Was watching an interview with an airman on USFK.
On a joint training operation at a foreign air base, they asked him what the toughest thing about the assignment was.
And he said the language barrier.
Where was the operation?
Australia.
-
English Books on Korea... and More!
-
Visit My Brother's Film Review Site
6 Comments
Trouble understanding each other’s English? That’s nothing. The Van Doos have been picked to train the Afghan national army.
http://www.canada.com/edmonton.....mp;k=72519
I’ve done a joint operations with British troops in Iraq, and I had a hard time understanding them. They were speaking with a heavy accent probably from the more rural areas of Britain.
Imagine how fun it must be on the radios. Radio operators are supposed to follow proper voice procedure (which includes using a specific pronunciation) but, in my experience, many don’t.
No offense - but I find the comments made here absolutely spectacular!
a specific pronunciation? heavy british accents? on my last trip to the US of A the following comments were made to me - on seperate occasions…
1. So, in Australia, you guys use the Euro [currency], don’t you?
2. Your English is really good. What language do you speak in Australia?
I am not kidding.
So, really, I think it is a good thing for Americans to have to struggle to understand the English speaking English…. Look at the ‘cultural ignorance’ obstacles the rest of use have to put up with!! So next time you have trouble understanding an Australian who may not be using 100% accurate American phonics when operating a radio, do what I do time and again while traveling around America. Take a deep breath and smile sweetly….
Good onya Sheila.
As soon as the Aussies realize that the “long a” is not to be pronounced as though it were a “long i”, why, that’s half the battle right there.