Comments on: Funny Foreigner Accents

By: Charles

Charles — Thu, 11 Dec 2003 12:45:08 +0000

I was told that my funny accent while speaking Korean sounded like I was from Pusan. (which always brings a smile to ajumma’s face when I say “Chonun Pusan esowaseyo”)I was surprised to hear that there are many “accents” among Korean people. The way my chingu reacted to the accents was even more surprising…comments like “He’s only a country boy” or “I hate the way they speak in Chung gu or Masan” or, on the converse, “Her accent is so cute”… Still unrecognizable to my ears…I will always wonder..Do southern Koreans speak with a drawl?

By: Antti

Antti — Thu, 11 Dec 2003 01:36:48 +0000

I’m still wondering whether the situation was as derogatory as it sounds. If the “funny accent” meant “ridiculous”, then surely. But as a speaker of a non-indoeuropean language in a country where especially the English-speakers are not among the exemplary language-learners, I can somewhat sympathize with the ajumma…
As I commented at Cathartidae, “us foreigners lose our appetite if you talk like that” kind of a comment might not be bad.

By: adri

adri — Wed, 10 Dec 2003 07:26:29 +0000

bah. make that “far worse”, not “far worst”.

By: adri

adri — Wed, 10 Dec 2003 07:25:35 +0000

This pretty much reminds me of something Margaret Cho said at one show, about how even though she doesn’t want to be the only Asian among Caucasians (speaking with regards to her Irish boyfriend’s family), it’s far worst being the only Caucasian among a group of Asians because the Asians say shit about you and they don’t care. Things like “oh you so tall, you monkey, you drink so much milk…”… Something to that effect anyway.