Partystar

Yep! They all seem pretty cool too. I give anyone major props that could do that job, because I know I couldn't!

TN-Dave

That job ? be a WIggle ?????? One of the guys in the office I once worked in was the boyfriend of the guy who wears the Barnie suit on TV ! That must be such a conversation point as a job ! LMAO

Jerseygirl

Yeah, I bet they LMAO straight to the bank.

TN-Dave

as long as you haven't replaced "hello" with "Ow YOU duin' ?" we'll be OK, although saying that in your accent could be fun ?

dan_alford

Living in the south I find that sometimes I have to "Gump" my accent to get people to understand me. The word that causes the most problems for me
is strawberry. In the south it is pronounced strawbry, with the r almost being silent. Everytime I order a milkshake it is a russian roulette what flavor I will get

On the flip side, when we lived in the uk, my wife asked a guy at a small local shop "do you have any ice?". With her accent, it sounded like she asked "do you have an arse?"

Dan

Elvira

That reminds me of the time I was trying to obtain frozen raspberries at our local Safeway...

dan_alford

do tell

TN-Dave

I had a problem like that recently.....
.
I found a lost dog in my neighbourhood (sub-division to those 'mericanized ones). I called around and looked in the local paper and found a 'lost dog' notice. I called the number and a alady answered. The conversation went like this:

Me: I calling about your lost dog.

Her: my Wwhhhaat ? (in strong southern drawl).

Me: Your dog

Her: My whhhatttt ?

Me: Your lost dog. I think I may have found your dog....

Her: My whhhatttt ?

Me (in my best southern drawl): your daaaaawwwggg...

Her: Ohhhh, my dawwwwgg....

etc etc etc.... <re>

TouristTrap

Heehee.....like the second or third month we were here, we decided to suss out the city, so rented for a few months first.

I walked downstairs to the mailbox, only to find the mailman and a downstairs neighbor we'd gotten friendly with, standing around. I turn around and go, 'bills, bills, nothing but bills'. She goes, huh? After a few times, she gets it and says, oh, you mean beeeeeeeeeeellllllllls.

No wonder I use my best southern drawl with some of them...

Elvira

Nothing much to tell other than it took two 'sales associates' and a lengthy discussion to find said raspberries...

Sally

My daughter was mortified when I asked for raspberries - but it's one of those words I find difficult to bastardize.

Elvira

You know, I have stopped even trying to 'modify' my accent. In fact, if I want something that might be tricky, I deliberately start off with something along the lines of 'I wonder whether you might be able to help me...'

That way they know immediately that I must be some eccentric Englishwoman, and they have to pay attention!

Partystar

Yeah, I refuse to 'bastardize' any words. I just keep repeating myself until they understand. It's against my religion to butcher the English language!

Failing that, I think I will start spelling it out for them, literally!

dan_alford

I tend to gump it only for my wifes elderly relatives who just don't understand me if I speak normally. With Drive thru's you have to bastardize words due to the low education of the workforce. They have enough problems trying to understand local people.

However, my number 1 pet peeve is those damned voice telephone systems which DONT have a number backup. I get sick and tired of hearing " I'm sorry, i didn't understand your response, please choose from the following....". If I have to call one of those places I just hand the phone to my wife once I realize you cant go to numbers.

Jerseygirl

I never try to change my accent/pronunciation.