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| Topic Started: Jan 27 2010, 01:10:49 AM (3,170 Views) | |
| tasosmama | Feb 7 2010, 11:02:08 AM Post #61 |
True Blue Mate
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Ahhhhhhhhhh!!!!! I always tell my Aussie husband... you sound so refined when you speak.... until you say filleT. Heehee. |
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| caspercorb | Feb 22 2010, 02:38:35 PM Post #62 |
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Chinwagger
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Thanks all! Just got a good laugh out of this thread  Been here a month now and laugh at myself all the time when I feel like I'm "faking" an Aussie accent because I tell my kids it's time for brekkie or ask if they'd like a biscuit I have to agree on this one though: deb-oooooo (debut) really sounds odd- we'll see if I ever get used to it.
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 Check it out- I'm Discovering Melbourne | |
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| tina_o | Feb 23 2010, 12:39:08 PM Post #63 |
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Chinwagger
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I completely agree on the "deboooo". That is just a little too weird for me What also makes me laugh is the use of the word "proper" as in "correct" and "that's the way the British do it so it must be the right way"  (As in the proper way to drive is on the left, etc.) I have a lot of fun discussions with people when they say "proper", as I respond, "you mean opposite, right?"  They usually tell me that I remind them of some sister-in-law from America that says the same thing I finally figured out why people ask me if I'm Canadian versus from the USA. My next door neighbor in Houston who's from Canada explained the Commonwealth countries to me: Australia, New Zealand, India, etc. She said people travel quite a bit between the Commonwealth countries because it's easier to get work visas and the like if you're from one of them. I didn't think about this until someone said to me they always ask the "North Americans" where they're from, as she was from Ontario, Canada and traveling on a student work study visa and the guy that repaired my husband's bike told me he just got back from working in England and it was easy for him to get a work visa for Canada as well. I seem to meet a lot of young people who travel the globe.  |
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| shylady | Feb 23 2010, 02:41:40 PM Post #64 |
oldYank
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Very true, it seems a lot easier to get visas if you're from a Commonwealth country. However, it was explained to me that Australians often ask if you're Canadian, first, because they don't want to insult a Canadian by asking if they're American.
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"I could’ve turned a different corner, I could’ve gone another place... " ku,'09 | |
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| CynicalCountess | Feb 23 2010, 08:12:59 PM Post #65 |
True Blue Mate
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More than a few Americans claimed to be Canadian when Dubya was in office. |
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| blarg | Feb 23 2010, 09:23:44 PM Post #66 |
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True Blue Mate
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My response to that question is, "Thank you for the compliment, but no, unfortunately I'm American." followed quickly by a huge grin. |
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| tina_o | Feb 24 2010, 11:57:31 AM Post #67 |
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Chinwagger
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 All great replies above! |
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| idiologic | Mar 3 2010, 08:37:02 AM Post #68 |
Yacker
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It's kinda funny. When I'm in the USA, I type like an American no matter who's on the other side. When I'm in Australia, I type like an Australian no matter who's reading it. But people get the gist, so it's alright. I especially hate the ae I have to put in front of some words like haematoma. It just looks ugly.
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| sunshine | Mar 3 2010, 11:59:30 PM Post #69 |
True Blue Mate
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ha! I actually went and used that this weekend, thanks. |
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| Nanook | Mar 10 2010, 08:15:26 PM Post #70 |
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True Blue Mate
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Yeah, its a lot of fun now that I can do that while The One is in office. It helps that I actually sound Canadian.
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| suzn | Mar 10 2010, 10:18:20 PM Post #71 |
True Blue Mate
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As far as spelling... I try to adjust it according to my audience - like others have said. Thankfully I don't have to type kerb or tyre - how bizarre those look! Pronunciation... Well, I had to learn very quickly to adopt some Aussie words I would not normally use as I was around a half dozen Aussie kids under 10 during my first few years here. I had to learn to say 'bin' instead of garbage, cossie, shopping trolley, Year 3 - instead of 3rd grade just to name a few. I got blank looks when I used American words the kids were not familiar with like canteloupe, marker or grocery cart. This is a real quick way to lose credibility with kids and you may never hear the end of. I do try to talk more Aussie now - but some Aussie words will never sound right spoken with an American accent - like bath, tomato & banana. I do enjoy using my full American "accent" around people who will appreciate it or who I can equally tease about their Aussie accent and pronunications. Try "Nurse, purse, curse, worse" And what is it with the pronunciation of "chow mayne" being 'chow minn'? |
 Living in Oz since 2002 ~ Temp Residency granted Dec 2004 ~ Perm Residency granted Oct 2006 ~ Dual citizenship official May 2009 | |
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| Johnnynero | Mar 24 2010, 05:08:37 PM Post #72 |
Anklebiter
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I lead a double life. At work I'm forced to use Australian spellings and am continually reminded that it's the "right" way... but at home, and on my own... I refuse to pronounce things as they do here, leave the damn "u"'s out, or add an "O" to the end of everyone's first name... I'm American, from the US and somethings just ain't right! hah! |
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| meg1388 | Mar 24 2010, 05:32:50 PM Post #73 |
True Blue Mate
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I can relate. I still can't get myself to say "Mel-bin". There's more letters in "Mel-bin" and I'm compelled to pronounce each and every letter.
