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Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Location: the crib
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 Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:26 am Post subject: |
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I would love to hear more about the swallowing words bit. That's news to me.
(Here I was thinking Americans were flawless.  ) |
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Grimalkin
Joined: 22 May 2005
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| Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:37 am Post subject: |
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| Qinella wrote: |
I would love to hear more about the swallowing words bit. That's news to me.
(Here I was thinking Americans were flawless. ) |
A lot of European businessmen practice their listening using the BBC and then are confused when their American colleagues/customers say things like 'wanna' ,gonna', shoulda', kinda' etc |
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Qinella
Joined: 25 Feb 2005
Location: the crib
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| Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 11:50 am Post subject: |
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| Grimalkin wrote: |
| Qinella wrote: |
I would love to hear more about the swallowing words bit. That's news to me.
(Here I was thinking Americans were flawless. ) |
A lot of European businessmen practice their listening using the BBC and then are confused when their American colleagues/customers say things like 'wanna' ,gonna', shoulda', kinda' etc |
A well enunciated American "newscaster" accent wouldn't do those things.
One thing I do know that is different is that Americans tend to D'ize double Ts. Like matter becomes madder. |
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jaganath69
Joined: 17 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 1:33 pm Post subject: Re: English Accent |
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The OP only has this problem because he is
A. Ignorant
B. Unworldy
C. Lazy
D. Retarded
E. All of the above.
| ez2engage2 wrote: |
I grew up in California and have/had co-workers from Australia and England. Why is it so hard to understand their accents? Especially British, since they have to constantly repeat themselves not only to me but to most other co-workers as well. It must be frustrating to them.
But they have no problems understanding 'NAmerican' English. It can't be just because of Hollywood movies right? They seems to talk faster than Australians.
Is it easier for Australians to listen to 'NAmerian' than British? Or it desn't matter?
I had easier time understand co-worker from Monoco office that spoke English with French accent. |
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JeJuJitsu
Joined: 11 Sep 2005
Location: McDonald's
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| Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 3:18 pm Post subject: |
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| Grimalkin wrote: |
| Qinella wrote: |
I would love to hear more about the swallowing words bit. That's news to me.
(Here I was thinking Americans were flawless. ) |
A lot of European businessmen practice their listening using the BBC and then are confused when their American colleagues/customers say things like 'wanna' ,gonna', shoulda', kinda' etc |
...and they must also be confused about Americans pronouncing the "r" at the end of words, and not using the "r" sound at the end of words when they do exist. |
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Wangja
Joined: 17 May 2004
Location: Seoul, Yongsan
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| Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 3:51 pm Post subject: Re: English Accent |
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| ez2engage2 wrote: |
I grew up in California and have/had co-workers from Australia and England. Why is it so hard to understand their accents? Especially British, since they have to constantly repeat themselves not only to me but to most other co-workers as well. It must be frustrating to them.
But they have no problems understanding 'NAmerican' English. It can't be just because of Hollywood movies right? They seems to talk faster than Australians.
Is it easier for Australians to listen to 'NAmerian' than British? Or it desn't matter?
I had easier time understand co-worker from Monoco office that spoke English with French accent. |
Is it Arizona where you now live? Do they have hearing specialists there? If yes, and if you have managed to keep your medical insurance premiums up to date, why not pop along and have a full check-up.
There is a cure for you so fret not. |
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jaganath69
Joined: 17 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 4:41 pm Post subject: |
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| Well said Wangja. Why is it we commonwealth types are better at coping with the intersubjectivity between each other's dialects? |
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Big_Bird
Joined: 31 Jan 2003
Location: Sometimes here sometimes there...
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| Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 4:56 pm Post subject: Re: English Accent |
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| jaganath69 wrote: |
The OP only has this problem because he is
A. Ignorant
B. Unworldy
C. Lazy
D. Retarded
E. All of the above.
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Well put Mr 69.
