Ram Posted August 22, 2008 Posted August 22, 2008 O.K, I really need to know the answer to this question. First, the myth and the facts; Myth no.1: If you live in a place long enough, you're bound to be influenced by that region's linguistic style. Fact no.1: Fair enough, cant really argue too much with that, BUT, in what ways can we be influenced? I can understand people picking up some of the most used commonly used phrases, stuff like ‘I want to touch base with you on…’ or if someone got in your way while you were walking and apologized, you would probably say ‘No, you’re fine’. Now, these are some of the phrases I have picked up AFTER I moved abroad. You wouldn’t find too many people using ‘em in India. But, does your accent change naturally? Now, unless you moved to a different place in your late teens( which is when an accent begins to develop), I really cant understand how a person’s entire accent will change just because he has lived in a place for many years. Myth no.2: Well, they don’t understand if I speak English with an Indian accent. If I put on an American/British accent, they seem to understand better Fact no.2: BS. Any language, if spoken well with ANY accent, can be understood by all who have a basic grasp of that language. For eg; I don’t have any trouble at all, following the words in English, whether it be an American, an Australian or an Irishman or an African who speaks it. Now, all these are very distinct styles, but I have never had trouble grasping ‘em, as long it was spoken well. So, technically, no American/Brit should have a problem with our Indian accent, as long as you or me spoke well and coherently right? Fact no.3: There’s no myth here, only a fact. A badly mangled accent is one the worst forms of way for a person to embarrass himself. Don’t put on an accent, it feels terrible and makes you look like you have an identity crisis. Be proud of what you are! :two_thumbs_up:
satishg Posted August 22, 2008 Posted August 22, 2008 fact no 3 spot on..its ok if u dont have an accent but trying to fake something will just embarrass them..maybe some ppl think that its stylish to have an accent or something..we shd try to preserve our originality..thats the most imp thing
varun Posted August 22, 2008 Posted August 22, 2008 Don't agree with point 2. Many people ask foreigners to repeat themselves if they don't understand the accent. (if the accent is thick enough)
punjabi_khota Posted August 22, 2008 Posted August 22, 2008 O.K, I really need to know the answer to this question. First, the myth and the facts; Myth no.1: If you live in a place long enough, you're bound to be influenced by that region's linguistic style. Fact no.1: Fair enough, cant really argue too much with that, BUT, in what ways can we be influenced? I can understand people picking up some of the most used commonly used phrases, stuff like ‘I want to touch base with you on…’ or if someone got in your way while you were walking and apologized, you would probably say ‘No, you’re fine’. Now, these are some of the phrases I have picked up AFTER I moved abroad. You wouldn’t find too many people using ‘em in India. But, does your accent change naturally? Now, unless you moved to a different place in your late teens( which is when an accent begins to develop), I really cant understand how a person’s entire accent will change just because he has lived in a place for many years. Myth no.2: Well, they don’t understand if I speak English with an Indian accent. If I put on an American/British accent, they seem to understand better Fact no.2: BS. Any language, if spoken well with ANY accent, can be understood by all who have a basic grasp of that language. For eg; I don’t have any trouble at all, following the words in English, whether it be American, an Australian or an Irishman or an African who speaks it. Now, all these are very distinct styles, but I have never had trouble grasping ‘em, as long it was spoken well. So, technically, no American/Brit should have a problem with our Indian accent, as long as you or me spoke well and coherently right? Fact no.3: There’s no myth here, only a fact. A badly mangled accent is one the worst forms of way for a person to embarrass himself. Don’t put on an accent, it feels terrible and makes you look like you have an identity crisis. Be proud of what you are! :two_thumbs_up: Wrong. I had/have to change the way I speak several words. Try picking up amru chicks with the unchanged desi accent and then you will understand. You wanna make it as smooth as possible .:winky: Phone conversations are also made easy that way.
Ram Posted August 22, 2008 Author Posted August 22, 2008 Don't agree with point 2. Many people ask foreigners to repeat themselves if they don't understand the accent. (if the accent is thick enough) Sure, some words may be difficult to understand here and there, but my general observation has been that as long as you speak a language well and coherently, it doesnt really matter what you're accent is. Most people who understand that language can pick it up. Wrong. I had/have to change the way I speak several words. Try picking up amru chicks with the unchanged desi accent and then you will understand. You wanna make it as smooth as possible .:winky: Phone conversations are also made easy that way. Hehe. Trust me, those same 'amru chicks' will be laughing their asses off, behind your back, at your half-baked attempts to put on an American accent and sound 'cool'. I would rather sound steady and dignified in my Indian accent which I am used to for many years, than look like a jackass by trying to emulate something thats totally alien to me. :winky:
punjabi_khota Posted August 22, 2008 Posted August 22, 2008 Sure, some words may be difficult to understand here and there, but my general observation has been that as long as you speak a language well and coherently, it doesnt really matter what you're accent is. Most people who understand that language can pick it up. Hehe. Trust me, those same 'amru chicks' will be laughing their asses off, behind your back, at your half-baked attempts to put on an American accent and sound 'cool'. I would rather sound steady and dignified in my Indian accent which I am used to for many years, than look like a jackass by trying to emulate something thats totally alien to me. :winky: Dude, you are getting me wrong. I am not putting an accent on a whole, just changing the way I pronounce some words, thats all. I have experienced first hand that it is much more easier for them to understand. And I couldn't care less what they talk about behind my back, as long as it gets my 'job' done. :hatsoff:
Guest dada_rocks Posted August 22, 2008 Posted August 22, 2008 I work with mostly Jakcy chan english type guys this is the travesty of research field all are non-native hence weak in English. Most of the time I end up lookign for wards for anythign which goes beyond Jacky chan vocabulary....Even my indian colleague for some weird reason is challenged in English.. Problem is vocabulary nto accent Yes, talking of accent well even my wife laughs at me so.. koi gal nahin hai..:haha: In return I get to laugh at her attempt to speak maithili .. even stevens
Guest dada_rocks Posted August 22, 2008 Posted August 22, 2008 You won't believe what kind of goof-ups my colleagues do with English.. one swissh guy once during conversation says my wife is easy.. everyoneone was l;ooking at him..Ii took him aside and explained right phrase is easy-going, easy has altogether different meaning.. When I broached up this topic at dinner at his place we all had heartily laugh. NSince then he has bene under my tutelage.. Now his wife keeps complaining how he has started speaking with weird accent and pronunciation.> points to note here we were taught with spelling in minf pronunciation always took backseat so every once in a while I do screw the pronunciation....
