it comes from is, "Es macht mir nichts aus".
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Re: Is your accent a problem here?
Originally Posted by celticgrid
(Post 8076563)
No, I don't, thanks. Certainly don't mean "enunciation".
Pronunciation as in "The act or manner of pronouncing words", such as 'schedule' with a soft 'ch' in the UK and a hard 'ch' here. I can pronouce that word with a hard 'ch' but it doesn't mean I'm speaking with an American accent. I am merely pronoucing the word in the American way. Indeed, if I tried to sound American I'd simply seem to be taking the mickey. A lot of people say they should be able to keep their accent as long as they clearly enunciate. I think I will ditch mine and treat American as a foreign language to be mastered as well as I can. I will still sound as foreign as Arny but I will be able to fit in better and not alarm people with my alien hailing frequency communication Like you, I don't want to sound like I am taking the micky, but I reckon it would be a temporary phase. Like going to Austria and talking like Arny - it's hard to do without laughing and sounding like you are talking dopey. My friends in Berlin think the Austrians sound dopey too and tell all sorts of jokes about it. American doesnt sound dopey as such - so there is an advantage. There are two kinds of Americans - those who like foreign accents and even foreigners - and those who don't like foreign accents or foreigners. Doesnt seem to go by age or anything - havent found out how to guess a persons reaction but it ranges from 'I love your accent' - I say 'here you can have it'.. to them turning their backs as in 'another damned foreigner in my home town' Speaking differently is a hinderance to communication - like a Mississippian ordering mushy peas in a Barnsley working mens club - so it has to be done |
Re: Is your accent a problem here?
Originally Posted by exvj
(Post 8076616)
'Merely pronouncing words in an American way' is speaking with an American accent.
A lot of people say they should be able to keep their accent as long as they clearly enunciate. I think I will ditch mine and treat American as a foreign language to be mastered as well as I can. I will still sound as foreign as Arny but I will be able to fit in better and not alarm people with my alien hailing frequency communication Like you, I don't want to sound like I am taking the micky, but I reckon it would be a temporary phase. Like going to Austria and talking like Arny - it's hard to do without laughing and sounding like you are talking dopey. My friends in Berlin think the Austrians sound dopey too and tell all sorts of jokes about it. American doesnt sound dopey as such - so there is an advantage. There are two kinds of Americans - those who like foreign accents and even foreigners - and those who don't like foreign accents or foreigners. Doesnt seem to go by age or anything - havent found out how to guess a persons reaction but it ranges from 'I love your accent' - I say 'here you can have it'.. to them turning their backs as in 'another damned foreigner in my home town' Speaking differently is a hinderance to communication - like a Mississippian ordering mushy peas in a Barnsley working mens club - so it has to be done |
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