Thursday, January 26, 2006

Telephone Line

Yesterday I had this phone/web training for one of the many online systems we'll be using at our office. I sound like such a slack-jawed yokel by saying this, but I get sort of this glazed over giddy excitement listening to people talk in different accents than my own. Well, unless it's someone that you really can't understand for shit over the phone, that just sucks. But anyways, this woman was from Texas and I automatically liked her about 10% more just for how she talked. You know what's cute? The subtle differences. I've noticed this from a couple Texans (not to lump you all together or anything) but when saying "umm" it's more like "ehm" whereas where I live it's more like "aahm." Or when saying email, she said it more like "e-mell" whereas here people sound more like "e-mayel." Oh, maybe you'd just have to hear it but it's cute! However, then I think if I put my voice on here or talked to one of you, it would sound horribly nasal and maybe even a touch Fargo-ish to you. Oh yaaah, dontcha know.
This reminds me of when I had a pen pal from Rhode Island, who I had never met but was thinking of calling. I like how ahead of time she described how her voice would sound and saying "How are you?" would be more like "Hawaiiya?" I think she may have called me Jessic-er too.
I also can't help but be fascinated by British and Australian accents. Without even meaning to though, I'll start picking up other people's accents as I'm talking to them and I hope they don't find it insulting. I can see how now when I talk to my brother, he sounds completely different having lived in Australia for like 4 years. It makes me smile, he sounds so... proper or something. Anyway.
I hope that didn't offend anyone or sound like a totally small-town, small-minded thing to say. I just think our little differences are cool.

6 comments:

HemisphereDancer said...

Hey -

Sorry to have stayed away so long.

God, how vain of me...to pretend it matters that I haven't been here in a while.

Anyway, I've enjoyed what you written and have emerged from shadowy lurker-dom.

When I was in England for two weeks, I came back not with an accent, but a different speech cadence.

Weird.

Nervous said...

Dude, it does matter. Good to see ya. You're like the big brother that I haven't seen in a while who drops in to give me a noogie now and then! I meant that in a nice way....

Noogie - the act of rubbing one's knuckle on another person's head. It can be very painful if much pressure is applied, but is often also a playful gesture of affection when done lightly.

Anonymous said...

LMAO tell me about picking up an accent. When I went to Korea it started to mess with my speach. Id leave out the shorter (it,at,or) words at times. Then I had to move to Texas No one under stood me there for A time. Next thing you know Im talking slower and useing there words. When I went to devils lake ND I wanted to shoot Fargo talking people on site. Sorry I really dont care for how they talk. Then in Iraq all my sentances had to end with the work f##k. I get greaf when I talk to the pink gold fish at times for my speach. Just to name a few ways I have heard people talk and places Ive been.

Anonymous said...

oh btw the last post was me I would sign in but Im a evil myspace fan

Ray

www.myspace.com/cesaro

Blush said...

yes, texas accents are cute :)

Nervous said...

pinkgoldfish - yeah, I notice that in line/on line thing too, that's funny!
I also like how you'll write things with an accent like "feck" or "seester" - that's cute and makes me smile!