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Difficulty with Irish accents abroad!

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Comments

  • #32
    summerskin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,760 ✭✭✭summerskin


    Jimoslimos wrote: »
    I was in a class/lab recently (in England) and made a mistake on a graph I was drawing, asked the girl beside me for a 'rubber':eek:

    Moment silence and look of bewilderment from her.....

    Realised and quickly corrected myself and asked for an eraser. Eye-contact avoided for remaining few hours:o

    Everyone in England says rubber. That's bollix.

    As for the other stuff, "grand" is used all over the north of england in the exact way it's used here.

    rock shandy? red lemonade??? nope, we have neither in england, just like we don't have Taytos.

    And why the hell do you expect us to know what a "press" is??? It's a bloody cupboard! A press is either something you put your trousers in to get rid of creases, or the newspaper media.

    At least i now understand them all after 5 years in ireland, t'was a struggle at first!


  • #33
    mikemac1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,395 ✭✭✭✭mikemac1


    kfallon wrote: »
    When abroad just keep saying 'Turty-tree and a turd' and you will forever be loved by those who inhabit the country you are visiting!

    Yeah, what's that about?

    I was ordering motorcycle gear from a Newcastle company
    After confirming I was in "Southern Ireland", she asked me repeat how I said three and oh didn't she love it

    I don't know if she meant what she said or was she just mocking and taking the piss out of me :o


  • #34
    summerskin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,760 ✭✭✭summerskin


    St.Spodo wrote: »
    Most of us in Ireland, including me, pronounce ''three'' incorrectly as ''tree'', but then the English pronounce it as ''free'', so they're fúcking wrong as well.

    Again, a load of bollix.

    It's like the only english people you have seen are in Eastenders! Up north the vast majority say "three". We also say "drawing" and not "drawring".

    Bloody southerners, ruining the english language. They're the equivalent of a North Dublin Skanger when it comes to butchering english.


  • #35
    mikemac1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,395 ✭✭✭✭mikemac1


    summerskin wrote: »
    red lemonade??? nope, we have neither in england, just like we don't have Taytos.

    They have brown lemonade though
    Vile stuff, blugh :p

    Fair play to the Scots and their Irn Bru, love that drink but hard to find here


  • #36
    summerskin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,760 ✭✭✭summerskin


    mikemac1 wrote: »
    They have brown lemonade though
    Vile stuff, blugh :p

    Fair play to the Scots and their Irn Bru, love that drink but hard to find here

    never heard of it myself, honestly. looking it up it seems to be a northern ireland thing.


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  • #37
    Jimoslimos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,930 ✭✭✭Jimoslimos


    summerskin wrote: »
    Everyone in England says rubber. That's bollix.

    As for the other stuff, "grand" is used all over the north of england in the exact way it's used here.
    Really? Have lived in England for over 5 years and to the best of my knowledge rubber is exclusively used as slang for condom. The girl wasn't English though, although grew up there from an early age.

    Never heard anyone use 'grand' (to mean fine, ok) other than the Irish


  • #38
    kylith
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,745 ✭✭✭✭kylith


    When I was in the US a few years ago I discovered they had no idea what a 'barman' is. I drew a complete blank on their synonym and we sat there for a while while I tried to remember the way to say 'the guy who serves you drinks in bars'.


  • #39
    Crooked Jack
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 5,679 ✭✭✭Crooked Jack


    I was in Vancouver and got talking to a couple of yanks. Half way through the night they all told me that they didnt understand at least half of what i was saying but that they loved my accent. Then we went back to their hotel and I banged one of them.

    No problems with the accent abroad at all. Admittedly there was some confusion the next day when we went to a diner and my order had a fried egg in it. She asked how i wanted it done. I said 'fried.' The she let off this spiel of 'sunny side leftways' shite and I replied 'uh, just normal. Cue a ridiculously long engagement in which i tried to tell her what normal meant before just writing it on my phone.
    Still, it balances out.


  • #40
    cocokay
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 160 ✭✭cocokay


    in new york my other half asked for to-mah-toes on his sandwich instead of to-may-toes and she looked at him like he had 2 heads, i had to repeat "to-may-toes" for her. they don't sound THAT different, do they? i thought it was a bit mad in a city like ny that has so many different nationalities all speaking with different accents & pronunciations :)


  • #41
    mikemac1
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,395 ✭✭✭✭mikemac1


    What I learned from slaving in Irish hotels is if an American leaves a one cent coin on your table they were extremely unhappy with the service.

