KK lives in Hong Kong, who loves music, homes & architectures, movie trailers and all things . My life in this city project a lot of things - it's all about the taxis, the billboards, the sidewalks, the cinemas, the zebra lines, the lights, the cars, the sounds, the people, the skyscrapers and the shopping malls. more »

29 Apr

What accent do you have?

Most of the time, when I talk on the phone to someone I know, I exaggerates it with the British accent. What I love about the Brits is the sing-song accent which I find it funny and at the same time very pleasant. Julie Andrews has a beautiful English accent. But of course I find American accent to be neutral. All other non-American accents are delightful, as long as I understand them.

How can you actually tell if you’re an Asian? For Filipinos, English should always end with the word “‘noh?” And for the Chinese, with the “lah”. That’s really a spot on.

Then I took the quiz.

What American accent do you have?
Your Result: The Inland North
 

You may think you speak “Standard English straight out of the dictionary” but when you step away from the Great Lakes you get asked annoying questions like “Are you from Wisconsin?” or “Are you from Chicago?” Chances are you call carbonated drinks “pop.”

Philadelphia
 
The Northeast
 
The Midland
 
The South
 
Boston
 
The West
 
North Central
 
What American accent do you have?
Quiz Created on GoToQuiz

I had a little discussion with a colleague this morning who likes to learn English and wanted to know if I’m using the British accent. I was asked if I were given the chance to speak properly, what accent is best to use to be able to understand the words correctly? I said that I’d like the Asian accent because we pronounces the words differently, it doesn’t mean we are better or worst, we are just different. But sometimes we got into trouble when we pronounce the word such as, “VEGETABLES” to “VE-GETIBLES” and I mean, a “CARROT” to a “CAY-RROT”?

In reality, sometimes I do feel uncomfortable when speaking with others because I fear they may misunderstand me. It makes me feel discriminated in a way but I guess, “anything” different is much more interesting than never really understanding the meaning of the word you’re saying. Well, it’s easier to say a word depending on what you get used to hearing, I presumed.

But why does your accent never sound like you speak when singing, I mean some Asian people sing just like Americans.

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18 Comments

  1. 1 04/29/2008 at 4:51 am
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    most of the time, i try to go out of my way and talk with a slang when i am talking to some americans. they really have a hard time understanding non-american english! pero pag tinatamad ako or bastos yung kausap ko, kasehoda, hala pinoy english. bahala siyang umintindi :)

    nagtataka din ako eh, pag kumakanta tayo parang di naman nagma-matter yung accent. tignan mo si arnel pineda. kapag nakapikit mata natin parang si steve perry talaga di ba? :)

    Meeya’s last blog post..Where is?

  2. 2 04/29/2008 at 6:14 am
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    ufortunately eh wala na rin tayong magagawa sa accent natin. that’s part of who we are, dba? pero pansinin mo, when foreigners speak our language kahit mali-mali eh nafafascinate tayo. pero pag kapwa pinoy natin, minsan eh napagtatawanan pa. dba? basta for me, as long as we get the message thru. yon na yon, keh may accept pa yanor wala. dba ;)

    sardonic nell’s last blog post..The Real Issue

  3. 3 04/29/2008 at 8:24 am
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    It varies. I speak English, French and German fluently. I am trilingual.

    However, when I think in German and speak in English, I might have an European accent.

    When I get tired, it’s not good. I might have the word in one language, but not the other.

    Judging by how you talk you are probably from north Jersey, New York City, Connecticut or Rhode Island. Chances are, if you are from New York City (and not those other places) people would probably be able to tell if they actually heard you speak.

    range’s last blog post..Three Things On The Storytree

  4. 4 04/29/2008 at 11:09 am
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    I don’t even know how my English sounds like. The kids said that I remind them of the mother in the Happy Slip video..hahaha.

    Belle’s last blog post..Freaking Depressing

  5. 5 04/29/2008 at 12:26 pm
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    Hi K! i did the quiz at ito ang lumabas…
    “You have a Midland accent” is just another way of saying “you don’t have an accent.” You probably are from the Midland (Pennsylvania, southern Ohio, southern Indiana, southern Illinois, and Missouri) but then for all we know you could be from Florida or Charleston or one of those big southern cities like Atlanta or Dallas. You have a good voice for TV and radio.”

    Ngek! hehe…

  6. 6 04/29/2008 at 4:50 pm
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    People say I have an English accent, but it does get me into trouble, such as when people start asking, “Are you English?” and “What part of England are you from?”

    Virgilius Sade’s last blog post..Hardened Disappointments: HARDY HERON

  7. 7 04/29/2008 at 6:00 pm
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    hay, now i have this strong german accent, and german english din, hehehe. ibig sabihin, buyoy na ako.

    kengkay’s last blog post..Kain tayo sa Macapagal

  8. 8 04/29/2008 at 8:33 pm
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    oh well…I speak fluent tagalog but my accent is…
    -
    -
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    -
    -
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    it’s bisayan accent LOL

    chuvaness’s last blog post..Do you know what a car spoiler is?

  9. 9 04/30/2008 at 4:38 am
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    I can’t really say if I talk with an accent. I’ve never had any of those american accent trainings they offer in the office. I think I do fine though except when I speak in Tagalog, and that’s when my Cebuano roots show. Lol.

    Javi’s last blog post..Backlink Builder: Pinoy Blogs With CommentLuv Enabled

  10. 10 04/30/2008 at 11:46 pm
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    On Arnel, I hope he stops doing the “dedicate this song” style on concerts, nahahalata not that I’m jealous hehehe but he rocks!

    That’s true, speak from the heart kesehodang may provincial accent ang English. Pero you know, when I speak in Tagalog, meron akong tono, hehehe.

  11. 11 04/30/2008 at 11:49 pm
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    I notice that too, parang it makes us feel so proud somebody other than our race try to speak our language. Wag lang yung “mura” or else I’d be offended. So merong disavantage/advantage pa rin.

  12. 12 04/30/2008 at 11:58 pm
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    I kinda pick up the French English accent and some German clients does know how to speak English fluently – not that I judge French people the way they speak, I just notice that they are proud of their language in general, just like the Cantonese.

    Isn’t it true tho that in Canada they refer Coke as Pop?

  13. 13 05/01/2008 at 12:01 am
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    *hands on my forehead”. Hahaha do you mean like this?

  14. 14 05/01/2008 at 12:03 am
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    “You have a good voice for TV and radio”.

    I told you, you should be a singer (aren’t you already?)

  15. 15 05/01/2008 at 12:07 am
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    Hahaha, I like those reactions. I think people would even asked me, (not referring to my accent) as “Are you Chinese”? No way, my skin color is golden, that makes me a Filipino. I mean, it wasn’t bad, just that how can I be Chinese when I don’t know how to speak one myself?

    I didn’t know there are different accents in England? I know if you’re an Irish then I can tell.

  16. 16 05/01/2008 at 12:10 am
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    Wieviel Costet das? Ich neme es…. or whatevs. Hahaha. kenks, sample nga ng Fili-German Bitte?

    Narinig ko lang yan.

  17. 17 05/01/2008 at 12:12 am
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    Mine as well, Bicolano accent in Tagalog. Gi-atai saimong lubot. I know a little bit of Besaya. My sister-in-law is from Cotabato.

  18. 18 05/01/2008 at 12:15 am
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    I do know that Cebuano can’t speak much tagalog, they usually speak more in English I suspect? But I can understand word by word unless you’re not nitpicking me or something.