Job Discussion Forums

[fox1]

I can't really take it any more. I've had it up to you know where.

Every day (or "die", so to speak, which is what this is all about) Japanese are telling me that Australians say "Mun-dye" and "Tues-dye", etc. and, basically, that Australian English is inferior. More of the same last night and one guy even muttered "Australia" when I was unwittingly having to explain how to pronounce "Cheers" (and I wasn't even using a standard Aussie "Cheers").

Basically, some Japanese think it's perfectly fine to insult Australians and their English all the time. So many people do it. Even on the first day at work.

But then, there's this.

1. I have never, so far, countered back with the notion that Japanese is really kind of baby-sounding Chinese (plus a whole lot of even stupider-sounding English). "Year and a half"> Nihongo de: "Ichi nen han"> Chugokugo de: "yi nian ban" etc, etc. (I don't know why it's OK to bash Aussie language, but I can't say anything about Japanese language, and the whole culture and Japanese tendencies around bashing other countries but not being able to take criticism could be a whole other thread. Yesterday, these guys were making fun of Aussies because they all call soy sauce "Kikkoman". Uh, OK...).

2. You hear all the time (even on TV apparently) about how inferior Aus English is, and how Aussies say "Mun-die", but nobody ever talks about how some Americans say "Satur-dee", etc. Nobody even ventures into the colorful/bizarre territory of British English. It's always "Aussie Aussie your English is inferior, kind of thing". Well, you may not say Satur-dee, but I sure as hell don't say Mun-dye.

3. Japanese place a lot of importance on standard dialect, particularly when it comes to broadcasting jobs at, say, NHK. Amid their "expert" pontificating on how bad the Australian dialect is, Japanese neglect to mention that CNN International (you know, the mother of all networks, seen in more places, etc.) has more Australian announcers than American announcers.

I'm feeling likely to lash out soon about this. It's annoying when people think your English is inferior, and, by extension, you are. I got it from the school VP on Day 1. It's a kind of sniggering, etc.

In my opinion, there is no nicer-sounding English than that of Rosemary Church (an Australian anchor on CNNi, for those playing at home). My English is also really beautiful, if you don't mind me saying! Somewhere not-British, not-American, not-so-Australian, in the Pacific Ocean somewhere. I interviewed the Prime Minister. A TV station flew me in a helicopter to interview people.

It's time to foight beck, cobbers!! Sorry, I mean, it's time to fight back.

[JimDunlop2]

Just show them this site:

http://accent.gmu.edu/

[flyingkiwi]

A nice little larf to start the day

[Betty Lou Jones]

[Gordon]

They hired you and they don't like your accent, so the joke is on them, right mate?

Throw another shrimp on the barbie for me.

[fox1]

It's not that they don't like my accent.

Even if I had the nicest-sounding English (<that doesn't mean posh, by the way, and my English is about as middle-of-the-road as you can get, "man"), they would still infer that my English is inferior.

Most of the people who belittle Aus English have barely heard me speak English.

With others, I can say "Monday" (not "dye"), "How are you doing?" "How was your weekend?" (not ""owz yu wookind?") till the cows come home, but they will still go on only about how inferior Australian English is.

[shuize]

It could be worse: You could be Canadian.

[gaijin4life]

As a sometime resident of (and frequent visitor ) to the lucky country, I feel your pain, but as someone pointed out, `they hired you` so obviously accent is not really an issue.. perhaps they are just interested in the differences between Aust and other English accents .. ?

Although in Japan, American/Canadian or more `neutral` accents are preferred; in the world the reality is that, `English-speakers speak with a variety of accents` - you might like to point this out to your cobbers ..

If they become familiar w only American etc. or expect to only speak with those speakers, they will most likely be screwed if they travel to other countries - the joke will therefore be on them ..

At my last school, students became interested in my accent, (which is kind of a hybrid Brit./Aust/NZ English.) Especially after I pointed out this reality. I think if you make an effort to speak slowly enough and clearly, they will cope.

Ofcourse people can and do express a preference for a particular accent. But, the reality is that, to become a competent speaker of English - the world does not all speak US etc. accented English.

