Do You "Talk Funny"?

[Ornery]

While watching TV the other day, they had a film from England about how they get ripped off by mechanics. During the film there were subtitles for some of the "victims", so that we could understand them. I thought it was amusing that we would need English subtitles to understand what English people were saying

I know we have a hell of a lot of dialects here in the US. But I tend to think there is truly a "proper" way of speaking English in this country too. Basically, the national broadcasters seem to sound the same with no accents or dialects at all. I figure that any region that speaks like they do is "doing it right".

I assumed we were pretty close to that ideal here in Northeast Ohio. I'm guilty of saying dis and dat instead of this and that. But most people speak about the same as the national broadcasters IMO. Looks like we're not immune to "dialects" here either. My son's teacher, who is from England, said that we tend to leave the "t" off the end of words like what, that and yet. OMG He's right! I can, and do, actually say those words without touching my tongue to the back of my upper teeth where the "t" should be pronounced! What an epiphany!

I'll never be able to shake this habit. I had no idea. Wish someone had told me a long time ago, so I wouldn't be talking funny now...

 

[Deeko]

Pretty sure I talk normal(live near Reading, PA). But there really isn't a normal.

 

[Lord Evermore]

Try spending the first 22 years of your life living in the South in a farming town, then moving to New England. My accent slips back and forth all the time, although I haven't been here long enough yet for the NE accent to become severe.

Personally I try to speak proper English at all times, pronouncing words as they are in the dictionary, with no dialect inflection, no dropping of letters or drawling (except for the 'g' on words that end in 'ing', which seems to be common in all dialects).

 

[Yo Ma Ma]

Perfect midwestern, but I'm sure that sounds funny somewhere

 

[montanafan]

There's nothing "funny" about the way I talk, but I can't say the same for the anchors on the network news. In fact, all y'all north of the Mason-Dixon Line sound a little strange to me.

 

[Isla]

Well, growing up in the South with Spanish speaking people did leave a mark on me...

I generally speak in the manner of the newscasters... I was taught proper elocution in drama classes. However, I do have a tendency to pronounce words with a Spanish emphasis... and sometimes I have trouble with certain consonants. The words "watch" and "wash" are a little tricky for me, just to mention a few.

Also, I tend to say "whole nuther" a lot.

Well, that's a whole nuther story!

 

[Ariel]

I have always wondered what an American accent sounds like. Obviuosly, I can't hear it but I wonder what an American accent sounds like to other countries. For example England, South Africa or Australia. Personally I love the accent from all of these countries. To me, they sound very elegant and dignified. I am just curious as to what we sound like to them...

 

[Lord Evermore]

We sound like rebellious hicks to Brits.

 

[kduncan5]

Hey, I'm from NE Ohio, and I talk just fine .....well, sometimes I don't enuciate as well as I should, but I do all right

You wanna talk really funny, try helium:Q -kd5-

 

[Regine]

I have a German accent. Napalm doesn't think it's a big accent, but a lot of people notice it right away. I don't know if that qualifies as "talking funny" though

 

[Mem]

<< I thought it was amusing that we would need English subtitles to understand what English people were saying >>



LOL.. I understood quite perfectly,then again I live in England.

 

[Regine]

Sometimes I have difficulties understanding people with different English dialects. I blame the fact that English isn't my first language

 

[vi edit]

My spanish speaker in highschool told us that Illinois and Iowa were the guides to which accents were compared. Apparently, these two states have the most neutral/non-existant accent out of any states in the Union.

 

[shiznut123]

i speak slang

 

[Ornery]

Well, sometimes it's a big plus to &quot;talk funny&quot; around my wife. She just LOVES accents. And if you have a Southern accent, you can do no wrong!

My sister moved from here to Houston 20 years ago when she was about 17yo. Picked up their accent in about a week! My other sister that moved with her at about 14yo, didn't pick it up much at all. She has since moved back here and completely lost it.

It kind of annoys me when people butcher the language too badly. It's as if they don't want you to understand them. And I think broadcasters should be held to a higher standard. I mean, there are hundreds of people that would like those broadcasting jobs. The job should only be given to the stand out speakers IMO. Here near Cleveland, some of them tend to use a &quot;t&quot; to end a word that ends with a &quot;d&quot;. Imagine saying Clevelant Oh well. Guess I'm just jealous I don't have their job!

 

I talk Floridian, but whenever I go visit my parents in 'Bama, it always rubs off on me for a week or two.

 

[toph99]

i say the traditional Canadian 'eh' once in a while now if you want an accent, you have to talk to my girlfriend. she lives right in the middle of Tennessee, and whenever i call her i have to get her to repeat what she says sometimes because her accent is so thick i think it's cute though

 

[gUEv]

i just talk sexy

 

[Tominator]

Ornery
Broadcasters try and perfect a 'Midwestern Dialect.' It is supposed to be the most neutral and therefore acceptable nationwide.

BTW, I think accents are cool. It's great to hear someone come down on a minority for not speaking 'plain english.' I'll always retort that if they can speak two languages, thay are smarter than you or I. That has never not hushed a biggot!

I think the different way we talk gives our country character!

 

[hzl eyed grl]

When I was little, I lived in Oklahoma and Arkansas. I said y'all and all that. lol But, now that I've lived in California for about 14 or so years...I don't talk like that anymore. But, if I get around someone that does...I can slip back into very easily.

I didn't think that I had an accent now, but I spoke on the phone with Stuclark, who is from London, and he says that I do. I dunno. lol But, according to him I do.

EDIT:

<< BTW, I think accents are cool. >>


I agree with you there. Accents are very cool.

 

[uncouth]

what kind of accent do I have from New England?

and would you mind passing the chowda?

 

[Dameon]

at least here in Texas, I find the more urban peoples of Austin, Dallas, and Houston tend not to have anywhere near as heavy of an accent as we are assumed to have. There are a coupla werds yew can caytch myy accent on, but not that many. But I do find that I &quot;pick up&quot; accents very easily . Maybe I'm just a goof, but if I'm speaking to an Irish person for example, I notice I pickup a heavier R a wee bit. I think working tech support and speaking with so many different accents help to work out quite a bit of my natural texan slurrrs. But if I'm tired or inebriated.... then I really sink into the drawl.

But naw, I dont reckon that I talk too funny, ya'll.

 

[kami]

I've been told i have a sexy voice

I don't have an accent though...even all the americans I've talked to say I have no &quot;canadian accent&quot; to speak of..

 

[MISTER 2 U]

YOU ARE ALL WRONG

I was born and raised on Cape Cod Massa two sh*ts
And any one who talks with a Massachusetts accent talks with the proper accent.




why you ask?????
because thats were the PILGRIMS landed
and that is where the original language of the United States came from!!!!!!!!!!!!!
So I do say CAR correct YOU do not






OR





Nevermind

 

[slpaulson]

Heh I don't think I sound funny. I live in Wisconsin but I don't have the wacky Polish/Norway accent going on.