    And if it was a Canadian coin, well jaysus you deserve to be sacked :eek:


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  • #42
    summerskin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,760 ✭✭✭summerskin


    Jimoslimos wrote: »
    Really? Have lived in England for over 5 years and to the best of my knowledge rubber is exclusively used as slang for condom. The girl wasn't English though, although grew up there from an early age.

    Never heard anyone use 'grand' (to mean fine, ok) other than the Irish

    Virtually the whole north west use grand and always have done. My gran still talks about it being "a grand day for drying" when it's sunny, and last week my mate was telling me how they had a "grand night out" after going to the races at haydock.

    "rubber" is never used to mean a condom where i'm from, "rubber johnny"(usually just a "johnny") is. "eraser" is an americanism. Probably those "east yanks" southerners saying it. The scourge of the nation.


  • #43
    kylith
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,745 ✭✭✭✭kylith


    cocokay wrote: »
    in new york my other half asked for to-mah-toes on his sandwich instead of to-may-toes and she looked at him like he had 2 heads, i had to repeat "to-may-toes" for her. they don't sound THAT different, do they? i thought it was a bit mad in a city like ny that has so many different nationalities all speaking with different accents & pronunciations :)
    You'd think they'd at least have heard the tomayto/tomahto song. It was created for just such an eventuality.


  • #44
    Cee-Jay-Cee
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,234 ✭✭✭✭Cee-Jay-Cee


    Its very simple, when ever you go to a city/town in Engerland, listen to the locals accents and then put on an accent when speaking to the local yokels.


  • #45
    summerskin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,760 ✭✭✭summerskin


    CJC999 wrote: »
    Its very simple, when ever you go to a city/town in Engerland, listen to the locals accents and then put on an accent when speaking to the local yokels.


    Oh the irony....


  • #46
    rgmmg
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 543 ✭✭✭rgmmg


    I asked a girl in work (London) once "How's the craic?" I nearly got sacked.


  • #47
    Jimoslimos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,930 ✭✭✭Jimoslimos


    summerskin wrote: »
    Bloody southerners, ruining the english language.
    summerskin wrote: »
    Probably those "east yanks" southerners saying it. The scourge of the nation.
    F*cking northern monkeys!


  • #48
    summerskin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,760 ✭✭✭summerskin


    Jimoslimos wrote: »
    F*cking northern monkeys!

    Northern boys love gravy.


    I spent ten years living in london, it was like someone running their nails down a blackboard on a constant basis, having to listen to those accents. (that said my irish wife has a lovely soft west london accent after spending 20 years there)

    Even worse is the new "patois" accent kids down there have, where "dey allz iz tinkin dey iz black, blud."


  • #49
    Jimoslimos
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,930 ✭✭✭Jimoslimos


    summerskin wrote: »
    Northern boys love gravy.


    I spent ten years living in london, it was like someone running their nails down a blackboard on a constant basis, having to listen to those accents. (that said my irish wife has a lovely soft west london accent after spending 20 years there)

    Even worse is the new "patois" accent kids down there have, where "dey allz iz tinkin dey iz black, blud."
    Still North or South, all better than a Midlands/Brummy accent:(


  • #50
    ejmaztec
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 24,369 ✭✭✭✭ejmaztec


    summerskin wrote: »
    Northern boys love gravy.


    I spent ten years living in london, it was like someone running their nails down a blackboard on a constant basis, having to listen to those accents. (that said my irish wife has a lovely soft west london accent after spending 20 years there)

    Even worse is the new "patois" accent kids down there have, where "dey allz iz tinkin dey iz black, blud."

    I find those people laughable, and wonder whether the day will ever come that they realise that they sound like complete dicks.


  • #51
    NeonCookies
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 512 ✭✭✭NeonCookies


    I'm teaching English in Japan at the moment. I teach one to one lessons, so maybe 8/ 10 students a day. NONE of them can understand me when I say "fun" (which I say to nearly every one of them - "Was it fun?" etc.) or "often" (I have to pronounce it offen). This is mainly due to them learning English from Americans and English people.

