Is the NZ Accent that bad?

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#1078508 2-Jul-2014 11:01

Batwing:
gzt:
KiwiNZ: I was taught to listen to the meaning and not to listen to the how.

Yeah I think a lot of this objection to accent is a bit snobbish really.

Accents are fine, but getting letters the wrong way round is surely a step too far?

It's just another word form. You can find it in english literature. Chaucer for example. This exact form is still in use in some regional accents of the UK.

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#1078523 2-Jul-2014 11:28

Digmarx: Some of my relatives & friends back home consider the Kiwi accent cute.

I was in Canada a few weeks back and the checkout operators at a few stores I visited thought it was cute too.

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#1078537 2-Jul-2014 11:52

gzt:
Batwing:
gzt:
KiwiNZ: I was taught to listen to the meaning and not to listen to the how.

Yeah I think a lot of this objection to accent is a bit snobbish really.

Accents are fine, but getting letters the wrong way round is surely a step too far?

It's just another word form. You can find it in english literature. Chaucer for example. This exact form is still in use in some regional accents of the UK.

Chaucer existed on the cusp of standardisation of English and used accent as a comedic device, I wonder if his works are too early to use as a marker - especially for our local dialect. I'd still lean towards people getting ask/aks garbled as poor command of the language and prefer not to give it blind acceptance simply because it can be understood. Those here in New Zealand that are saying aks probably aren't giving a nod to their Kentish roots, it's more likely a coincidence that their mistake resembles a correct regional pronunciation back in Englaland.

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#1078543 2-Jul-2014 12:01

I contract full-time to a US based company. At times I've had to slow down my natural speaking pace so they can understand me.

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#1078546 2-Jul-2014 12:12

As a Canadian living in NZ ----- This pretty much sums it up. But apparently when I say about. I am told it sounds like i am saying a boat.

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#1078552 2-Jul-2014 12:19

Batwing: Chaucer existed on the cusp of standardisation of English and used accent as a comedic device, I wonder if his works are too early to use as a marker - especially for our local dialect. I'd still lean towards people getting ask/aks garbled as poor command of the language and prefer not to give it blind acceptance simply because it can be understood. Those here in New Zealand that are saying aks probably aren't giving a nod to their Kentish roots, it's more likely a coincidence that their mistake resembles a correct regional pronunciation back in Englaland.

I'd buy this argument.

There is also, in the example I gave above, the reality that not everyone is so even-handed as apparently KiwiNZ is, and will indeed judge the speaker in a negative light, and probably be less likely to take what they seriously (I guess it could be audience-dependent: a group of people more likely to speak in the same way may find it easier to relate?).

To me, this is part of doing your job professionally - most of us automatically tailor our lanuage (and indeed accent) depending on the circumstances. In this situation (a workplace setting, working with professionals and representing your employer) I'd expect a different style of communication than talking to one's mates at the pub!

KiwiNZ: I was taught to listen to the meaning and not to listen to the how.

This could be taken to be fairly sanctimonious! But, in all seriousness, do you apply this to the written word as well?

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#1078554 2-Jul-2014 12:22

Azzura: As a Canadian living in NZ ----- This pretty much sums it up. But apparently when I say about. I am told it sounds like i am saying a boat.
 

Aboat / about is a classic, and one of the few clearly obvious differences I can pick a Candian. And as for how Canadians pronounce the city of Regina - this used to provide me with endless giggles (TBH, it still cracks me up!).

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#1078555 2-Jul-2014 12:26

gehenna: Live overseas for a while and then come home and see how it sounds. It took me a while to get used to it again after living in Oz for a few years. Ads on the radio and TV shows are particularly noticeable.

+1

it is made fun of in every overseas country that speaks English :D (that i've been to)

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#1078556 2-Jul-2014 12:26

Batwing:
gzt:
Batwing:
gzt:
KiwiNZ: I was taught to listen to the meaning and not to listen to the how.

Yeah I think a lot of this objection to accent is a bit snobbish really.

Accents are fine, but getting letters the wrong way round is surely a step too far?

It's just another word form. You can find it in english literature. Chaucer for example. This exact form is still in use in some regional accents of the UK.

