I just finished reading Corrie’s post about how gifted she is at swinging an accent and picking up foreign languages. It’s definitely halloween time otherwise why is she thinking about her epitath! Too funny. Her post reminded me of my older sister and I when we were in intermediate school (and god forbid, high school too). Like Corrie, my sister and I use to practice speaking different accents. My first tongue to imitate was Maori. A cinch if one is Maori. But to imitate the welcomings like those performed by the elderly ladies using a wail like sound was no easy matter. I practiced so hard to get that sound too. And I use to practice it religiously all. the. time. Until Dad yelled at me to shut-up. Which was the cue to stop wailing in Maori and look for another tongue.
It was during berry picking season when that inspiration would come again. While picking berries my sister and I would pass the time by going through different parts of the movie Grease; an American accent for Danny and an Aussie one for Sandy. We even sang the songs in those accents too. We use to also pick up the accents of the German backpackers speaking in English. We would make people believe that we were German. Of course none believed that two maori looking girls could be German but we certainly did our best to convince them. Another memory is of my sister and I again. We use to get on the phone at the Dinsdale chapel in Hamilton and ring random numbers. We tried Scottish and Irish accents but I think our favourite phone accent was Indian. That way no-one could see our heads moving the way Indians moved theirs. We were so good.
October 28th, 2007 at 3:37 pm
So funny. My bad? My sister and I used to imitate a native filipino accent (I would like a fepsi, flease.)
When you lived in Australia, how hard was it not to speak with their accent? I think it’s my favorite as well as a Maori speaking english - so beautiful to the ears.
Also, what is your accent sounding like these days?
October 28th, 2007 at 5:39 pm
I’m absolutely terrible with accents. I can’t imitate anyone! Joseph is great though. I always tell him he should have gone into the cartoon voice business. His best is an old English lady singing “Ghost Riders in the Sky.”
What fun memories you’ve shared!
October 29th, 2007 at 8:15 pm
What a fun post! I laughed trying to picture two little Maori girls talking and moving their heads like Indians. Hilarious!
I think I’m pretty good with accents. I passed the speaking with no anglo accent part of my Spanish linguistics class with flying colors.
One time I was a chaperone in Maine for youth conference and I was giving the keynote speaker (Utah native) a ride back to the house where he was staying. We stopped first at the house of an old Mainer to see if his son was at home. I talked for a few minutes with the man on his doorstep, the keynote speaker standing behind me. When we got back into the car, the speaker asked me where that man was from. “He’s from Maine.” I replied. “So he’s not from some other country? Like Scotland or something? I couldn’t understand a word he said. At first I didn’t think he was speaking English.” I laughed until I cried. I think the speaker thought there was something wrong with me then but I couldn’t help myself.
October 29th, 2007 at 8:16 pm
Sorry for that long comment and next time I see you I’m going to demand a performance of the Maori welcome.