Guelder Rose

I don't think my accent has changed either, but I do tend to switch words so that I'm understood. However, it's amusing that I'll now refer to the yard and my US children will talk about the garden! Oh, and the dog now goes out for a 'wee' rather than a 'pee'.

Never, ever, am I going to start saying to-may-toe, budder, wadder, etc.

Dan725

You'd be surprised... Its a subtle unconcious thing - you might even be saying it now!!

Scarlett in Texas

The cafeteria here in college swore up and down they did not have butter, have never served butter etc. etc. as I watched a guy two people in front march off with his baked spud running with the stuff.

Gotta love La Madeleine but getting Tomato Soup ('no, I'm sure we don't serve that!) out of them was like getting blood out of a stone.

I know, I know, I should just say temaydough but I can't, simply KARNT stoop so low!!!

My remedy is to learn Spanish



Regards
-=-
Scarlett

Franklin

I have one of those phonetic alphabets (Alpha Bravo etc) handy ... in fact I often have it displayed on my computer screen when using the phone, helps with noting down email addresses etc. (works both ways) ... "s" sounds like "f" sometimes and vice versa. Not sure if it is really an American/UK thing, but back in the UK I never used one. *shrugs*

rincewind

Same here. I find I adapt my speech depending on who I'm talking to.

ImHere

I told some guy his website was a bit "noddy" looking today. After a longish pause he said: "Er but I havent got any naked pictures on there man". I realised he thought I meant nuddy as in nudist. Had to explain Noddy means childish in the UK.

rincewind

I prefer "pants." Throws them everytime.

"Looks good, but the navigation system is pants."

BLANK EXPRESSIONS

strim

When I was first over, I ran in to some trouble at the deli...

deli: what bread do you want?
me: brown bread
deli: what?
me: brown bread
deli: you want round bread? (Puzzled expression)
me: no, brown bread (slightly exasperated)
deli: round bread?
me: brown bread (slowly)
deli: (??!!! is this guy a nutter)

at which point an english colleague who had been chuckling to himself stepped up and said he wants wholewheat!

Now 4 years later I nearly always use American words/pronunciation when I speak with Americans.....yes even to-may-toe. It is too much hard work using British English and then having to explain myself. At home and with English friends I still speak British English with no accent, although increasingly I find myself using the American words without thinking.

My 3 year old, who has only ever lived in the US, speaks with a lovely English accent, but I am sure when he starts nursery school that will soon dissapear. We have some on video so when he is older we can show him how nice he used speak!!!

Guelder Rose

No I'm not! Sometimes my family will ask me to say something how they say it, and when I do they all laugh at me. I can say to-may-to, budder and wadder, but it doesn't sound right when said with a British accent!

I do say 'zee' rather than 'zed'; but then again, I always have and have no idea where I got it from? I still don't get why my family find it so funny when I say 'taco' - or is it because it's supposed to be tar-co?

Just remembered when I first came here and pronounced all the J's; as in Jose's and Jesus - I was really ridiculed for that and am still trying to get the hang of a J being an H! What I would like to know is what possesses someone to call their son Jesus? Ok, so I now know that it's pronounced Hesus, but the Mexican's call Jesus Hesus - so they are naming their children after Jesus!

Lion in Winter

Yup, they are naming them after Jesus, just as they do in Spain. Also Maria. Also after classical figures such as Hector, Achille(s) and Julio(ius) Cesar.

Guelder Rose

Well, I just find that a bit too weird! Do they also call their children God - and if so, how is that pronounced? I heard something about a G in Spanish not sounding like a G?

Now I'm wondering whether the Mexicans think we get it all wrong when we pronounce a J like a J, rather than an H? And ... if the J is an H, then how is the H pronounced?

Franklin

I had a "Jesus" roommate back in Glasgow (Scotland); he had an interesting story to tell. If I remember correctly, Jesus (Hez-zoos) was not on Erasmus . He wanted to attend the Spanish equivalent of Oxford or Cambridge but couldn't get in (directly); so he applied to attend Glasgow University as a full time student and later did a year under Erasmus at his Spanish Ivy League University! Good application of reverse logic.

fatbrit

It's English that's wierd -- Spanish is pretty much phonetic, as are many other languages.

When the English tongue we speak,
Why is “break” not rhymed with “freak”?
Will you tell me why it’s not true
We say “sew” but likewise “few”;
And the maker of a verse Cannot cap his “horse” with “worse”?
“Beard” sounds not the same as “heard”;
Cow is “cow”, but low is “low”;
“Shoe” is never rhymed with “foe”.
Think of “hose” and “dose” and “lose”;
Think of “comb” and “tomb” and “bomb”;
“Doll” and “roll” and “home” and “some”.
And since “pay” is rhymed with “say”,
Why not “paid” with “said,” I pray?
We have “blood” and “food” and “good”;
“Mould” is not pronounced like “could”
Wherefore “done” but “gone” and “lone”?
Is there any reason known?

And in short, it seems to me,
Sounds and letters disagree

Lion in Winter

Jesus is a name. In a profoundly Catholic country, such as Mexico is, it is a sign of respect and devoutness to call a boy Jesus. The J sounds like an H to you - to Spanish speakers that sound represents J. That is how it is pronounced in Spanish, which is, after all, their language, not English. Mexicans do not think that we have it wrong when we pronounce a J in English - they just think that we are speaking English.

"God", in Spanish, is "Dios", if that is what you are asking.

ukemigrant

I have started saying bayta for beta, just because everyone else says it. I'm currently resisting saying prawcess for process.....*must resist* Oh and I may be starting to say meerer for mirror *sob*

I've been here for 21/4 years now.