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Disillusioned

Disillusioned

Old Jul 14th 2010, 10:32 pm
  #106  
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Default Re: Disillusioned

Originally Posted by JayBowyer
Clearly your reply was meant to be as kind as you would give to anyone who asked you where you were from, then. Clearly you're not looking down your nose at me, or treating me like anything bad, for feeling a certain way about something. Well, shoot me for having an opinion that seems to be quite common.
Oh come on, don't get upset. I'm just having a laugh at your expense. I thought somebody like you would appreciate the wicked nature of my humor.
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Old Jul 14th 2010, 10:32 pm
  #107  
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Default Re: Disillusioned

Originally Posted by JayBowyer
Clearly your reply was meant to be as kind as you would give to anyone who asked you where you were from, then. Clearly you're not looking down your nose at me, or treating me like anything bad, for feeling a certain way about something. Well, shoot me for having an opinion that seems to be quite common.
The person who was asking you the questions in your fictitious example may have found the answers interesting and meaningful. I've had many variations on that, sometimes leading in unexpected directions as many people here who are originally from places like Iran or Afghanistan are very familiar with Britain and Europe.
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Old Jul 14th 2010, 10:36 pm
  #108  
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Default Re: Disillusioned

Usually I just thank someone if they like my accent, it's when they start trying to mimic it, it starts getting tedious.

And I have to say I've only once in 5 years been asked if I was Australian.
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Old Jul 14th 2010, 10:48 pm
  #109  
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Default Re: Disillusioned

I dont really see the problem...I love being from all around the world...

Won't ever really get tired of it...i just think it's funny...and not anyones fault that they are "geographically challenged"...
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Old Jul 14th 2010, 10:48 pm
  #110  
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Default Re: Disillusioned

It's not EVERYONE I get annoyed with though, you see - I don't for example get annoyed if it's asked in the natural course of a conversation, or if I've known the person for a while. I've had a few happy convos with people as a result of "the" question too.

Sometimes though, it feels like an onslaught...it really does!

Last edited by JayBowyer; Jul 14th 2010 at 10:51 pm.
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Old Jul 14th 2010, 10:51 pm
  #111  
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Default Re: Disillusioned

Originally Posted by nethead
Usually I just thank someone if they like my accent, it's when they start trying to mimic it, it starts getting tedious.

And I have to say I've only once in 5 years been asked if I was Australian.
I've had the Australian comment more times than I can count.

Maybe it's where I'm based? Is it a Midwest thing, maybe?
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Old Jul 14th 2010, 11:08 pm
  #112  
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Default Re: Disillusioned

Originally Posted by JayBowyer
I've had the Australian comment more times than I can count.

Maybe it's where I'm based? Is it a Midwest thing, maybe?
I don't know, but a lot of people seemed to get asked it.
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Old Jul 14th 2010, 11:16 pm
  #113  
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Default Re: Disillusioned

Originally Posted by nethead
I don't know, but a lot of people seemed to get asked it.
Actually come to think of it, that Geico ad is a parody of that! That lovely gecko always brings a smile to my face. I wonder if they make stuffed animals of him...
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Old Jul 14th 2010, 11:53 pm
  #114  
 
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Default Re: Disillusioned

Originally Posted by Chatsworth
I've lived in the States for almost 20 years now, and could only survive here for a couple of reasons:

I live in Portland, which is the closest socially/politically to the UK than anywhere else I've heard of or experienced in the US.
<snip>
I know from this forum and others that the kind of friendship and support I've found is almost unknown in the US, whether or not you are American born and bred, live near your family or not, or whatever. Being part of a community that values morals and living right I think is huge.
Well hell, you've taken the wind out of my every rant here.. your post, coming from you, explains a lot of my mystery at the complaints I read here sometimes.

Howdy, neighbor.
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Old Jul 14th 2010, 11:55 pm
  #115  
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Default Re: Disillusioned

Originally Posted by JayBowyer
[B]

Hahaha Leslie!

The way I see it though, if you want to give me a compliment, for goodness sakes let it be something I deserve to be complimented over - like I dunno, one of my paintings - or my hair (with or without lit match) that day - or something I've actually done! It would be so odd if I went around complimenting every American for having an American accent. Back in Britain, none of us are particularly unusually accented: there are about 59,999,999 other people with the same-sounding voice! Well, within reason of course - cultural and geographic accents aside.
.
You must be flippin' kidding:

West Waleian
Welsh Valleys
Mid-Wales
East Midlands
West Midlands
Brummies
Liverpool
Manchester
Bradford
Newcastle
Scotland (take your pick)
- but of course everyone within a 50 mile radius of the Thames talks exactly the same.

Aye, a very homogeneous set of accents, we Brits have.
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Old Jul 15th 2010, 12:02 am
  #116  
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Default Re: Disillusioned

Originally Posted by dunroving


- but of course everyone within a 50 mile radius of the Thames talks exactly the same.

Aye, a very homogeneous set of accents, we Brits have.


Excuse me!!!!!!


Some of us Essex people have a broad country accent you know (well the husband does anyway)
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Old Jul 15th 2010, 12:08 am
  #117  
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Default Re: Disillusioned

Originally Posted by Sugarmooma
Excuse me!!!!!!


Some of us Essex people have a broad country accent you know (well the husband does anyway)
You've reminded me of a boy at school whose catchphrase was "Whee Nahhhht?" when he didn't agree with something.
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Old Jul 15th 2010, 12:12 am
  #118  
 
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Default Re: Disillusioned

Originally Posted by JayBowyer
I worked in retail for a little while. Once you have heard it thirty times in a day, six days a week, and have had to explain yourself over and over and over again, it tends to get tiring. VERY tiring.

Also, in my opinion, asking someone where they're from because their accent "sounds funny" within the first sentence of the very first conversation you've ever had with them is rude!
Far be it from me to call de Briddish rude, but I'm American and I got the same thing from your countrymen when I was living overseas. My Brit DH would get a version of it too.. you just have your party piece answer and cut it short if you want to keep your sanity.

Hi, I'm meauxna, I'm from Oregon. It's the one above California.

It's a way people have of expressing their interest in you. Doesn't make it any more/less annoying to know that, but there you go.
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Old Jul 15th 2010, 12:25 am
  #119  
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Default Re: Disillusioned

Originally Posted by meauxna
Far be it from me to call de Briddish rude, but I'm American and I got the same thing from your countrymen when I was living overseas. My Brit DH would get a version of it too.. you just have your party piece answer and cut it short if you want to keep your sanity.

Hi, I'm meauxna, I'm from Oregon. It's the one above California.

It's a way people have of expressing their interest in you. Doesn't make it any more/less annoying to know that, but there you go.
Is that where Oregon is?

I just always referred to it as that weird state north of even weirder Northern CA...
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Old Jul 15th 2010, 12:30 am
  #120  
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Default Re: Disillusioned

Originally Posted by Jerseygirl
Sorry to hear that...no wonder you're longing for Blighty. When things go pear shaped I thinks it's natural to want to be in a place you feel safe and secure in.
Agreed. I don't feel particularly safe *here* and it's home!

(In my case the lack of universal health care is what has me really, really worried.)
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