Accents
I have an accent problem. Depending upon the person I’m listening to, my accent changes. This was very noticeable yesterday when my sons were in the kitchen installing my coffee pot under the counter. I mentioned that I needed to “wash” the counter carefully when they were finished. They all looked at me and said, “Did you just say warsh?” Oops! You can tell I’ve been back in Iowa visiting my family.
Now, I am NOT saying that everyone in NW Iowa talks that way, just the people I was with last week. We have an interesting accent of higher pitched at the end (like Canadians), faster talking, Norwegian, German, Swedish, etc. sounds. I was accused of sounding Southern when I first arrived; although everyone in the South would say, “What Southern accent?”
When I was in college studying Chinese and Spanish simultaneously, I’d have to ask the instructors to just “talk at me” in the beginning of class so I could re-orient my thoughts. I could maintain a beautiful “government style” Mandarin Chinese in Taiwan as long as I didn’t run into someone speaking with a ShanDung accent. While living in Germany life was challenging. I’d be chatting in Chinese with a German accent, meet friends from Spain and switch to Spanish with a Chinese accent, then be back with my Greek friends all mixed-up.
My S2BX never had any problems with this. He maintained his flat Midwestern with a hint of Canadian accent everywhere we went. His biggest problem was the word “about” which is NOT the same in the south. I need to go hang out with my friends at the grocery store to re-orient my ear before next week or my students won’t understand a word I say. I’ll spend the first week correcting their speech to a perfectly bland American accent. If you eavesdrop, you’ll hear me saying these phrases: “Honey, that word is king, and it only has one vowel. This is a pen. This is a pin. There is a difference. I don’t want to hear the phrase “I’m fixing to…” unless you have a tool in your hand. Only bells “brung” people bring back their books.”
To make life more interesting, my library assistant speaks with a beautiful Cambridge accent and will have to tolerate me re-adapting. I don’t consciously mimic her when she’s not there, but her accent is stuck in my head. Queue up children and let us prepare for dismissal.
Argh! Maybe I will travel to the Sudan. I have been intrigued with the accents of some of my students’ parents. Maybe it’s time to mix-up my voice even more. For those of you I’ll be meeting in Philly for ALA Midwinter, I just hope you can understand me. We can always resort to passing notes.
Do you ever worry that people will think you are mocking them? I also tend to pick up “accents” and speech patterns of others easily. It comes in handy for reading aloud with great expression, but I have to remember to control it around folks who might not appreciate it!
Comment by Beth — January 2, 2008 @ 9:58 pm
Yes, I have been accused of mocking people before. I DON’T DO THAT! I don’t know why I cannot keep my own voice around strong accents. Could it be the big hearing problem I have? I have had 6 ear surgeries and I concentrate on what you are saying very intensely. If I can hear them, I can usually identify voices on the telephone. Does this mean I listen better? Do those of us suffering from accentitis acquire other languages more easily? If I can hear it, I can remember it. I can internalize foreign languages, dream in them, and even came out of anesthesia in recovery once speaking Chinese. The nurses had to go get my ex-hubby to come in and translate. He simply leaned over and said, “You’re in America now. Speak English!” You are right, though, Beth. It can be a curse around people who don’t appreciate or understand it.
Comment by Diane — January 2, 2008 @ 11:25 pm
The same thing happens to me - with an additional twist. What happens in your head when you are reading? I have family in England. When I visit them, I find that I am “hearing” a British accent in my head whenever I read. What astounds me is how quickly it happens.
Comment by Jacquie — January 3, 2008 @ 6:06 pm
I agree with you, i have same problem because peoples belongs to other states have diff accents
Comment by GED — January 26, 2008 @ 1:37 am