Accents
Mood:  chillin'
Now Playing: Mr. Lee (The Bobbettes)
Topic: Pet Peeves
Well ... let's start with first that I really don't like American accents ... I know I've placed that statement very baldly. However, had to state that in order the premise can be set for my ranting.

Well ... everyone here ... I mean in the UK ... declares that I have an American accent ... could you believe it? Me? An American accent ... terrible insult ... but everyone just says so ... I guess it doesn't help when I use mostly American slang ... but that is because I just watch a lot of American cable.

I can't believe I have an American accent (or probably they really can't tell the difference) ... I guess the reason must be because I don't have a strong enough Caribbean accent. But that is just because of the different places I've moved around ... when I went to St. Vincent, my accent changed from being Trinidadian. I know that for sure, because when I moved to Guyana, someone told me (I think her name was Kamala), said I had an up the island accent (she used to live in St. Lucia so she knows about this stuff).

So, then whilst living in Guyana, I think I acquired a bit of a Guyanese accent. Well, the Guyanese accent is much flatter than the up-the-islands or Trinidad accent since those are sing-songy, but Guyanese accents are really flat, and they stressed their Rs. Whilst Trinidadians and some small islanders do not know that Rs exist much less for the THs, so, I think to fit in and get rid of people making fun of my accent, I think I began stressing my Rs just like the Guyanese - I must have done very well actually, because most people did not know I was from Trinidad. And even when I went to Berbice etc., they just thought my accent was a Georgetown accent instead ... alright some still thought I was from outside from Guyana. But seriously, I think I had a pretty ok Guyanese accent ... I think it was so ok, most people forgot I was from Trinidadian then again ... I remember Raymond and Vishal used to say that we've been there for so long I could be considered Guyanese. When I went to see Karol at Reading she introduced me as Guyanese ... could you believe it ... I was a bit irritated ... I was like I'm not ... I'm Trinidadian. Her excuse was that she forgot because I was there for so long (it was just 7 years ... although been back often - well with Mum and Pa living there I must be :D). That reminds me, I haven't been in Guyana awhile since last year ... I was supposed to go this last time I went home but Pa and Mum came to Trinidad instead ... Hmm ... gotta go back because Mum and Pa moved and want to see the house ... only thing it will be strange going back and not seeing my room ... because when I think of going home to Guyana, I always think of our last house, so it is going to be a bit of a challenge to build a new house into my memory.

Anyway, I've gone off the point ... well, after I moved to Trinidad, and people heard my accent, some people thought I was Guyanese. Oh the horror! Ok no self-respecting Trinidadian ever wants to be mistaken for a Guyanese (sorry - but its the truth). So, had to relearn the Trinidad accent, dropping my Rs and THs every now and then to get back in sync. Had to do that even if I didn't want to, since Grandma and Grandpa had no clue what I was saying unless I was speaking in a strong Trinidad accent that only included broken English. However, Amalia says my accent is waaaaaaay too strong ... its embarrassing since it makes me look as if I'm from the back of Penal (which indeed is true) - but I shouldn't advertise the fact :P. So, made a compromise speak with a strong Trinidadian accent only with my grandparents and speak normalish (which means what I don't know now) ... but it seems normalish turns out to be an American accent (at least to the British people here) ... so, destressing my Rs, keeping in some THs and flattening the accent makes me sound American ... that's all I can see.

Probably after staying four years in this country, the American accent will go and I'll have some hints of a British accent ... so no one can accuse me of an American accent.

That reminds me on Sunday when I called home, Brandon picked up and he thought I was one of his aunts, because I was sounding like them. So, maybe ... the British accent is already rubbing off ... but to me ... haven't heard it as yet, I still sound normal (that means no American accent!).