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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

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Original poster

to think If you have a heavy accent the onus is on you to be understood

44 replies

NewYearsHangoversHurtAlot · 11/01/2015 14:19

And not on the other party to feel they can't ask you to repeat yourself because your accent meant what you said wasn't understood? And if you are asked to repeat yourself don't get shitty about it especially if your job involves communicating with the public

OP posts:

FailOfTheCentury · 11/01/2015 16:50

Maybe I mean Standard German, not High German. The terminology confuses me slightly - there are a lot of forms of German spoken.

MrsItsNoworNotatAll · 11/01/2015 17:03

I love a strong accent. Don't think I've ever had a problem understanding anyone. The only time I ever ask anyone to repeat themselves is if they're very quietly spoken and I just can't hear a bloody word they're saying.

MrsTawdry · 11/01/2015 17:06

YANBU I was in Oxfam's bookshop yesterday. We bought about ten books and the assistant (not from this country) asked if I'd like a bag....I said yes please. She thenm said "They're five pounds" and I said "Oh...don't you have any ordinary ones?" as I assumed that it must be a posh 5 pounds fabric bag!

She said "No only these..." and showed me a thin, tiny bag suited for one paperback. So I said "Gosh..really? No normal plastic bags?" and she said "No....only these" and showed me "an ordinary plastic bag" then she said "They're five pounds"

Me and the rest of the queue looked so I said "Do you mean 5 pence?" and she said "Yes...five pounds"

Bless her.

The queue relaxed and one woman said "I thuoght you said 5 pounds too!" with a friendly smile and then...God..my 6 year old said "It SOUNDED like 5 pounds!" and the poor assistant said "Yes. Everyone has said now."

Pippidoeswhatshewants · 11/01/2015 17:13

It is usual in Germany to be able to switch between "High German", a sort of RP, and your local accent, as Fail says. I have no trouble asking people in other parts of Germany to speak High German with me, please. No problem.

Things seem to be different over here, though. I always point out that English is not my first language and apologise for my shortcomings when I have to ask people to repeat what they're saying. I would never dare to ask somebody to switch to RP.

I was unable to communicate with FIL and the Welsh side of the family for years, although alcohol seemed to greatly improve my ability to understand them

riverboat1 · 11/01/2015 17:17

I teach ESL and when it comes to speaking with a good accent it's not as simple as just trying harder to be clear. It is very difficult to learn to make certain sounds or intonations correctly if they don't correspond to your native language, particularly if you spoke English for a long time that way before anyone pointed out you needed to work on your accent. Some people have no trouble picking up correct pronunciation, others really struggle.

As a non-native speaker in my country of residence there are certain times when I have felt helpless to make myself understood even though I speak the language fluently. It is very frustrating and makes you feel kind of impotent because I have thought I was speaking clearly and didn't know how to be any clearer or what exactly the problem was.

I agree no one should be shitty about it in a customer facing role though, neither as the person not understanding someone else nor the person who isn't being understood themselves. A sense of humour goes a long way in these situations.

JeanneDeMontbaston · 11/01/2015 18:19

I speak more or less RP, and I've had people in the US (Michigan, FWIW) who couldn't understand me at all and needed me to repeat things endlessly. I think it was the stress pattern as much as the accent.

I wish people wouldn't get rude about being asked to repeat. I don't hear that well in noisy places and I hate asking people to say things over and over.

Thisvehicleisreversing · 11/01/2015 18:26

My brother's girlfriend is from Leicestershire, she says she struggles to understand our family. We're from Shropshire so hardly anywhere known for a strong accent.

Hatespiders · 11/01/2015 18:36

Oh I suffer torments trying to get my dh to speak English with a better accent. His first language was Malinke and then French. He gets in a right muddle, and now he's picking up a Norfolk accent too. Even his French is a bit off. He got cross in a lift yesterday in Norwich and muttered, "Wanker doors!"

It's very hard for a non-native speaker to speak English intelligibly. I do so admire the Indian call-centre staff. And they're always so patient and polite.
The only solution is to ask people to speak a little more slowly, and repeat what you didn't get.
I'd hate it if we all spoke exactly alike. Accents are gorgeous.

londonrach · 11/01/2015 18:40

Sort of but can i faint and have my tougue hanging out if you got a Yorkshire, irish or french accent. Cant care what you say... Only for males mind you....

londonrach · 11/01/2015 18:41

Dont not cant. Sorry the thought of hearing certain accents and i mistype...

HowCanIMissYouIfYouWontGoAway · 11/01/2015 18:42

I have trouble with accents when people talk really fast. My brother in law is from sheffield and he has a strong accent which isn't a problem except that he talks really really fast! I ask him to repeat himself.

I really don't think it's a problem to ask someone to repeat themselves or to ask someone if they would mind speaking a little more slowly. I want to understand them! I always apologise. Not understanding someone is not something you do on purpose, surely. It's really inconvenient! Not to mention time consuming to have to listen twice.

myfallingstar · 11/01/2015 19:15

Some people use this to be a prick my oh is from Ireland not rural irland he's hardly a farmer inthedeepest darkest irland and he got the other days somone ask 4 times to repeat himself they were just being a dick and a tiny bit rasicit it my view

Pippidoeswhatshewants · 11/01/2015 19:20

Mind you, the first time I encountered a real life Irishwoman I thought she had a severe speech impediment!
I mentioned to dh (when she wasn't there!) and he still takes the piss more than 10 years on

recall · 11/01/2015 19:24

Just say "pardon"

foreverton · 11/01/2015 19:24

I'm from Liverpool but have a mild accent compared to some scousers. My ds says I sound "posh" compared to his friends mum's.
I've never had a problem with people understanding me but I have been told I Speak fast so on the phone etc I slow down and have my "phone voice" don't we all :)
When I did camp america 17 yrs ago I was asked on numerous occasions where about in Australia was I from!

CalleighDoodle · 11/01/2015 19:27

I can handle accents if people speak clearly. Mumbling is the enemy not accents. Also if people are looking at me

TalkinPeace · 11/01/2015 19:46

There is a difference between having a strong accent and having poor diction.

Even the strongest accent can be understood once you get your ear in
so long as the diction is clear
there is no excuse for slurring / mumbling in any accent

ScotsWhaHae · 11/01/2015 20:02

I've worked in a call centre. My current job entails speaking to people from all over the country on the phone.

I'm from Edinburgh, don't use slang on the phone but don't change my accent. 99% of the people I speak to understand me fine. The ones that don't use my accent as a way of being rude.

sykadelic · 11/01/2015 20:03

As an expat living in a foreign country, I disagree. I think it's a mutual thing.

I've had rude people and I've had polite people. On the telephone at work I take great pains to enunciate and slow down, but in person it's usually fine.

I've only had one person tell me to "speak English" (duh!) and I ignored it a few times but then finally it did not end well!

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