Comments on: Accent or no Accent?

By: Miss Campbell

Miss Campbell — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 03:56:37 +0000

This is something I struggle with often. I have a Jamaican accent that I try to minimize in the corporate environment. It’s extremely annoying to be asked to repeat myself. I often feel that ppl. listen to my accent instead of what I say. I actually took accent reduction classes, didn’t work! Now I simple concentrate on my vowels, my “th” and my “ings” as you can imagine it’s trying at times.

By: Finally! My Esperanza Spalding interview | afrobella

Finally! My Esperanza Spalding interview | afrobella — Tue, 09 Sep 2008 02:05:30 +0000

[...] like an island girl, instead of this weird proper amalgamated Americanese that I speak. Like I Come From Foreign, I struggle with speaking in my Trini accent in American-only situations. I talk most like myself [...]

By: nosuchsoul

nosuchsoul — Fri, 08 Aug 2008 10:41:14 +0000

And I thought I was just crazy.

I have the added horror of a foundation American accent since I lived in the US before we moved to Trinidad so my accent is a crazy meld and swings all over the place.

Trini pops in with Trini friends or when I am vex about something [what better to cuss in?] American sticks about with most of the day to day US action. Brit pops out when I am trying to explain something or talking to someone new or well, British. And of course there are random appearances of all or the muddled hybrid accent.

Then people always ask you where you are from and you have to explain CONVENT!

How did it go in the end?

By: I Come From Foreign » Crazy, Beautiful Flow

I Come From Foreign » Crazy, Beautiful Flow — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 05:02:40 +0000

[...] her bf, and some other Trinis and use my normal accent. Why don’t I use it all the time? How did I lose it? It’s ridiculous. At dinner one night I began talking in my regular voice and I was so much [...]

By: Chike [Caribbean Axis]

Chike [Caribbean Axis] — Wed, 18 Jun 2008 00:46:40 +0000

Man this one hit home. Always wanted to make sure that i never lost the accent, and have complete anxiety about whether it’s too diluted.

The counterbalance though is that I HATE to repeat myself and to get those blank stares when people don’t understand what i’m saying. So in business settings do I want to get that no.

There’s some kinda balance out there, but you all are right, it’s “tricksy”

Chike

By: Ask Afrobella - Fro Advice For Trini Bellas | afrobella

Ask Afrobella - Fro Advice For Trini Bellas | afrobella — Mon, 09 Jun 2008 11:32:08 +0000

[...] this here blog, and managed to practically lose my Trini accent around non-Caribbean folks, (I feel ya, Danielle. I absolutely hate it when people ask me to “talk in your accent” for their amusement, [...]

By: DScottGRRL

DScottGRRL — Sun, 11 May 2008 22:16:03 +0000

eff that. they still have those awful “a” sounds (ehhhple instead of apple) and they never pronounce their t’s (fif-dy, for-dy). that’s crap.

By: Weso

Weso — Thu, 08 May 2008 04:53:30 +0000

You have a convent accent. Lose it.

Try for the American newsreporter accent, which is as close to no accent as you can probably get.

By: DScottGRRL

DScottGRRL — Wed, 07 May 2008 19:27:31 +0000

So glad we’re in the same boat! See the thing is, after living 9 years in foreign, in my everyday speech I’ve learned to round out my vowels, pronounce my Rs, etc, so that’s what my colleagues are used to hearing. However, when it’s presentation time, I revert and there’s really no stopping me! I dont want to sound like I’m putting on “airs” (you know how it is) or trying to sound British when everyone is used to hearing me talk in a semi-Trini, semi-American hybrid kind of accent…

Also, compared to Miami, where almost everyone I worked with was from a different country and had the accent to show for it, I am in a much more, how do you say, uniform environment here in Cali. I’m not saying diversity is not encouraged, because that’s not true, it’s just not as outwardly expressed, perhaps, would be the way to say it..

I think I’m with you though. I think natural, whatever natural is, is the best way to go. It’s already a fraught situation so why go and burden myself with trying to sound like something I’m not?

British-y Trini English it is!!

By: Chennette

Chennette — Wed, 07 May 2008 19:15:36 +0000

Ack, I have the same problem. Sounding somewhat britishy. Not really British, but Britishy, especially to Americans. I can’t help it. I blame my high school teachers and my love for words and speaking (formally) and wanting to be understood Not to mention the being a lawyer thing, and surrounded by formal British-trained or traditioned orators in court.
Trinis tend to speak fast, and our words leave out that r and the verb “to be” and so when around nonTrinis, I tend to just revert to slower, somewhat formal speak, which gets me into the Britishy sounding thing – or less strong Trini accent, as the Brits recognise it as West Indian.
I suppose I have no help for you; just empathy. I don’t actively try to minimise the accent, because I think I’d sound ridiculous deliberately trying to sound like something else, but I slow down and that’s what causes it. That and trying to pronounce Rs and opening up my vowels a bit, and remembering the verb to be and “proper” contractions, so that people don’t say “what?” and think I said woods, when I said woRds. For example. Some people are fine with that, but I like to be understood