I think I speak for most Americans when I say that I wouldn't know if somebody was imitating a Canadian unless I know that they are. However, if I'm listening to a Canadian I can tell after a while. To me most of them sound a little Scottish.
What is your childhood trauma?
Cordelia ,'Lessons'
All Ogle, No Cash -- It's Not Just Annoying, It's Un-American
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Caroma - Feb 26, 2003 10:44:57 pm PST #2218 of 9843
Hello! I must be going.
billytea - Feb 26, 2003 11:15:33 pm PST #2219 of 9843
You were a wrong baby who grew up wrong. The wrong kind of wrong. It's better you hear it from a friend.
I think I speak for most Americans when I say that I wouldn't know if somebody was imitating a Canadian unless I know that they are. However, if I'm listening to a Canadian I can tell after a while. To me most of them sound a little Scottish.
I find a remarkable number of Americans can't distinguish between British and Australian accents (anything less broad than Steve Irwin's, at least). I've had Americans listen to me and Dave the office Brit carry on a whole conversation, and still be unable to hear a difference.
We actually find that African-Americans have better success on average in picking our accents. Not sure why that should be.
Susan W. - Feb 26, 2003 11:16:25 pm PST #2220 of 9843
Good Trouble and Righteous Fights
I haven't heard anyone speak like JM here yet. Perhaps I haven't been close enough to Modesto.
My SIL is from Modesto, and she does have an unusual accent. I haven't noticed her R's so much as a tendency to sound almost Canadian on her oh's and ooh's, but really nasal on other vowels.
Trudy Booth - Feb 26, 2003 11:44:49 pm PST #2221 of 9843
Greece's financial crisis threatens to take down all of Western civilization - a civilization they themselves founded. A rather tragic irony - which is something they also invented. - Jon Stewart
SLUTTY AMERICAN!!!!!
Trudy Booth - Feb 26, 2003 11:45:05 pm PST #2222 of 9843
Greece's financial crisis threatens to take down all of Western civilization - a civilization they themselves founded. A rather tragic irony - which is something they also invented. - Jon Stewart
SLUTTY AMERICAN!!!!!
John H - Feb 27, 2003 1:48:07 am PST #2223 of 9843
~~You call two-two-two, two two-two two, I got an answer machine that gets straight back to you and says "hey, how ya doin', sorry ya couldn't get through, but if you leave your name and your number, then I'll get back to you...
Nilly - Feb 27, 2003 2:04:18 am PST #2224 of 9843
Swouncing
John! I have no idea what your former post means, but it's good to read you again, no matter in which accent.
Fiona - Feb 27, 2003 2:09:59 am PST #2225 of 9843
Plenty of Yanks playing Brits and doing pretty well. And you know most of those Watcher's Council folks, including Harris Yulin, were American.
Harris Yulin doesn't sound even remotely British to my ears. I had explained him to myself as a Yank addition to the COW.
Am-Chau Yarkona - Feb 27, 2003 2:37:47 am PST #2226 of 9843
I bop to Wittgenstein. -- Nutty
A lot of Brits trying to do American accents or vice versa seem to get stuck somewhere in the middle of the pond, neither one thing nor the other. And while we're talking about Spike's bad American, that sounds like mock-Somerset to me, with the very extended R and odd vowels.
Nilly - Feb 27, 2003 2:43:46 am PST #2227 of 9843
Swouncing
A lot of Brits trying to do American accents or vice versa seem to get stuck somewhere in the middle of the pond, neither one thing nor the other.
Heh, I wonder how I may sound (on the rare occasions I get to speak English, that is). I know it's not 'Israeli', and mostly people can't 'place' me. However, they're usually not American/Brits/Australian, but people whose second language is English, so they don't have the trained ears of most of you guys.