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To: Harmless Teddy Bear; NicknamedBob

I have a knack for picking up on accents when I converse with people. If I talk with an Aussie for five minutes, I can walk away and fool the next guy into thinking that I'm an Aussie, too. It's just something I can do, and, in fact, it's so automatic that I often don't notice that I'm doing it. My wife will tell me, "Stop that; they're gonna think you're mocking them and be offended." I ask, "Huh? Stop what?"

Well, I went to a resort in Mexico about 20 years ago and talked with people from all over the U.S. and a couple of foreign countries; all with varying accents. After a dozen conversations with a dozen different accents, I realized that I didn't know how to talk like myself, anymore.

...but I'm not the only one...

A centipede was happy quite,
Until a frog in fun
Said, "Pray, which leg comes after which?"
This raised her mind to such a pitch,
She lay distracted in the ditch,
Considering how to run.


4,054 posted on 04/20/2006 3:54:41 PM PDT by HKMk23 (We keep you alive to serve this ship. Row well, and live.)
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To: HKMk23

I think that would be me...


4,057 posted on 04/20/2006 3:59:49 PM PDT by Monkey Face (Annoy a liberal: Work hard, spend money and fly the flag.)
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To: HKMk23
I have a knack for picking up on accents when I converse with people. If I talk with an Aussie for five minutes, I can walk away and fool the next guy into thinking that I'm an Aussie, too. It's just something I can do, and, in fact, it's so automatic that I often don't notice that I'm doing it. My wife will tell me, "Stop that; they're gonna think you're mocking them and be offended." I ask, "Huh? Stop what?"

My wife does that too. She stunned one of her nurses a couple days ago by pronouncing the nurse's (Indian) name perfectly. The nurse had not heard an American who could do it, but my wife rolled the R perfectly. The nurse made some comment, and my wife suddenly put on a broad Scots accent, with the Rs rolled just that way, and the nurse cracked up.

4,098 posted on 04/20/2006 7:19:50 PM PDT by sionnsar (†trad-anglican.faithweb.com† | Iran Azadi 2006 | SONY: 5yst3m 0wn3d - it's N0t Y0urs)
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