Say What Now?

[AnqeiicDemise]

You sure you're not from Nunavut?

M: And may I have your name and zip code, please?
SW: My what now?
M: Name and Zip code.
SW: Sucky McSucky.
M: ....
SW:....
M: And your zip code, please?
SW: Zip code?
M: Yes. May I have your zip code please? Maybe you know it as your postal code? -checks if its an US address... it is.-
SW: I don't understand.
M: ::am I talking Chinese here? Wtf?:: Okay.. .what's your address?
SW: 12345 Stupid Street, SUCKYTOWN MN... and my zip is... XXXXXX
M:


I Love America Dude.

Background info: As a child, I got teased and harassed because my Latin accent was 'too thick.' However, it was my unwavering desire to be on the stage that prompted me to devour books and watch a lot of t.v. to discern accents. Later on, I took several speech and linguistic classes to acquire a more 'American' accent. (or more like, achieving the 'neutral' state of my speech so it would make it easier for me to slip in and out of dialetcs/accents and what not.)

As an adult, the ONLY time I have any form of accent is when a) I've been speaking Spanish. Then I speak 1k a minute, I forget certain words and my tongue just trips over itself. 2) been hanging around someone with a thick, foreign accent I'm fond of. Then I pick it up. I get stuck in it for a minute or two but slip back out shortly after. Otherwise, I virtually have NO accent.

Now, at this time, I had a call that lasted a whopper 5 minutes...with a sweet old lady from Beverly Hills, California and had the 'whitest' accent ever. I mean.. George Lopez making fun of the upper white America white.

M: And may I have your name and zip code please.
SW: MY WHAT NOW?
M: Name and zip code.
SW: MY WHAT NOW?!
M: May. I. Please. Have. Your. Name. And. Zip. Code.
SW: OH! You got to speak clearer hun.
M: I apologize.
SW: WHAT?!
M: I'm Sorry. -speaking louder, definately over inunciating. I'm spitting like crazy-- Kelley would be proud.*-
SW: Its okay. My name is Sucky Idiot and my zip is 99999
M: Thank you, sir. Do you mind if I call you Sucky?
SW: NO!I don't mind.
M: Thank you, Sucky. And how may I assist you today with your account?
SW: I CANNOT UNDERSTAND A WORD YOU ARE SAYING, YOUNG LADY. YOU NEED TO SPEAK ENGLISH! THIS COUNTRY IS GOING DOWN THE GUTTER BECAUSE OF YOU DAMN FOREIGNERS-- WHERE ARE YOU LOCATED AT?
M: I'm located in our Seattle, Washington office, Sucky.
SW: .....well... IF YOU ARE GOING TO LIVE IN AMERICA, YOU NEED TO SPEAK AMERICAN!

.....

Yeah. Because belittling me makes me want to help you THAT MUCH MORE!

Asshole.

Clean out your ears, damnit.

Told to me by my supervisor after I shared my Zipcode lady story.

CW: The resort you're staying is BlahBlah
......
CW: Yes, that's the name of the resort, BlahBlah
CW: You're staying at BlahBlah
CW: Yes, I understand we have several resorts in BlahBlah beach and three of them are located in BlahBlah avenue but the NAME of the resort you're in is BlahBlah!
CW: The resort you're staying in is BlahBlah-- Resorts-r-Us at BlahBlah..... THAT is the full name.
CW: Yes, their telephone is this 123.456.7890...would you like me to get in touch with the front desk? No problem. Please hold.

Em says she could hear the woman's brain shatter when the front desk responded with:

FD: This is FD at Resorts-R-Us at Blahblah, how may I help you?

[Ljt09863]

SW: .....well... IF YOU ARE GOING TO LIVE IN AMERICA, YOU NEED TO SPEAK AMERICAN!

i'm sorry, sir, i am not familiar with American, but i am quite fluent in english, if that helps any.

[ArcticChicken]

2) been hanging around someone with a thick, foreign accent I'm fond of.

I do that all the time. Whenever I'm around someone with a thick accent, I pick some of it up. Although I don't do it as badly as when I was a kid. I watched The Secret of Roan Inish once and spoke in an Irish accent for a week solid.

[myswtghst]

I get Southern on the phone at work. Don't know why, and it doesn't even happen only during calls with Southerner's...I think it's just my "friendly" phone voice. Whenever my brother is working in the building and comes by to hang out, he constantly teases me if he listens to any of my calls.

[PepperElf]

SW: Sucky McSucky

LOL the sc really said that? Reminds me of my friend who likes the name "Stabby McStab-stab"

Otherwise, I virtually have NO accent

naw everyone has an accent.