fineleg Posted August 22, 2008 Posted August 22, 2008 But' date=' does your accent change naturally? [/quote'] You are wrong. It does change naturally (atleast for some it does). Does not have to be in low teens or something like that. It does change for some and over time. It depends more on if you hang out mainly with desis exclusively, or if you hang out with native folks as well for longer times. If you do a mix of both, it will change (again not for all, but it will for some).
Kartikey Posted August 22, 2008 Posted August 22, 2008 I have picked up the Brit accent but I have made sure I havent lost my Indian accent. When I'm at school, I just speak in the Brit accent not because I would seem different if i didnt speak in it, it just seems to come naturally to me. Some words are actually hard to say when speaking with a Brit accent like vulnerable. But I have made sure I have not lost my original Indian accent because when I go to India, i dont want people thinking im an NRI or something. Technically I probably am, but I hate being called that, the only thing I like being called is Indian. Anyway ur talking about English accents, let me tell u, I have heard some hillarious Hindi accents from people my age. Fair enough, they are British Indians, but there's one guy who was actually born in India, and its so annoying when he speaks in Hindi, because nobody actually understands him, I dont even think his parents understand him...its just gibberish.
fineleg Posted August 22, 2008 Posted August 22, 2008 When I'm at school, I just speak in the Brit accent not because I would seem different, it just seems to come naturally to me. . Yep, thats what I was stating, it does.
cowboysfan Posted August 22, 2008 Posted August 22, 2008 i hate that too guys-thankfully i would look real silly trying to pull off a texas accent.the trick is to speak slowly-a lot of americans have trouble understanding us if we speak fast like we do in india.
ludhianvi Posted August 22, 2008 Posted August 22, 2008 Trying to imitate a 'South' (south as in south of USA) accent like that spoken in Texas, can be quite tricky if one lives in the South.. As for copying accents is concerned, one only has to look at the customer service guys in India and the sort of accent training they receive so that they sound more 'American'. Even then, the Americans are quite rude to them. If one trains himself to speak in a certain accent, he/she should come pretty close to 'copying the accent' after some prolonged usage. I still probably carry a little bit of an Indian-American accent especially with the 'k', 't', and the 'p'. Probably because I spoke very little English at home or school.:D These can be ironed with some practice. But let's face it, the thick indian accent doesnt sound that 'sexy' so to speak when compared to a Spanish or a french accent:D But it is true that if one enunciates clearly and speaks slowly, it can be understood.
fineleg Posted August 22, 2008 Posted August 22, 2008 i hate that too guys-thankfully i would look real silly trying to pull off a texas accent.the trick is to speak slowly-a lot of americans have trouble understanding us if we speak fast like we do in india. Yes, this is something many Americans have trouble with when Asian country folks talk real quick. Indian english is spoken too phasht - need to slow down or they get lost.
Holysmoke Posted August 23, 2008 Posted August 23, 2008 I used to have a LOT of trouble understanding this dude. [ame=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=04-a_kkax4g]YouTube - Alex Ferguson talks about John Terry being England captain[/ame]
ludhianvi Posted August 23, 2008 Posted August 23, 2008 I used to have a LOT of trouble understanding this dude. YouTube - Alex Ferguson talks about John Terry being England captain Sometims,I have trouble understanding 'Englishmen' with their English accents It's almost like they're speaking another language at times. Can understand the cricket commies but some of the Englishmen have some hard to understand accents
Predator_05 Posted August 23, 2008 Posted August 23, 2008 Sometims' date='I have trouble understanding 'Englishmen' with their English accents It's almost like they're speaking another language at times. Can understand the cricket commies but some of the Englishmen have some hard to understand accents[/quote'] He is Scottish.
Willow_on_fire Posted August 23, 2008 Posted August 23, 2008 Well..nice topic. I feel it is better to pick the accent wherever you are settled down....:D Speaking about 'accents' it is funny the way Gujjus, Punjabis, Bengalis, Tamilians...etc speak english in India..each one has their own 'ishtyle'....fricken hilarious....:haha:
cybervickey Posted August 23, 2008 Posted August 23, 2008 why you gotta hate on a brotha like that dawgg..that aint cool yo :P
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