I can't freak'en communicate! AAAHHH

anjelinaj · March 26, 2008

This really rang true for me. When I was in PT school, I was working in a clinic, and had a PT from the Phillippines supervising me. He didn't get any slang or sarcasm-and to make matters worse, we are in the heart of Appalachia!!!! It was so fun messing with him at times, and he would do the same to me, by acting like he had no clue what I was trying to tell him, and then bust out laughing at me.

Fanny Adams · May 12, 2008

Sorry to drag up an old thread but I found this whole thing amusing. I'm Australian but I spend a lot of time communicating online with friends from the US and I take great delight in sprinkling my conversation with the most outlandish Ockerisms I can think of! It makes my day when I come out with something they can't puzzle out - and often that happens when I least expect it! My parents are English, so I also get to draw on a lot of the Cockney rhyming slang, of which my father is a master.

So... g'day mates! Owzit goin? Jeez, I've been flat out like a lizard drinking, I give you the egg flip! No worries if ya can't understand me, she'll be apples in the end!

tapshoes · May 12, 2008

Even between native English speakers idioms are not understood. There is a province (like a state) in Canada named Newfoundland and Labrador (NL). They have both a very distinct family of accents (that is, accents are very different between communities), as well as idiomatic expressions which are unique and yet the only language spoken is English. To illustrate the uniqueness, there were Canadian and American TV news crews in NL for a major news story several years ago. The American broadcasters interviewed people, and when the segment aired, across the bottom ran a 'translation' of English to English. Another example, in a interview on a US talk show, the host was asking the guests about their experience having been lost in the wilderness for days, and breaking into a cabin. The host asked "What were you thinking" (or some such stupid question). The guests were saying 'Geez b'ys' (roughly translated Gee whiz). The interviewer looked puzzled and then said "You were hoping to find cheese whiz?)

Yes indeed, lovely idiomatic expressions such as 'How's she cuttin?' (how are things going?) and 'tween the jigs 'n the reels" (despite the circumstances) and 'havin' a scuff and scoff' (dinner and dance)...so many lovely colourful phrases which are second nature to the residents and yet visitors find perplexing.

brandyII · May 12, 2008

I watch a lot of "Britcoms" and it's funny how when I'm with people who don't normally watch them they act like they need a translator! My daughter is just graduating with a degree in linguistics and she's constantly correcting my speech and it drives me crazy!!!! I was raised around the Mason-Dixon line and can't help it! brandyII:blush:

plain · May 13, 2008

I speak South fluently. My grandmother is from Australia (she came over in WW II) so I've learned some weird Oz slang, Fanny....like "going to write a Gregory Peck", or "How's the cheese and kisses".

A few summers ago, the wife and I had to go to Ohio. Every time we had to talk to somebody, it became a sort of mini-spectacle. Usually the clerks would say "Excuse me", and then "Where are you from", then "Hey <blank>, come hear this accent". It became a running joke that we were going to get a notebook and write: I am a mute. I cannot communicate verbally, thus this notebook.

ReadySteadyGo · May 13, 2008

Sounds to me like you speak in a very idiosyncratic and colourful way. This is kinda cool, I think. I have my own little problem with language. I am awful fond of the f-bomb! Indeed I am kind of addicted to it.

Me too. It's really hard for me not to use it here. It expresses things other words just can't hold a candle too.

And I am from Louisiana, we are all lucky that anyone can understand anything I write, hum, speak, or mumble.

plain · May 14, 2008

RSG, I never noticed that you are from S'Port! I drive in all the time to visit friends. I knew I liked you for some reason (besides the funky drawers with the crotch lip-print, heehee). So how do them mudbugs mix with the band?!?