Cultural Curiosities: Life in Other Countries

[shastastwin]

I have lived in the American South all of my life, with the exception of a year or so in high school when I lived in Illinois. Most people outside the South think I have a Southern accent, while in the South they think I have little or none.

I do find that I tend to start using different accents if I am around people from another area (for instance, my Southern accent deepens considerably when I'm around certain branches of my family) or I'm watching a great deal of British film and TV. Most of the time I use any accent other than my normal one, though, I am using an affectation. The most unusual time I find myself using another accent is singing at church. Some of the hymns and songs we sing cause me to start singing in a British accent.

[Varnafinde]

So here's a question, does anyone else around this blue globe have the same habit when they hear other accents, be it in music, movies, or even talking to someone from another land?

I'm Norwegian and I learnt English at school. Then at college I got to do a one year course of English Language and Literature at an English university, so my accent would be English / British more than anything else.

A couple of years later I went to the wedding of one of my university friends. I was to get a lift to her town from London with one of her friends living in London - a Scottish lady. I turned up at her flat and we chatted while she got ready to go - and then we chatted along during the car ride - and before we had been together for an hour, I caught myself copying her Scottish accent. I had to deliberately stop myself, and I actually think that if I had wanted to, I could have switched accents completely there and then.

Perhaps the Norwegian background is closer to Scottish and the accent is therefore more likely to come over for a Norwegian than the southern English accents

(I don't have much of a Norwegian accent when speaking English, but naturally it's not easy to place me within Britain either, and I've actually been asked on a couple of occasions whether I'm Australian )

[wild rose]

I'm not at all sure what my accent is (thankfully I DON'T have that DREADFUL slavic/Russian accent ) I was once told that I've got a slight tint of a Texan accent when I say certain words, but I have a hard time believing that. Generally, my English is more American than British because I studying using an American program, but recently I have been picking up on the British English because of all the English classical literature I've become obsessed with And I'll admit, when I've watched too many BBC period drama films, I do tend to get a slight bit of a British accent, but I lose it REALLY fast.
Narnian_Archer is great at faking accents. She can hear a song, or watch a movie or something else and just put on almost an identical accent as the one she just heard. It's actually pretty cool (Like one time we had been watching The Crocodile Hunter and she put on an Australian accent and started behaving like Steve Irwin and we were just all rolling on the floor with laughter )

[IloveFauns]

wild rose, I think I know of more people from out of Australia who watch the crocodile hunter programs. I may of watched one or two episodes at school. I use to watch some of those Bindi Erwin programs when I was 11/12 however. Speaking of crocodiles, I have never watched crocodile dundee and when people did that knife joke in comedy programs from over seas or generally in the public I had no idea what they were talking about.

My friend from Kenya has a mixture of British and American accent. She kind of switches between one and the other. She must of used a mixed program/s when studying English.

I moved to Queensland when I had just turned seven and left when I was 10.5. Queensland why must you change the name of things?(I am sure America has a few states that just decide to change the name of things). So I had to learn words such as togs, port and bubblier tray(Meaning in order bathers, back pack and drink fountain). There were a few others and when I first moved to the West I would occasionally use these alternative names and with port especially I got some weird looks.

[Puddleglum]

Sometimes I have to admit to amusement with a sibling of mine who spent many years in Texas. though he has now been back in Minnesota for some five years now he still has that drawl in his speech. It comes out real deep when we are having some discussion, or all out debate, ( sibling competition can extend into many fields).

[Shadowlander]

Is there any one dish which anyone would consider their country's "signature" dish? In the US it's probably the cheeseburger, or maybe pizza. What would it be in Australia, Russia, and Norway? And Varna, if you say "Lutefisk" I will sob uncontrollably

[IloveFauns]

To be honest shadowlander I wouldn't have a clue. Possibly pavlova but those from new zealand would disagree. Anyway it is still nice.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

Maybe the meat pie - that's pretty much a signature dish (or at least food) in Australia.

[Aslanisthebest]

The signature dish of India is daal and chapati. Daal is spiced lentil soup, and Chapati is the Indian, whole-wheat equivalent of a corn tortilla.
And for special occasions, there is, of course, biriyani and the ever-popular chicken tikka.

The signature dish of Kenya is sukumawiki and Ugali. The former is collard greens cooked in various ways, and the latter is the Kenyan equivalent of corn mush.
For special occasions, the specialty is nyama choma--roasted goat.
Most of them are pretty healthy. There are quite a few Indian snack staples that are pure lipid-drenched goodness, though - both savory and sweet.

[Warrior 4 Jesus]

I know what Daal and Chapati are but I had to look up 'collard greens'. Does that make me an Aussie?

[Shadowlander]

Collard greens are astoundingly good, but very much an acquired taste. They're a cornerstone food of southern US cooking, although here we just cook them in bacon drippings and a spot of vinegar (or hot sauce). Mmmm

[Aslanisthebest]

Warrior, I'm surprised you knew what Daal and Chapati were. Have you had it before?

It's interesting how some Southern Cooking and Indian or Kenyan cooking intersect. I've seen okra, collard greens, and certain types of pickles that are very similar between the two.

I believe that the Kenyan way is to put oil, cumin (probably a Kenyan-Indian hybrid, the cumin), and tomatoes in a pot, throw in some collards and water, and then steam them until they are tender. Some people make it with meat. My mom recently found out that collards and spinach make for a tasty combination.
I agree that they are an acquired taste, SL. Personally, I can only enjoy eating them plain if I am eating them with the ugali/corn mush.
I have to have them with hot sauce or something otherwise. Vinegar sounds really good! I bet that would mask that certain aftertaste?

[King_Erlian]

So here's a question, does anyone else around this blue globe have the same habit when they hear other accents, be it in music, movies, or even talking to someone from another land?

After spending three weeks in Connecticut, I found myself saying "to-may-to" instead of "to-mah-to".

When I have been watching a lot of British television I start pronouncing the "ance" such as glance and dance the British way but than I go back.

Which British way? A long "a" (glaahnce, daahnce) as they do down South, or a short "a" as they do up from where I'm from?

[IloveFauns]

This way:(some people in Australia manly those from south Australia say it this way too). Other states say it with the short a.

[Shadowlander]

@ BellanotfromTwilight, it is a strange coincidence, isn't it? The Kenyan variety sounds delicious! I don't think, however, I've ever had any Indian food. Outside of the major cities I don't recall even seeing many Indian restaurants, for that matter. As for W4J knowing what they are I'm pretty sure any country that was once part of the UK would likely have some knowledge of Indian food since India was part of the Empire for many, many years and soldiers, diplomats, etc. who served there likely brought back many cultural items with them, including curios and recipes for food they'd eaten there. Being totally unfamiliar with Indian cuisine the only things I know about it are that many dishes use curry and that there's no meat involved.

@ W4J - I actually ended up looking Meat Pies up...they look quite good! Does the meat inside have a soupy consistency or is it solid like a hamburger? And does it use hamburger or bits of steak/meat?

[IloveFauns]

I have a kenyan friend and the food her family makes is very nice(most of the time). They tend to stick to vegetarian dishes because they have to buy halal meat which sometimes can be more expensive.

I don't like meat pies for reasons states before. I think you can get ones which are more solid but most of the time it is soupy I believe.