I know it to be true for French, but not really German or Italian - at least not to the same degree - so it's possible it doesn't apply to Asian languages.
Mais bien sûr! This is true, as your little bespectacled character explains. Do you not also find this to be applicable to some Americans who are not frequently exposed to a variety of accents? One adopts their accent and suddenly the problem is fixed.
Definitely. My brother, currently teaching English in Bangkok, says he has to tell his students this all the time - they have to say it with a REALLY STRONG American accent or we'll have trouble understanding.
I think it comes from Americans like me who don't want to make FUN of the person we're speaking to, and not realizing that that's just the way they talk.
Until you put the Frenchy accent on too thick and you're speaking to a Quebecker. Then they roll their eyes.
I think it's true of Swedish, too, which I'm trying to learn as a hobby. There's a stereotypical sing-song accent which anyone who grew up with the Swedish chef on the Muppets puts obut n when imitating a Swedish accent and you think: "Oh, that's just the stereotype" and then when you actually listen to Swedes speaking you realise that, although it's not so extreme, there's no smoke without fire, so to speak, and that if you sing-song a little yourself, you have better intonation. Maybe it helps to be a little be musical...?
Being Swedish I've never really understood the whole musical part of the language some people say we have. Although I do maintain that Swedish has tones, like Thai or Chinese but to a far lesser extent. Norwegian however to me has a more sing song sound to it. Specially considering that they always sound happy. If you want to sound Norwegian you have to sound happy.
I'm a Yank and learned a bit of German in high school. Then a few years later I started learning Dutch and had to work at not pronouncing it too German-like...seems they don't like that much.
Is this only for French? Because it doesn't exist for alot of Asian languages.
ReplyDeleteI know it to be true for French, but not really German or Italian - at least not to the same degree - so it's possible it doesn't apply to Asian languages.
DeleteMais bien sûr! This is true, as your little bespectacled character explains. Do you not also find this to be applicable to some Americans who are not frequently exposed to a variety of accents? One adopts their accent and suddenly the problem is fixed.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely. My brother, currently teaching English in Bangkok, says he has to tell his students this all the time - they have to say it with a REALLY STRONG American accent or we'll have trouble understanding.
DeleteI think it comes from Americans like me who don't want to make FUN of the person we're speaking to, and not realizing that that's just the way they talk.
Until you put the Frenchy accent on too thick and you're speaking to a Quebecker. Then they roll their eyes.
The Quebecois would roll their eyes. :P
DeleteI think it's true of Swedish, too, which I'm trying to learn as a hobby. There's a stereotypical sing-song accent which anyone who grew up with the Swedish chef on the Muppets puts obut n when imitating a Swedish accent and you think: "Oh, that's just the stereotype" and then when you actually listen to Swedes speaking you realise that, although it's not so extreme, there's no smoke without fire, so to speak, and that if you sing-song a little yourself, you have better intonation. Maybe it helps to be a little be musical...?
ReplyDeleteBeing Swedish I've never really understood the whole musical part of the language some people say we have. Although I do maintain that Swedish has tones, like Thai or Chinese but to a far lesser extent. Norwegian however to me has a more sing song sound to it. Specially considering that they always sound happy. If you want to sound Norwegian you have to sound happy.
DeleteBork bork bork
DeleteIs that you sounding happy, Malachi?
DeleteBork!!
DeleteThe cigarette... so true :P
ReplyDeleteI'm a Yank and learned a bit of German in high school. Then a few years later I started learning Dutch and had to work at not pronouncing it too German-like...seems they don't like that much.
ReplyDelete