Dialects, got to love them

[Sigarms]

Couple years ago, never forget down around Atlanta for technical training with some customers. Class ended on Friday and there was a bunch of us from my neck of the woods. One guy brought his wife down, and they were staying overnight so his wife could check out some of the shopping. Another guy was staying for the state fire, which had me perplexed, so I asked him where they were getting the wood for a state fire, and we both looked dumbfounded, and then had a good laugh when I realized (actually mentioned about another "NC local" he meant state fair.

Last week, I met my new direct supervisor, who flew down from Boston. We're talking with another employee (born and bred in NC) and my supervisor starts asking me about pots. I'm thinking to myself what the heck does pots have anything to do with our business, and I look at my co worker, and he has the same kind of expression I do. Turns out my superviosr was talking about "parts".

I use to live on Cape Cod as a kid. Lost that accent a LONG time ago. Genearlly can pick up a New York city (or surrounding area) or Jersey accent even if someone has lived in NC as long as I have (20 years).

Made me think about how quick one can lose or gain an accent, and at what age plays a variable in the equation.

I took my boss out to eat with a customer, I was going to do Mexican, but my boss mentioned isn't NC known for BBQ? Dawned on me he wanted to eat "local". I've been in NC way to long I guess as it was interesting having our customer explain the menu to the guy from New England and the things I take for granted now (BBQ slaw is NOT like cole slaw as you'd expect it from up North as one example and my boss mentioned that they know how to make sweet tea up north ).

 

[oosik]

Had a young fellow from NYC working for me. At first, it was tough. With time - no problem. Then I realized - I learned to understand his dialect. He hadn't changed the way he spoke even one bit.

 

[k0ua]

you'd expect it from up Nawth as one example and my boss mentioned that they know how to make sweet tea up Nawth

There, fixed it for ya'

 

[OzKioti]

Not a dialect, but a food thing - on my first visit to the States, I was puzzled by the order and naming of items in a restaurant.

Ordered steak and salad. Here, we eat them together from the same plate. As you know, in the States you don't get your steak until you've finished your salad. Took me a while to get used to that.

And the little starter dish we order here to whet our appetite? Here, that's the entree, and the "steak and salad" is the main.

On dialects - I was watching one of the Jeremy Clarkson videos about his farming enterprise, and the conversation with his rock-fence builder. Now that is a dialect I'd have to put some work into understanding!

 

[2LaneCruzer]

I went into a liquor store in St. Thomas, USVI, to buy some rum. Was talking to the clerk, who had a very thick accent...so I asked him what was his native language...and he said "English". I asked him about it, and he said, "yes, English with an accent is my native language". I think he was being truthful, considering that these islands used to belong to Denmark, and there is so much European influence there.

 

[bunyip]

Happens here too, if a Queenslander asks for a port it is a suitcase or overnight bag, my English nephew stayed with us and confused everyone wnen he said he wanted some baps, they are bread rolls, the sandgropers end a sentence with 'but', croweaters are just confusing at best.
Buying a beer in a pub can also be a challenge with ponies, glasses, handles, pots, schooners depending upon size and what State you are in, packaged beer comes in a slab and can be tinnies, stubbies, travellers or longnecks, a tinnie can also be a small aluminium boat, a sky rat is a pigeon or seagull and a mud lizard is a crocodile.

 

[jaxs]

The majority of people in Ft Worth Tx are of hispanic or Latino origin so there's a market for authentic Central American food. If you order chili at traditional Tex-Mex restaurants you will be served something similar to caned Wolf Brand. At an authentic place you get liquified Habaneros with Tabascos and Cayennes added to tone down the heat. Order Chili Con Carne and you get a bowl of chopped beef containing less than a tablespoon full of the liquid flame for spice.
Can anyone tell me what to order up North when I want what we call biscuits and yeast bread in the south? I'm sorry but I don't know how people eat what I've always got.

 

[tallyho8]

Years ago my buddy and I went up to Smithville Arkansas for a trail ride. This is a very rural small town off of all the main roads and doesn't get many visitors. Our ice chest was low so we stopped at the only store we saw to get it refilled. A young girl about 20 waited on us and I asked her for a bag of ice. She looked at me funny and then excused herself and went in the back room and reappeared with a lady who I guess was her mother. She said, can I help you? I said, yes mam, I would like a bag of ice. She whispered in the girls ear and went in back. The girl apologized and sheepishly said, "Ah thought y'all said y'all wanted a bag of eyes.

 

[CalG]

Couple years ago, never forget down around Atlanta for technical training with some customers. Class ended on Friday and there was a bunch of us from my neck of the woods. One guy brought his wife down, and they were staying overnight so his wife could check out some of the shopping. Another guy was staying for the state fire, which had me perplexed, so I asked him where they were getting the wood for a state fire, and we both looked dumbfounded, and then had a good laugh when I realized (actually mentioned about another "NC local" he meant state fair.

Last week, I met my new direct supervisor, who flew down from Boston. We're talking with another employee (born and bred in NC) and my supervisor starts asking me about pots. I'm thinking to myself what the heck does pots have anything to do with our business, and I look at my co worker, and he has the same kind of expression I do. Turns out my superviosr was talking about "parts".

I use to live on Cape Cod as a kid. Lost that accent a LONG time ago. Genearlly can pick up a New York city (or surrounding area) or Jersey accent even if someone has lived in NC as long as I have (20 years).

Made me think about how quick one can lose or gain an accent, and at what age plays a variable in the equation.

I took my boss out to eat with a customer, I was going to do Mexican, but my boss mentioned isn't NC known for BBQ? Dawned on me he wanted to eat "local". I've been in NC way to long I guess as it was interesting having our customer explain the menu to the guy from New England and the things I take for granted now (BBQ slaw is NOT like cole slaw as you'd expect it from up North as one example and my boss mentioned that they know how to make sweet tea up north ).

Pick up the book "The Mother Tongue" by Bill Bryson.

There are places in the UK, not 10 km distant from one another , where communication requires a translator. ;-)
roof or roof, depends on where you grew up.

 

[bigtiller]

I was a receiving clerk in a warehouse for a couple years. A southern, black truck driver 30 some years old, backed his rig up to the dock to be unloaded, came into the office with his papers, handed them to me and said something rather fast.

I asked him to repeat that and he did with a slower pace but I still had no idea what he said.

I could tell by the look on his face that he was getting irritated when he said it for the third time. So I looked over at my co-worker with an inquisitive look and he said "I don't know either".

Now the driver is visibly getting upset when he looks down at his pants and points at his zipper.

I broke out laughing and apologizing and pointing the way to the lavatory.