How to confuse a foreigner RE: Supermarkets

[Brigandier]

I was eating some flurpy-durpy flim flam willy wizzits the just earlier today.

With or without biscuits?

 

[zinfamous]

People know what a supermarket is, although we generally just refer to them as "grocery stores".

yep

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

Everyone is ignoring the effect of a British accent on a Texan mind. No wonder he didn't know what the hell you were talking about.

 

[ElFenix]

Everyone is ignoring the effect of a British accent on a Texan mind. No wonder he didn't know what the hell you were talking about.

houston is as cosmopolitan a city as you'll find. the accent was fine. although if he was down near the greyhound station or just being his usual trolling self i could see the problem.

 

[Numenorean]

Maybe it was the pronunciation of "supermarket". It's still very commonly understood, however most people do call them grocery stores these days.

Maybe to that person you sounded like you said "soup market" which would be an odd thing to ask about.

 

[Numenorean]

With or without biscuits?

You wouldn't eat biscuits with that you would have cookies.

 

[HAL9000]

Maybe it was the pronunciation of "supermarket". It's still very commonly understood, however most people do call them grocery stores these days.

Maybe to that person you sounded like you said "soup market" which would be an odd thing to ask about.

I agree, I did do my best to enunciate to insure he understood but I got nowhere.

 

[AreaCode707]

I agree, I did do my best to enunciate to insure he understood but I got nowhere.

Well there's your problem. You should have ensured he understood.

 

[HAL9000]

Well there's your problem. You should have ensured he understood.

You're right I should. This was the problem as I recall, he just wasn't interested in my insurance offers.

 

[Born2bwire]

You didn't say, "Where is the supermarket?"

You said, "I say, excuse me Guv'nor! Cor! Where be the supahmark there, right? I needs to buy me a tin'o'biskits, eh what?"

And like most rational people they just assumed you had severe brain injuries and were either trying to direct you to the nearest physician or to find your mother to come and take care of you.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

houston is as cosmopolitan a city as you'll find. the accent was fine. although if he was down near the greyhound station or just being his usual trolling self i could see the problem.

 

[Perknose]

Everyone is ignoring the effect of a British accent on a Texan mind. No wonder he didn't know what the hell you were talking about.

I JUST GOT IT!

I'll bet anything Hal asked for a supermart (instead of 'market'), and pronounced the 'u' in 'super" in the same way the Brits regularly pronouce a 'u' in words, such as in the country "Kyouwait" and the car "Jag-you-are," so that the guy really did think he was looking for a 'mart' that sold soup.

...one guy tried telling me they don't sell soup but I can get some next door!

The guy you ran into is still something of an idiot, though.

 

[rcpratt]

After talking to myself in an English accent for the last 5 minutes, I can see how it might sound like "soup market." The "er" sound is probably rather short, isn't it?

 

[ElFenix]

if i'm at a festival i can usually hear at least 6 or 7 different languages spoken. this place isn't a void of international flavor like dallas.

 

[HAL9000]

I JUST GOT IT!

I'll bet anything Hal asked for a supermart (instead of 'market'), and pronounced the 'u' in 'super" in the same way the Brits regularly pronouce a 'u' in words, such as in the country "Kyouwait" and the car "Jag-you-are," so that the guy really did think he was looking for a 'mart' that sold soup.



The guy you ran into is still something of an idiot, though.

Alas no I definately said Super market

I said (phonetically) soo-per-mar-ket

After talking to myself in an English accent for the last 5 minutes, I can see how it might sound like "soup market." The "er" sound is probably rather short, isn't it?

Perhaps with some people but not with me I have a quite a enunciating English accent, every syllable in its place. Although I appreciate the effort with trying the accent

 

[ElFenix]

Perhaps with some people but not with me I have a quite a enunciating English accent, every syllable in its place. Although I appreciate the effort with trying the accent

most people above ground (which means they don't work there) in downtown probably have no idea where the nearest supermarket is.

randall's

 

[HAL9000]

most people above ground (which means they don't work there) in downtown probably have no idea where the nearest supermarket is.

randall's

It's weird seeing that place on google street view again, it was like a year ago and I recognise it in a way...

 

[Crusty]

Supermarket Sweep was an awesome TV show.

 

[69Mach1]

Everyone is ignoring the effect of a British accent on a Texan mind. No wonder he didn't know what the hell you were talking about.

One of the weirdest experiences of my life involved a Mexican-American, who learned to speak English in Texas(with a pronounced drawl) and a Welsh Consultant( with a pronounced accent). I could understand both of them perfectly, but they could not understand each other at all. I ended up translating English to English(not helped by my laughing so hard my sides hurt).

 

[ISAslot]

Please upload a mp3 of you saying "supermarket". I'm curious!

 

[HAL9000]

Please upload a mp3 of you saying "supermarket". I'm curious!

That is something that would haunt me on here.

 

[Kirby]

With a few obvious exceptions.

But we invented this. :awe:

The first vibrator was a steam-powered massager, which was invented by American physician George Taylor in 1869.[136] Dr. Taylor recommended his vibrators for treatment of an illness known at the time as "female hysteria." Hysteria, from the Greek for "suffering uterus," involved anxiety, irritability, sexual fantasies, pelvic heaviness, and excessive vaginal lubrication—in other words, sexual arousal.

 

[LiuKangBakinPie]

Throw him a grid iron outfit and a rugby ball

 

[HAL9000]

But we invented this. :awe:

That's true, but you guys didn't invent dildo's!

 

[Demo24]

One of the weirdest experiences of my life involved a Mexican-American, who learned to speak English in Texas(with a pronounced drawl)

This weirded me out the first time I encountered it in Texas. Over here they all have latin/south of the border accents, never 'southern' accents.