    I'm really realizing how different the accents are! Apart from accents, American and British English are almost different languages with the different spellings and the different words they have for things - pavement/sidewalk/path, cupboard/press, trousers/pants. Chips and French Fries is another one that keeps catching me out. It's a minefield!

    My new found friends from Oz, Canada, US etc. slag me for saying "grand", and apparently the way I say "lunch" is quite funny too..!


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  • #52
    summerskin
    Closed Accounts Posts: 1,760 ✭✭✭summerskin


    Jimoslimos wrote: »
    Still North or South, all better than a Midlands/Brummy accent:(

    "Would you like a kipper tie?" for a cup of tea. I pity them.


  • #53
    IrishEyes19
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,861 ✭✭✭IrishEyes19


    Yes, yes and yes.

    When I visited the states when I was 15, we went into a fast food place. All was grand. The menu was a little different from what was home, but it was readable anyway.

    My little sister was only about 8 at the time. she went up and asked for Chips, they of course arrive back with crisps. she shakes her head and says chips again, the girl looks at her puzzled and points to the bag. I turn to the girl and say, sorry she means fries. problem sorted. Next thing it says biscuits on the menu, little sister orders it, she gets a scone. Needless to say the burger she ordered was cooked quite rare,. she looks ready to cry at this stage. I just handed over the slice of pizza I had ordered, took the weird food she had ordered and starved for the evening. lol.


  • #54
    RichieC
    Closed Accounts Posts: 7,331 ✭✭✭RichieC


    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rgHg7SFeDF4


  • #55
    bwatson
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 630 ✭✭✭bwatson


    ejmaztec wrote: »
    I find those people laughable, and wonder whether the day will ever come that they realise that they sound like complete dicks.

    It is incredibly embarrassing to hear young people talk in that manner as if it will earn them respect and esteem. I watched the film with the man from Dr Who recently called "adulthood" and the fact that the BBC decided to broadcast it was cringeworthy in itself.

    I say let them get on with it though - they will get nowhere in life if they continue to speak in such an incomprehensible, confusing manner.


  • #56
    bwatson
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 630 ✭✭✭bwatson


    summerskin wrote: »
    Northern boys love gravy.


    I spent ten years living in london, it was like someone running their nails down a blackboard on a constant basis, having to listen to those accents. (that said my irish wife has a lovely soft west london accent after spending 20 years there)

    Even worse is the new "patois" accent kids down there have, where "dey allz iz tinkin dey iz black, blud."

    Most people I encounter in Central London have an incredibly neutral and refined English accent, even the bar staff!


  • #57
    awec
    Administrators Posts: 56,572 Admin ✭✭✭✭✭awec


    You all have it easy.

    Think of us poor nordys. :(


  • #58
    CavanCrew
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 337 ✭✭CavanCrew




    Cringeeeeee.


  • #59
    Fratton Fred
    Closed Accounts Posts: 26,566 ✭✭✭✭Fratton Fred


    bwatson wrote: »
    Most people I encounter in Central London have an incredibly neutral and refined English accent, even the bar staff!

    Most of the bar staff I meet in London have a New South Wales accent.


  • #60
    LordSutch
    Closed Accounts Posts: 12,069 ✭✭✭✭LordSutch


    Was in a pub in Dublin a few years ago at the bar and this guy two stools down looks at me and says something, so I smiled and nodded, took another sip of my pint and then still staring at me he said something again! I shook my head and said sorry, as I got up and turned to leave he held my wrist and took a look at my watch, he then smiled, och eye I c the teim reight "Ah I see you wanted the time" ok thats fine, cheers :))

    I hadn't got a clue what he was saying in the beginning, my mates reckoned he was from Glasgow or Belfast?


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  • #61
    FloatingVoter
    Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,133 ✭✭✭FloatingVoter


    LordSutch wrote: »
    Was in a pub in Dublin a few years ago at the bar and this guy two stools down looks at me and says something, so I smiled and nodded, took another sip of my pint and then still staring at me he said something again! I shook my head and said sorry, as I got up and turned to leave he held my wrist and took a look at my watch, he then smiled, och eye I c the teim reight "Ah I see you wanted the time" ok thats fine, cheers :))

    I hadn't got a clue what he was saying in the beginning, my mates reckoned he was from Glasgow or Belfast?

    The Glasgow accent mixed with 25 pints of whatever is an acquired taste. Being an alkie, I'm fluent :D.


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