One problem with many Americans is that they are so insulated. In most English countries, if there is a good film/TV program from another part of the world, we show it in its original form. The Americans have to completely remake it and AmericaniZe it. If they were as exposed to as much diversity as the rest of us, they wouldn't have these problems. It's their loss. We understand them, because we have been exposed to their accent/way of speak since we first turned on the TV. It's simply a matter of getting accustomed.
All talk about better/poorer Englishes is a bit old fashioned. Give me a thick Geordie accent any day - so rich in its deviation from the dull standard RP. |
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maryb
Joined: 21 Aug 2006
Location: up the hill from the kimchi pots
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| Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 5:02 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: |
...and they must also be confused about Americans pronouncing the "r" at the end of words, and not using the "r" sound at the end of words when they do exist.
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The generic american accent pronounces the "r" at the end of the word and does not add an "r" where it shouldnt be. texans add an r. bostonians speak closer to british english and remove the "r" and the end. British/boston english: water = watah, generic american: water = wadder.
T's in the middle of the word become d's (with the exception of intern, internet, etc.)
"ent" at the end of the word, you drop or swallow the "t" i.e. amusement
Also, when you link words together the end of the first word and the beginning of the second word gets combined and produces a completely different sound. i.e. did you = didgu. the d+y = dg sound
Not the best examples . . .Sorry
I can usually understand most accents but have had trouble in the past with a new zealander from Christchurch. Its usually the slang that trips me up tho.  |
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poker player
Joined: 27 Sep 2004
Location: On the river
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| Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 5:08 pm Post subject: |
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| Why all the hostility? Brits are sometimes difficult to understand-plain and simple. My partner of 10 years is from London and has been in Canada 20 years yet there are occasions when I really have to pay attention or I don't understand her. We went on vacation with some of her relatives a few years ago and I was lost in their conversation from time to time and so was she. Of course they thought she had lost her accent completely. I think it's all just what you are used to. |
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kermo
Joined: 01 Sep 2004
Location: Eating eggs, with a comb, out of a shoe.
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| Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 5:48 pm Post subject: |
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| I've often heard people from the South of England complain that they can't understand people from the North. It's not a purely American phenomenon. |
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Boodleheimer
Joined: 10 Mar 2006
Location: working undercover for the Man
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| Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 5:51 pm Post subject: |
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i spent a month in Wales helping my boyfriend on his farm. a "sheeper" came down from the hillside and i couldn't understand a damn thing. my boyfriend barely could, and he's from there!
i'd love to study variation and accents in the UK. such diversity! |
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ilovebdt
Joined: 03 Jun 2005
Location: Nr Seoul
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| Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 5:56 pm Post subject: |
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| kermo wrote: |
| I grew up with lots of British television, so I had no problem understanding the locals when I visited last summer. However, a bus driver from Glasgow had no idea what I meant when I asked him what the fare was, and started using pidgin English and hand-signals with me. |
Kermo you are not alone. I have visited Glasgow a few times in my life and I don't understand what people say there either.
On a side note, I would say American accents are easier to understand because when Americans speak they use all the letters in a word. Where as English people tend to eat the ends of their words.
ilovebdt |
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jaganath69
Joined: 17 Jul 2003
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| Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:09 pm Post subject: |
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Ebonics? 
| ilovebdt wrote: |
| kermo wrote: |
| I grew up with lots of British television, so I had no problem understanding the locals when I visited last summer. However, a bus driver from Glasgow had no idea what I meant when I asked him what the fare was, and started using pidgin English and hand-signals with me. |
Kermo you are not alone. I have visited Glasgow a few times in my life and I don't understand what people say there either.
On a side note, I would say American accents are easier to understand because when Americans speak they use all the letters in a word. Where as English people tend to eat the ends of their words.
ilovebdt |
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JeJuJitsu
Joined: 11 Sep 2005
Location: McDonald's
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| Posted: Mon Sep 25, 2006 6:22 pm Post subject: |
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| ilovebdt wrote: |
On a side note, I would say American accents are easier to understand because when Americans speak they use all the letters in a word. Where as English people tend to eat the ends of their words.
ilovebdt |
So, in short, Brits "eat," Americans "swallow." Nice. |
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