Chaucer existed on the cusp of standardisation of English and used accent as a comedic device, I wonder if his works are too early to use as a marker - especially for our local dialect. I'd still lean towards people getting ask/aks garbled as poor command of the language and prefer not to give it blind acceptance simply because it can be understood. Those here in New Zealand that are saying aks probably aren't giving a nod to their Kentish roots, it's more likely a coincidence that their mistake resembles a correct regional pronunciation back in Englaland.

I chose the earliest example. There is no shortage of later examples. It is a common form and has been in continuous use for a long time.

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#1078562 2-Jul-2014 12:36

The longer I am here, the less and less I notice the Kiwi accent. Sounds more and more like Canadian to my ear (weird). But some words or phrases, and the way sentences are put together. I might have to ask again what was said. Another odd thing is, I notice a Canadian or American accent less often when I run into one. It isn't until a little ways into a conversation I notice....hey that's not a Kiwi accent. Another weird thing...when I visited Canada in Nov 2013, my m8's were saying I had a Kiwi accent (but I think they were perhaps kidding?).

Having little or no experience in hearing the Aussie accent. I still find it difficult to differentiate between the Kiwi and Aussie accents. I can kinda tell...but no very confident in determining yes or no between the 2.

My fav from back home is the way Newfoundlanders talk -

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#1078570 2-Jul-2014 12:42

jonathan18:
Batwing: Chaucer existed on the cusp of standardisation of English and used accent as a comedic device, I wonder if his works are too early to use as a marker - especially for our local dialect. I'd still lean towards people getting ask/aks garbled as poor command of the language and prefer not to give it blind acceptance simply because it can be understood. Those here in New Zealand that are saying aks probably aren't giving a nod to their Kentish roots, it's more likely a coincidence that their mistake resembles a correct regional pronunciation back in Englaland.

I'd buy this argument.

There is also, in the example I gave above, the reality that not everyone is so even-handed as apparently KiwiNZ is, and will indeed judge the speaker in a negative light, and probably be less likely to take what they seriously (I guess it could be audience-dependent: a group of people more likely to speak in the same way may find it easier to relate?).

To me, this is part of doing your job professionally - most of us automatically tailor our lanuage (and indeed accent) depending on the circumstances. In this situation (a workplace setting, working with professionals and representing your employer) I'd expect a different style of communication than talking to one's mates at the pub!

KiwiNZ: I was taught to listen to the meaning and not to listen to the how.

This could be taken to be fairly sanctimonious! But, in all seriousness, do you apply this to the written word as well?

Yes I do, it is not my role to correct people and again I was taught that it was rude to do so.

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#1078574 2-Jul-2014 12:45

gzt:
Batwing:
gzt:
Batwing:
gzt:
KiwiNZ: I was taught to listen to the meaning and not to listen to the how.

Yeah I think a lot of this objection to accent is a bit snobbish really.

Accents are fine, but getting letters the wrong way round is surely a step too far?

It's just another word form. You can find it in english literature. Chaucer for example. This exact form is still in use in some regional accents of the UK.

Chaucer existed on the cusp of standardisation of English and used accent as a comedic device, I wonder if his works are too early to use as a marker - especially for our local dialect. I'd still lean towards people getting ask/aks garbled as poor command of the language and prefer not to give it blind acceptance simply because it can be understood. Those here in New Zealand that are saying aks probably aren't giving a nod to their Kentish roots, it's more likely a coincidence that their mistake resembles a correct regional pronunciation back in Englaland.

I chose the earliest example. There is no shortage of later examples. It is a common form and has been in continuous use for a long time.

Convergent evolution perhaps? I find it difficult to see the line of continuity that stretches from England to a local demographic that uses the less common word form. As interesting as this is, I lack anything else useful to contribute. Both forms are valid, but I am suggesting that here in New Zealand that those using aks have arrived there by accident - which makes it lesss right, to a certain degree.

gzt

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#1078578 2-Jul-2014 13:05

You appear to have formed this opinion without any evidence or research. I suggest you consider the very strong possibility you might be very wrong about this.

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#1078598 2-Jul-2014 13:17

gzt: You appear to have formed this opinion without any evidence or research. I suggest you consider the very strong possibility you might be very wrong about this.

Verily, it appears we're both just throwing out theories, so no suggestion needed :)

solival

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#1078603 2-Jul-2014 13:33

Kiwi accent not that bad. Scotish accent much harder to understand, really. But yes, it's quite specific.

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