Can you understand me?

I thought that it would be remiss of me to let this day, February 29^th, pass without blogging. After all, it will be another four years until I can do so again.  So what exactly is there for me to talk about…well, honestly I’m not too sure…I am always reading that the best thing to write about is something you know, and all I know is that I don’t know too much. But that makes for a boring blog so lets talk about accents.

Where are you from? Do you think you have a strong accent? Do people tell you that you do? If you could sound like anyone, w ho would it be? Obviously we are all perfectly happy sounding as completely fabulous as we do as ourselves, we would be us otherwise but if you had to pick? Is there an accent that for one reason or another you find annoying? Are you good at accents?

I was recently given a book on ‘How to talk southern’ from another blogger and friend (who is southern). It is referring to talking with an accent like those from the southern states of America.  Now, I have never been to America(something that will change in April! Only 43 days to go J), but I am a fan of other peoples accents. I have hashed together this little cartoon of two people with my accent having a chat. I don't always sound like this but a lot of the time I do (and i'm not from London, maybe it is because we are quite close and my parents are from there). Please feel free to add in the comments any particular expressions you like to use.

I am one of those people who spends their time worrying that if I talk to someone with a strong accent for too long – I may start talking with an accent, it will be bad and is always a little embarrassing – I think it comes from the need to make yourself understood by whoever you are speaking too. I remember when friends and family visited me in Africathat they noticed I had an accent, I didn’t realise I had it, but it had grown from my need to talk in a manner that would make me understood to my students.  I also think another reason for my fascination is because I have a very generic English accent. The town in which I live was developed as an overspill town for London (so my parents, who were both born in London) moved here along with many other people from other large cities. When I was young everyone had a different accent but now when I hear someone talk I can tell if they are from here.

I guess you could say I have accent envy! I wish I could speak with an accent too but impressions aren’t really my forte. So tonight me and a friend are going to the Cinema to see ‘The Skin I Live In’, have a few cocktails and then practice talking “southern”.

How are you going to spend today? - its your last chance for another 4 years, so make the most of it.