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| Samantha | Mar 24 2010, 06:06:21 PM Post #74 |
True Blue Mate
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I got into the habit when I was around 13 years old of using 'British English" spelling, so the novelty of that extra 'u' or 'e' in certain words wore out about 13 years ago However, as a teacher here I feel obliged to use British English/Australian English because that is the standard understood by my students and really I don't want to come off as anything less than serious (and meant to be taken seriously by workplace peers) because of spelling. As for accent and pronounciation there's no way I am going to change that. First of all: it's unatural, people are already familiar with American pronounciations and patterns of speech and yes, secondly, I find some of the Australian equvillents just silly: "fill-et" anyone? As for pretending to be Canadian. Never ever. Nothing wrong with being Canadian, I've been to Ontario, Saskatchewan, Alberta and British Columbia and really enjoyed my time there. Politics, prejudices whatever I am not willing to pretend to be someone else just to shy away from someone else's misunderstanding. That's their problem, not mine. |
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| Bindie | Mar 24 2010, 06:42:28 PM Post #75 |
True Blue Mate
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Fill-et isn't wrong, it's just the UK version of it. THe US get their pronounciation from the French. So, I guess, neither are really "American" pronounciations - just what you are accustomed to. Edited by Bindie, Mar 24 2010, 07:07:24 PM.
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 The future is no place/to place your better days, DMB Canberra, ACT since 2004 | |
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| CynicalCountess | Mar 24 2010, 08:30:52 PM Post #76 |
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True Blue Mate
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Minnesotan? I'd say more like "Tina Fey's portrayal of Sarah Palin." |
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| Johnnynero | Mar 25 2010, 09:01:42 AM Post #77 |
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Anklebiter
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I'm going to start making a list... Listening to the radio on the way to work this morning I was actually talking back to the radio people, telling them it was NOT "EYE-soo-zoo" it was EE-soo-zoo", (Isuzu), "HUN-Day" instead of "HI-YUN-Day", (Hyundai)... and the ever popular "DAY-BOO" instead of "Day-BYEW"... I'm starting to get a perverse pleasure out of wearing my Obama t-shirt to the GROCERY STORE now, where I use a SHOPPING CART, to put my GRANOLA BARS, HAMBURGER, and COOKIES in... |
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| AmbroseChick | Mar 25 2010, 12:42:42 PM Post #78 |
True Blue Mate
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I'm really enjoying the language and cultural differences... my favorite is being called "doll" I feel a bit like Lucille Ball back in the 50's. My kids correct me all the time when I accidently use American lingo. I was just part of a discussion with my Aussie friends about the disappearance of the Aussie language and how many things that were in common usage just aren't anymore - such as lounge room, etc. I would hate to see the language change but as a previous poster said - language is flexible and fluid and ever changing... such is life I reckon.
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| Check it out! Facebook page: Americans Living in Queensland | |
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| shylady | Mar 25 2010, 01:31:01 PM Post #79 |
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oldYank
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I love the distinct regional differences... Here in WA it's still the lounge-room. And the regional dialects/accents and pronunciations. And speaking of "doll," I *think* over here it's "dahl," short for darling.... |
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"I could’ve turned a different corner, I could’ve gone another place... " ku,'09 | |
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| canaussie | Mar 25 2010, 02:59:52 PM Post #80 |
True Blue Mate
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I don't haven't any problems with the 'u's because as a Canadian we always spell with the "u" as well. The one that catches me is replacing the "z" with an "s" ie. socialization = socialisation and so on. I refuse to say oregano like the aussies. I don't like the Aussie pronounciation of debut, sounds strange to me. I'll say aluminmum like I've always done and not the aussie way of - al-u-mini-um. I can go with the aussie pronounciation of tomato though. One that also caught my daughter and I out this week was in her homework - it said to "revise" her math timetables that they've done so far. The word "revise" caught us and I kept thinking the teacher meant to write "review". So I asked hubby about it this morning and what he thought the sentence meant and he said it is to review but here they say 'revise'...to me revise means to edit, not review it. Its another English thing. So daughter and I learnt something and we'll know when it comes up in the future what it means
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Paula (dual Canadian/Australian) married to an Aussie since 1999 and mummy to an Aussie since 2000 | |
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