What language do you speak?

English, Japanese, and Romanian. Picking up Spanish. Where to go from here.... Oh, and I'm an American born in the heartland.

Thanks to a previous job, I can read and write Chinglish.

You know how great Harbour Freight tool instructions are? I was responsible for the Canadian version.

Happy, lucky, good time for you and family!

Trans_Maro wrote:

aussiesmg wrote: 300,000,000 damn yankees and I am the only one here without an accent, sheesh

How many of them think you're British?

Offtopic- some years ago, I did a parade in our cooper s. Has British flag mirror caps. This parade was in southern MN. Not once, not twice, but three times I heard "look, that ones from Canada!"

The Union Jack on a German car must have confused him.

I once made a call to a company in Chattanooga Tennessee and I head the receptionist yell to the whole office "Hey this guy's from Canada!" like it was some incredible feat of magic that the phone worked from so far away.

She followed it up with "Y'all talk funny"

Parents from New England and growing up in Kentucky I was always told i didn't sound like I was from around here. But visit back up northeast and I sound southern. I can't win.

As an aside however, while I was serving in some faraway places I discovered that everyone in the world speaks English when you point an M16 at them. Fluently speaks it as a matter of fact.

KyAllroad wrote: As an aside however, while I was serving in some faraway places I discovered that everyone in the world speaks English when you point an M16 at them. Fluently speaks it as a matter of fact.

One of my friends went to Germany for much of a year as part of some school or work thing or another, it's been a while and I forget. The important thing is, he spoke passably fluent German, but every time he tried to speak to somebody, they'd switch to English. What's the point of learning, then? (IIRC we used to pass the miles on TSDs by giving notes and instruction in German. Why? Because bored on a TSD...)

More fun is when people who were BORN in X country come to the US as adults and live here for a while. Then go back to the home country, and everyone switches to English because they've developed an American accent. That has to be incredibly frustrating.

Southern. Except after so many years in Indiana I sound like a Yankee down there and a southerner up here. If I spend a few days back home it comes back strong an I can turn up the drawl if necessary.

I moved to Iowa from New York when I was twelve, the school placed me with a speech therapist. Ummm, accent; not impediment....

Oh yeah I met that "therapist. " I had a western accent living in Montana for 7 years of my early life. I couldn't say r's right? I could, I can l just sound different, jerk.

I now have a Chicago accent. Yes we DO talk like the Superfans.

Knurled wrote: One of my friends went to Germany for much of a year as part of some school or work thing or another, it's been a while and I forget. The important thing is, he spoke passably fluent German, but every time he tried to speak to somebody, they'd switch to English. What's the point of learning, then?

Hungarians used to do the same thing to me, I'd still reply in Hungarian (when I could). I found that most appreciated the effort, and a lot of "closed doors" would open.

mndsm wrote:

Trans_Maro wrote:

aussiesmg wrote: 300,000,000 damn yankees and I am the only one here without an accent, sheesh

How many of them think you're British?

Offtopic- some years ago, I did a parade in our cooper s. Has British flag mirror caps. This parade was in southern MN. Not once, not twice, but three times I heard "look, that ones from Canada!"

Canada.. England... same thing- they still worship the same queen.

Knurled wrote: One of my friends went to Germany for much of a year as part of some school or work thing or another, it's been a while and I forget. The important thing is, he spoke passably fluent German, but every time he tried to speak to somebody, they'd switch to English. What's the point of learning, then?

Was he somewhere in the Western part of Germany?

I live in the old former East, and let me tell you, it's not so frequent here. That's not to say that people don't speak English in the East, because I have had some really great experiences with Germans wanting to practice their English with me. To echo what Bill said, most Germans appreciate me trying their language, but most seem to enjoy me struggling through the grammar.

In reply to novaderrik:

I hear your country has an entirely different type of queen..

I speak General East Coast American. I was raised in NY but I've been in NC for almost 20 years. My parents moved to northern Vermont when I was in my 20s, so my youngest brother and my sister speak like they are from there.

I can even follow Gullah a little.

Funny story:

When I was still fixing aircraft, I ended up in Ohio for training with a bunch of other mechanics from all over Canada and the US.

Three Canadians, a guy from our Alberta shop, a guy from another company in Quebec and myself were sitting in the pub watching a hockey game and trying to tech the bartender how to make a Caesar.

This guy who was quite drunk came up to us and mumbled something in horrible, garbled english, then wandered off and started running the floor sweeper around the bar. After an hour or so, he disappeared. We assumed he was possibly a "special needs" person they kept around to help out.

The next day, the three of us showed up to training and found our "special" friend sitting in class with us (more than a little alarming).

He was a bit hung-over, his speech was still garbled but it became apparent that he had a heavy Cajun accent. Like the guys on "swamp people" only worse.

Our French-Canadian companion was able to have a conversation with him in horrible french (Like parisian french but sitting in an ashtray, soaked in maple syrup) and they got along like they had known each other forever.

I knew about the roots of the Acadians and the Cajuns but didn't realise just how close they were.

Mostly neutral north/east. I used to have a slightly southern accent when I moved north after growing up in Southern VA. I still find a southern accent soothing.

I will pick up a bit of Bahston when I spend time out there.

Trans_Maro wrote: Thanks to a previous job, I can read and write Chinglish. You know how great Harbour Freight tool instructions are? I was responsible for the Canadian version. Happy, lucky, good time for you and family!

You funny!

I have the Wisconsin accent. I moved from the Appleton, WI area down to Madison for college. Just spending a year down there I could hear the accents when I'd visit home. One of my buddies from the DC area would laugh me when I'd get drunk and talk with another buddy from high school. He said the accent would get way worse/hilarious.

And I will always say 'borrow' when I guess I mean 'lend'. My wife hates it!

Born and raised in rural Missouri, but apparently I have a fairly neutral accent...until I start talking to my dad's family. The redneck in me comes out real quick at that point.

People tell me I get a faint Southern accent when I really get rolling during a court argument, but I've never been able to tell.

Arizona to Puerto Rico to Canada to South Dakota to Nigeria and back to Canada.

I am pretty much a Zelig when it comes to language.

I never understood the Scotsmen that I meet after they have been in Canada for like 40 years and they sound like they just got off the boat that morning. My father in law is from Hungary and 50 years latter still has not figured out V and W sounds says: "Wampire" rather than a "Vampire". We do make fun if him a lot.

Canadian English eh....and Romanian. I speak to customers all the time in the deep south, some speak perfectly comprehensible English, most, "WTF was that?!?!?!".

Hoosier accent and understand enough French to know if I just hate the french canadian speaking it or want to murder them.....

RossD wrote: And I will always say 'borrow' when I guess I mean 'lend'. My wife hates it!

Borrow, or borry?