I don't think so. Well I never hear it, but apparently other people do. Because we have lived here for the past 19 years I just figure everyone understands everything I say.
I was at the pharmacy the other week, and have been going to the same one for donkey's years, and I was talking to her and a woman from the Caribbean and we got on about accents etc and I said I didn't think I talked any different to anyone else. However Celia (pharmacist) pointed out that not many people say donkey's years......I guess not?
I was in a children's clothing store the other day and one of the cashiers was from Liverpool and she thought I was visiting, as she thought my accent was so strong. I said I was full of cold, so that's maybe why my accent sounded so strong.
I am always shocked when people don't understand me. The funniest story I have with someone not understanding me, was when I went into an Italian bakery and a little Italian woman was serving me. I wanted a bun with butter on it. The bun bit she got, the butter thing she didn't get. No matter how I tried to pronounce butter, she didn't get it. In the end I did a spreading action and then she got it.
Over the years I have figured out when people don't understand me, by watching their expressions. Dd boyfriend is the best, as I can tell right away when I have said something he has no clue what I am talking about and dd will then translate. Did I mention we speak English!!!!
When we go to the States as soon as I open my mouth the first thing people say is where do you come from. I used to say Canada, and then the expression in one of total confusion, so now I say we are originally from Britain but now live in Canada. It saves on such a lot of confused looks and questions.
I find when I am with other British people, I drop back into a thicker British accent. However when we go to Britain they say we talk with a Canadian accent. In Canada, everyone comments on my British accent. So basically we belong to neither country :o(
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12 comments:
Aw Gill, you belong to us!!! :)
I know what you mean about accents between my british father and german mother both of whom thought they had no accents, we had lots of conversations about this very thing.
I laughed so hard at this post. I am orginally from the Czech Republic. I lived in France and spoke French before English; then we moved to Canada. I met an old childhood friend I had not seen in 25 years...the first thing she said to me was "you sound Canadian now". I was so puzzled...I never thought I sounded anything but Canadian before!
I can relate. People often say here in the US, "You haven't lost your accent." When I go home, "You sound so American." If I go into a restaurant and ask for 'water' the waiter doesn't understand what I am saying, so I have tried to pronounce it the American way, no problem there, I get my water order in the first time round and don't have to repeat myself three or four times. Since I am working with all my British friends in the tea room, I think my accent has come back quite a bit. Great post Gill.
I love british accents ! My neighbor where I moved from was from Enland and I could listen to her talk all day.
I grew up in Alabama, but lived 20 years in New Mexico. Folks always said I talked too fast for a Southerner when we lived in AL, but NM friends always teased me about my Southern accent, which always got thicker when I was tired or talking to family.
While in NM I added my ending consonants, and now, back in the South, people ask me where I'm from.
You just can't win!
That is so funny. I am from BC and I have a very strong accent. Strong enough that I get asked where I'm from quite frequently. My response is BC... lol. Its actually quite humorous. My Mom's family is from Norway so as a youngin I picked up their accents and despite years of speech therapy I haven't lost the accent totally.
You would think with the melting pot effect here in Canada people would be more used to it!
My dad was a Geordie and when he first took my mother to meet his family way back in 1941, she couldn't understand anyone. I don't recall dad having a very strong accent though.
My son and his family have been living in Australia for over 4 years and I think the children definitely have Aussie accents now but at their school they love their British accents!
well I am glad I am not the only one.........
Gill
Hi Gill, I am a Londoner, been here (USA) for five years now, The people in the supermarkets still say they love my accent, when I go back my daughter says I talk funny (she is grown up and still lives in London) and when I return all the Brits here say they dont understand me because I have lapsed right back into my cockney accent, oh dear where do I belong anymore. great blog, esp the free food part haha. Kathy.
What is Canadian anyway? Anyone from anywhere looking for a better life!
My husband is from England and his friends and family like to tease him about how he sounds Canadian.
I think they say it for fun.
I was amused when a group of Geordies (myself included although I would be called a "Sand Dancer"...I will explain that some time) went to Hull one day. One chap with a thick accent could not make himself understand to a girl working it McDonalds. It was extremely amusing...
I can relate too :)
Mum got pulled over for not wearing her seatbelt and the police officer asked if she had a valid Australian drivers license! She's been in Australia 35 years! Can't keep a good Welsh accent hidden.
My accent also thicken when I'm around other Poms ( English) and I've been here since I was 7. But my dad was a Scouser so the accents were thick in the house growing up. After 30 years in Aust. Dad still sounded like he came from Liverpool!
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