Voice meme

[bobthemole]

penny_lane_42  did a voice meme where she read aloud a list of words with quite variable pronunciations. I thought it would be interesting to do the same - so I did. Unfortunately my microphone isn't good and my voice sounds muffled and staticky. I hope you can still make out what I'm saying here...

ETA: REDONE! CLICK  HERE INSTEAD!

Same crappy microphone but better recording software, converted to MP3.

I started out by reading the following list of words in my "normal" everyday accent...

Aunt, Route, Wash, Oil, Theater, Iron, Salmon, Caramel, Fire, Water, Sure, Data, Ruin, Crayon, Toilet, New Orleans, Pecan, Both, Again, Probably, Spitting Image, Alabama, Lawyer, Coupon, Mayonnaise, Syrup, Pyjamas, Caught, Orange, Coffee, Direction, Naturally, Aluminium and Herbs.

...and then saying them again in the accent I slip into when talking to my parents.

After that, I answered the following questions...

What is it called when you throw toilet paper on a house?
What is the bug that when you touch it, curls into a ball?
What is the bubbly carbonated drink called?
What do you call gym shoes?
What do you say to address a group of people?
What do you call the kind of spider that has an oval-shaped body and extremely long legs?
What do you call your grandparents?
What do you call the wheeled contraption in which you carry groceries at the supermarket?
What do you call it when rain falls while the sun is shining?
What is the thing you change the TV channel with?

A few more things...

- Here's the wiki article on Sunshowers.
- When I describe my Pakistani accent, I say "My /a/s are longer, /k/s are less aspirated, and my /t/s sound more like /d/s."
- I just remembered - we called gym shoes "joggers" in Pakistan. I think my parents say "tennis shoes" these days. I say "sneakers", and my brother may say "trainers".

Here's the original muffled recording, for historical purposes.

Comments

[quinara]

I'm seeing this meme everywhere suddenly - I might have to do it myself...

Both your different accents definitely sounded American to me! :P

[bobthemole.livejournal.com]

My Pakistan-ish accent has rolling 'r', less aspirated 'k' and longer 'a'. It's probably hard to tell because of MY CRAP MICROPHONE GRRRR.

I await your turn anxiously :D

[quinara]

Oh, I could hear the slight Pakistanishness, but it wasn't enough to counteract the Americanness for me. ;)

Heh... Well, it's up now!

[bobthemole.livejournal.com]

I find it very amusing/cool that they both sound American to you while all the Americans say, "Yeah, distinctive."

[quinara]

Well, I'm used more used to people having Pakistani/other South Asian touches to their accent over a more London accent (I'll confess I'd be hard-pressed to tell the differences in influence on them), so your foundation of American is somewhat discernible (though your on-the-phone-to-your-parents accent seems stronger on the new recording! It seems definitely more Pakistani than American now). Your 'aluminium' still sticks out, though, while 'wash', 'New Orleans', 'Pecan' and 'Coupon' (I think) are all slightly unexpected

[bobthemole.livejournal.com]

My "New Orleans" is definitely Southern-US influenced. I believe the most authentic pronunciation is "Nawlins" :)

Pecan, conveniently, is pronounced the same way in Southern and Pakistani accents.

I've been thinking about the difference in accents, and I think it's because English words tend to stress the first syllable, while Urdu words stress the second syllable. So if I'm speaking in Urdu and mention a coupon, it's easier to say cou-PON rather than shift to the english meter (COU-pon) and back.

[snickfic]

I was having trouble hearing because of the mic, but yeah, marked difference there between the two accents.

Neat. :)

[bobthemole.livejournal.com]

And now you've heard the update YAY!

[angearia.livejournal.com]

Oooh yes, I can hear the difference. So interesting.

[bobthemole.livejournal.com]

What's funnier is when my parents try to methodically pick up Southern accents so their students will understand them.

"Atlanta"

Standard US pronunciation: et-LAN-ta
Mom's pronunciation: ut-LAHN-ta
Mom's student's pronunciation: eh-LAN-uh

I hear there is much merriment.

[blackfrancine.livejournal.com]

Ooh. I love that you recorded both your "everyday" accent and your "mom-and-dad-phone-call" accent. Interesting little differences!

[bobthemole.livejournal.com]

I have an East Texan friend who does that too. She speaks with the Standard US accent, but when she talks to her parents the Texas twang comes out.

[blackfrancine.livejournal.com]

YES! I think I even do this (and I don't think I have much of an accent to start with). When I'm around people with accents, I suddenly start speaking with one too.

I'm not evil (and I don't speak with an accent), but when I get close to it, I pick up its flavor like a mushroom or something.

[bobthemole.livejournal.com]

Like a mushroom! Accents are totally contagious.

[eilowyn.livejournal.com]

I love how you worry about appropriating "y'all" unnecessarily! It feels so proper of you! And for some unknown reason, you accent reminds me of Lisa Simpson. Do not ask me why, but you sound like you could be from Springfield! And I love your Pakistani accent, it feels so melodic compared to our boring old American accent!

[bobthemole.livejournal.com]

Now I've been hunting for Lisa Simpson clips to hear what she sounds like :D

{{HUGS}} You've been saying such lovely things to me all day!

[penny-lane-42.livejournal.com]

You really have lived all over! And most people's accents shift (mine certainly does), so it's really cool that you decided to document two different varieties of yours. Very cool.

And as far as I'm concerned, so y'all all you want to! :D

FOLKLORIC ANIMALS' WEDDINGS. LOVE IT. I'm so glad you shared that!

[bobthemole.livejournal.com]

I swear, I was so shocked when I head my S African friend say "monkey's wedding" and I thought, "I've heard that before - IN ANOTHER LANGUAGE!"

I'm gonna overdo the y'alls now, y'hear!

[bluemage55.livejournal.com]

I'm familar with South Asian+Californian accents, but there's no way I would have been able to identify your particular combination without being told.

Thanks for sharing the mini-lessons!

[bobthemole.livejournal.com]

Hey! Thanks for coming by!

[bluemage55.livejournal.com]

How could I turn down the invitation? ;)