Yeah. Because belittling me makes me want to help you THAT MUCH MORE!

it shore doz! ...at least that's what some of the people i work with think.

CW: Yes, I understand we have several resorts in BlahBlah beach and three of them are located in BlahBlah avenue but the NAME of the resort you're in is BlahBlah!

... so, who's on first, what's on second, i don't know's on third...

[Sylvia727]

I imitate the accent of whoever I'm speaking to, as a general rule. As long as the accent is legible. I have enough work mentally translating those for whom English is a second language. It can be quite jarring to suddenly find myself using an ebonic tilt to my words Among those with Midwestern accents (where I grew up), however, I use an odd blend. Certain words get certain accents, for whatever odd association game my brain was playing when I learned it.

I didn't realize that American was a language, however. I certainly hope I can learn to speak English in time for my trip to London. And while we're on the subject, could you tell me which Native American tribe gifted the USA with their American language? I don't think they covered this in my high school history class.

[Bright_Star]

I was born in Puerto Rico & raised in Pennsylvania. I came over here when I was knee high to a grasshopper. So basically I don't have an accent like my parents do. You ever hear Ricky Ricardo talk? That's what they sound like...lol.
Some people swear up & down that I have an accent but I don't hear it.

[crazylegs]

Some people swear up & down that I have an accent but I don't hear it.

Noone can hear there own accent, I'm always suprised at the range of accents that people place me in, (west country/posh/midlands) thats quite a distinct difference there.

[Stormraven]

Anyone who has made an effort to become 'accent neutral' (like myself) is generally speaking 'generic midwestern' (It has an actual name, and is usually used by news anchors and such, but I don't recall the name.)

I'm in the same boat, mimicry wise - and it's gotten me in trouble in the past, as a customer thought I was making fun of her accent.

[LifeCarnie]

You're all fools. Don't you that the freedom to speak american is one of the things that makes this country what it is today?

And all this time you thought George Bush was mispronouncing nuclear.

And Tomato? Well Dan Quayle's spelling happens to be proper american.

I didn't realize that American was a language, however. I certainly hope I can learn to speak English in time for my trip to London.

Rosetta stone features an american english course AND a european english course. I hope that helps.

[akilika]

And Tomato? Well Dan Quayle's spelling happens to be proper american.

I had been under the impression that it was Potato . . . and that both Potato and Potatoe are acceptable variants.


(. . . then again, a quick check to Wiki tells me that Potatoe fell out of use in the 19th century and is now considered incorrect. . . . nevermind, I guess.)

[BlaqueKatt]

Anyone who has made an effort to become 'accent neutral' (like myself) is generally speaking 'generic midwestern' (It has an actual name, and is usually used by news anchors and such, but I don't recall the name.)

which is why most american call centers are in the midwest

[Becks]

I have to work on my Irish accent again.

To most people, I don't have an accent. My mommy, however, says she can hear some NJ creeping in. The HORROR!!!!!

[Chazzie]

Everyone speaks the way they grew up speaking. It's just that if it's a different way of speaking than what you yourself are used to, it's an accent. So everyone has an accent. It's not like people speak 'funny' because they choose to. XP

It's a HUGE pet peeve for me to hear someone say "I don't have an accent!".

You should have made fun of the SC's accent.

Er... and not get fired.

[TryNotToBeThatOne]

I have long stated that I am bilingual, nay trilingual. I speak English, American & Southern.

You want to hear bad Southern drawl? Oh ye gods, put a tray in my hands again.

background: I grew up in quasi-rural Southern (US) state. We were near a good-sized 'city' but our house was on a dead end, dirt road & I went to schools in the county, even more rural. 1/3 of my classmates were related to another 1/3. My dad is from the Midwest. That led to me being teased about my accent the entire time I was growing up & people in my own hometown asking me where I was from.

As I grew older, I noticed that my accent got a trifle more Southern if I was in distress, ie lost or asking for help. Natural enough.

Then I got a job (last for 2 whole months before I decided that paying rent & buying food would be nice) as a waitress at a family-style chain restaurant. My accent slid 2 states South. I didn't notice. Until my BF and friend B came to eat at restaurant. I didn't know they were there because they were in the section next to mine.

I was busing a table and heard the table behind me ask for a tea refill. As I turn I'm saying, "Why certainly I can..oh it's you guys." See that ellipsis? That's where my accent rebounded so hard I'm surprised the rubber band didn't snap. The sentence came out "Wah suhtehnlee Ah ken ...oh, it's you guys."