- If you wanted to `fight back` you could always point out a few useful facts such as:

- the `Aussie accent` hasnt stopped Japanese businesses; investors or people from flocking there to live, esp. in Gold Coast area.
- or, from continuing to visit in large numbers every year ..
- I believe Aussie is still a very popular destination for home-stays and high school/ uni. students.
- rugby: as with NZ, Aust. is a very popular place for rugby teams and aspiring individuals to go to, to study the art of playing rugby, - cos, quite franky and `damn` - they need to !!!
- quality of life ... Japan vs. Aust. hmmmm...

- and the piece de resistance - `Aussie beaches vs. Japanese beaches ... - game over !!!!

Good luck and remember, you can always go back to the wide-open space; clean air and environment and high standard of living of the lucky country, many people over here do not have that choice ..

take it easy cobber -

[gaijin4life]

[callmesim]

During my time in Japan, I never exprienced this. I had a few students comment of how I said 'eight' but that was in good humour. And they were right - we do say eight quite differently to how they're used to it.

I had some experiences of American's taking the proverbial over the odd word, often going for the cliche - to which I'd respond "Clean out your ears - listen." and repeat what I said. If their claims are false and you're not doing the ocker pronunciation, make them know! Tell them that their listening is poor. But do it passively and made them feel like THEY'RE failing.

[fox1]

hey man. alright, I just gotta say, the school didn't hire me. The larger outsourcing company hired me. As an aside, I feel some at the school believe the outsourcer sent me to this low-ranking school because I'm Australian/automatically, by extension, there's a problem with my English.

There is no "problem" with my English. It's as middle of the road, not-hard, not-too-soft, not-Australian, not-American, somewhere in between, easy-to-understand yet also natural English you can get!

About the Gold Coast: you can happily add that to Cornwall or maybe they'd like it around Glasgow!

Thanks man. I gotta bounce!

[JaredW]

[ironopolis]

I second all the advice already given about subtly telling people that any inferiority is theirs due to their inability to deal with what should be a well-known fact that there are a range of native English speaking accents around the world.

It might also be some consolation to bear in mind that quite a few Japanese people do overreact in situations like these in a way that can appear ridiculous, and that such overreaction needs to be taken with a pillar of salt. Note that they also do this for areas of Japan other than their own. I've often hear people say that the way people talk in Kagoshima/Tohoku/Kansai/wherever was "zenzen chigau" and impossible to understand and then further enquiry revealed that it was just one word that had been overheard that sounded different! Just like an encounter with a native of X-country who happens to like Y-food will often see many people retell this as "all X-people like Y".
Just get used to it and laugh it off, it doesn't mean much.

[billysmolesworthy]

Fox1,

Two practical tips on countering their objections (voiced or not):

Stress that the difference between UK and US accents and vocabulary is less than that between Japanese dialects, or bens. And, learning English from Aussie teachers allows them to find a middle ground - Aussie English is influenced both by it's British heritage and it's consumption of American culture. Sure, we say lift instead of elevator, but we also now say movies instead of films.

For everything else I wanted to tell you, see Gaijin4life's post.

Rest assured though, your experience is due to the insensitive light hearted kidding of some students. (Have they tried out 'I went to the hospital todie' on you? ) I teach English at Yamaha, Suzuki and Honda with my Orstrayian accent and never get any guff from them. There is no pervasive view that being Australian makes you a second class teacher. There is certainly a school of thought among some Japanese that it's American or nothing, but this is so easily countered with the line about English being international etc. Even TOEIC's recent changes included the addition of many non American accents. Many current textbooks even include listening activities with non native speakers - which makes sense seeing as how they'll be talking with a lot more resort waiters than they will American soccer moms. I mean mums.

[Chris21]

Sorry to be un-PC, but anyone that thinks "all accents should be equal", is kidding themselves. Clearly some accents have more practical value than others, if not, then Japan would be heavily recruiting English teachers from poorer countries like India or the Philippines. In the grand scheme of things, Australian English doesn't have the economic allure of US English, nor does it have the traditional cache of UK English. I think you just have to come to grips with the reality that Australian English is third in the pecking order.

And as for Canadian accents, there is no substantive difference with most American accents - the pronunciation of most North Americans is classified as General American English.