My Superpower
While dining out with a couple of people (a friend plus her friends) recently, someone in the group mentioned that I "have a pretty good American accent."
That's not the first time I've gotten that sort of comment but usually it's more of a statement. Like "You have an American accent." Laugh. Move on. But that night, the "you have a pretty good American accent" comment kind of threw me, and I got a teeny weeny bit offended. I mean, what do you mean "pretty good"? You think I'm forcing myself to speak this way?
I hope I'm right when I say she probably didn't mean to offend, but all the same... it irked me a little. I mean, if you were, say, Scottish; you wouldn't tell another Scotsman that he has a "good Scottish accent", would you? It is already in his nature. So it felt like this girl was suggesting that I had spent time perfecting this accent, and/or that I was trying to use it to impress(??) others or something.
To be perfectly honest, I don't even know what my "original" accent is anymore. I admit it does change according to the person I'm speaking to but that's just a social mechanism, innit? To 'accommodate' your interlocutor so that he understands you? It's not "faking". Talk to me, and if I don't hate you, I will naturally absorb your accent.
That, my learned friends, is my superpower. I can sound like you and lull your subconscious into believing that we have known each other all our lives and thus make you like me hahaha and then I'll proceed to ask a bunch of favours from you .
Seriously though, I don't have the energy to fake an accent every other day, for anyone. NOBODY DOES. This American-ish accent (if you say so) I have comes from consuming copious amounts of American TV shows for the past 20 years. I mean, I watch so much NBC and HBO, it's not even funny. And where would I be without the Real Housewives? Not to mention the hundreds of movies...
I'm sorry if some people think I'm trying to portray some sort of American façade (lame!), coz I'm not. Also, if I could choose an accent to be associated with? It'll be a British one.**
Yeah, this post definitely became way longer than I had intended, but this "You're so American" issue has been bugging my ass for such a long time. (No offense to any American citizen reading this.) I don't mind people making valid observations; what bothers me is if they attach shallow judgement to said observations.
/fin du rant
*I spoke in a Brit accent every single day in London and it was glorious.
*highlight of my life was when people in Kings Cross asked me if I was a Londoner. Achievement Unlocked!
That's not the first time I've gotten that sort of comment but usually it's more of a statement. Like "You have an American accent." Laugh. Move on. But that night, the "you have a pretty good American accent" comment kind of threw me, and I got a teeny weeny bit offended. I mean, what do you mean "pretty good"? You think I'm forcing myself to speak this way?
I hope I'm right when I say she probably didn't mean to offend, but all the same... it irked me a little. I mean, if you were, say, Scottish; you wouldn't tell another Scotsman that he has a "good Scottish accent", would you? It is already in his nature. So it felt like this girl was suggesting that I had spent time perfecting this accent, and/or that I was trying to use it to impress(??) others or something.
To be perfectly honest, I don't even know what my "original" accent is anymore. I admit it does change according to the person I'm speaking to but that's just a social mechanism, innit? To 'accommodate' your interlocutor so that he understands you? It's not "faking". Talk to me, and if I don't hate you, I will naturally absorb your accent.
That, my learned friends, is my superpower. I can sound like you and lull your subconscious into believing that we have known each other all our lives
Seriously though, I don't have the energy to fake an accent every other day, for anyone. NOBODY DOES. This American-ish accent (if you say so) I have comes from consuming copious amounts of American TV shows for the past 20 years. I mean, I watch so much NBC and HBO, it's not even funny. And where would I be without the Real Housewives? Not to mention the hundreds of movies...
Yeah, this post definitely became way longer than I had intended, but this "You're so American" issue has been bugging my ass for such a long time. (No offense to any American citizen reading this.) I don't mind people making valid observations; what bothers me is if they attach shallow judgement to said observations.
/fin du rant
*I spoke in a Brit accent every single day in London and it was glorious.
*highlight of my life was when people in Kings Cross asked me if I was a Londoner. Achievement Unlocked!
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
The Nashty
- Nashe^
- Twenty7 and not much hotter. Looking for my happily ever after.
Be a Baller and Join My Twitterazzi
Or Click Here to Ask Me Dirty Questions
Hawwllerrr!
5 comments:
My oldest sister has a similar problem with her hair--she can't remember the original color. :) Seriously.
I'm marking this down in the "people suck" category. Some people are insecure and think others are pretentious (because they can speak with an accent)...and the pretentious look down on people who can't (speak with an accent). I've actually thought about this. When A French expression becomes popular in the US, why should it matter if the person using it speaks in their normal (let's say Jersey) accent or a French accent? Either is perfectly fine. But whichever way you go, some jerk will try to belittle you for it.
Names, I want names, Nashe!!! Who said that to you??? I'm all worked up now and ready to "give them what for" (I said that with an English accent--cockney).
now I really need to hear you speak. I've always wondered what you sound like in person. :)
people rag on my Am accent until i tell them i spent years in boston. duno why i'm telling you this, you already know. i think we are 90% in the same boat still ;)
@Ric: LOL! Seriously though it's just annoying when people think you're pretending to do something that comes naturally. There's no way around the 'argument' when they've already made up their minds.
@Putra: "Abandon ship!!"
Post a Comment