Unintelligible accents.

StormWarrior · 26-07-2014 02:33PM #1

How do you cope if you're talking to someone whose accent is so strong that you can't understand a word they're saying? Today I went down to the bus stop and arrived too late, my bus was just driving off. It was about half an hour until the next one, but after a minute a taxi pulled up to let an old woman out. I asked the driver, "Are you free?" He garbled something in a Scottish accent so strong that it might as well have been double-Dutch for all the sense I could make of it. I asked him again, "Are you free?" Again a volley of gibberish Scotch was blasted in my direction. I decided to guess what he was saying and thought maybe he was asking me where I wanted to go, so I told him, "I want to go to Sainsburys." He shook his head and spewed forth more gobbledegook. This carried on for another minute with me asking him if he would take me and him making incomprehensible noises. Finally I gave up. I threw up my hands and said, "I can't understand you." He made a phone gesture, shouted something else I couldn't understand and drove off. I assume he was telling me I had to phone for a taxi.

Anyone else really struggled to understand a strong accent?

Sunnyisland · 26-07-2014 02:37PM

Been around a few scousers lately and when there talking I find it very hard to understand them, other wise there boss.

Princess Consuela Bananahammock · 26-07-2014 02:38PM

StormWarrior wrote: »

How do you cope if you're talking to someone whose accent is so strong that you can't understand a word they're saying? Today I went down to the bus stop and arrived too late, my bus was just driving off. It was about half an hour until the next one, but after a minute a taxi pulled up to let an old woman out. I asked the driver, "Are you free?" He garbled something in a Scottish accent so strong that it might as well have been double-Dutch for all the sense I could make of it. I asked him again, "Are you free?" Again a volley of gibberish Scotch was blasted in my direction. I decided to guess what he was saying and thought maybe he was asking me where I wanted to go, so I told him, "I want to go to Sainsburys." He shook his head and spewed forth more gobbledegook. This carried on for another minute with me asking him if he would take me and him making incomprehensible noises. Finally I gave up. I threw up my hands and said, "I can't understand you." He made a phone gesture, shouted something else I couldn't understand and drove off. I assume he was telling me I had to phone for a taxi.

Anyone else really struggled to understand a strong accent?

You sure he was speaking English?

StormWarrior · 26-07-2014 02:39PM

Princess Consuela Bananahammock wrote: »

You sure he was speaking English?

I assume so, he was definitely Scottish.

scream · 26-07-2014 02:42PM

I have the same problem with heavy Irish accents. The heavier Limerick accents always cause me trouble. Had a sky engineer round to fix our dish a while back and had to guess at half the stuff he was saying and hope for the best.

biko · 26-07-2014 02:43PM

I have been working with some guys from Eastern Europe lately and while I understand them, they don't understand me. It's a weird sensation when you're yapping away and someone is staring at you like you have two heads.
I have started speaking slower and clearer and now all's well again

DEFTLEFTHAND · 26-07-2014 02:43PM

I find it very difficult to understand South Africans at times.

Here a lot of the rural accents can be hard catch on to, North Tipp, South Offaly old bachelor farmer types. They've their own little dialect nearly.

Hotfail.com · 26-07-2014 02:44PM

I cannot for the life of me understand any of the Norn Iron accents.

Sir Arthur Daley · 26-07-2014 02:44PM

StormWarrior wrote: »

I assume so, he was definitely Scottish.

He could have been speaking Scots Gaelic.

Madam · 26-07-2014 02:46PM

StormWarrior wrote: »

I assume so, he was definitely Scottish.

You asked if he was free (how very English of you)? Not done in Scotland, your supposed to ask if he's for hire! I know what you mean about some Scottish accents(especially a working working class wedgie one) though and I live here:)

Fat Christy · 26-07-2014 02:51PM

You Cork people, I can't understand ye atal. I just sort of nod and smile. If I'm on the phone it'll be 'Hmmm, yes, sure thang'.

major bill · 26-07-2014 02:52PM

Mine is very strong...so strong when I ran Dell support the Indian on the other line transferred me straight away because ''I don't understand you''

the Irony of it

suicide_circus · 26-07-2014 02:53PM

A guy from rural Louisiana, didn't have a blind notion what he was saying.

Menas · 26-07-2014 02:56PM

I find Danish accents very hard to understand.

But in fairness, I dont speak danish.

SEPT 23 1989 · 26-07-2014 03:06PM

suicide_circus wrote: »

A guy from rural Louisiana, didn't have a blind notion what he was saying.

Creole accent is difficult to get your head around

Hotfail.com · 26-07-2014 03:07PM

Fat Christy wrote: »

You Cork people, I can't understand ye atal. I just sort of nod and smile. If I'm on the phone it'll be 'Hmmm, yes, sure thang'.

cournioni · 26-07-2014 03:10PM

Was down in Limerick and Kerry at the start of last month, could not understand A WORD of some of the guys with thicker accents.

Naid23 · 26-07-2014 03:11PM

Met my boyfriends extended family from cork a few weeks ago... Couldnt understand a word they said. I just smiled and nodded and laughed when they did. Really thick cork accents- even my fella struggled to understand.

Very awkward altogether. Dont know how many times i heard 'ah the jackeen girlfriend'. That i could understand haha.

efb · 26-07-2014 03:13PM

There was Limerick or Cork people interviewed about living in social housing, I had no idea what one interviewee was saying

LizzieJones · 26-07-2014 03:14PM

StormWarrior wrote: »

I assume so, he was definitely Scottish.

Maybe he was speaking Doric.

I just nod and smile a lot when I cannot understand anyone.

The Backwards Man · 26-07-2014 03:16PM

Ah canny unnerstan anywans way a tackin south a Monaghan. Is tarra.

Neon_Lights · 26-07-2014 03:18PM

I hear a lot of prudes speaking in d4 or wannabe d4 accents lately, generally what I hear them say lacks intelligence

CrazyRabbit · 26-07-2014 03:21PM

scream wrote: »

I have the same problem with heavy Irish accents. The heavier Limerick accents always cause me trouble. Had a sky engineer round to fix our dish a while back and had to guess at half the stuff he was saying and hope for the best.

Oh that's normal for Sky Engineer, regardless of accent.

For me, the Glaswegian accent can be hard. Also, the cockney accent combined with a low deep voice is unintelligible to me. I had a Team Lead years ago with such an accent/voice combination and in over a year I don't think I understood more than 2 sentences he spoke.

kneemos · 26-07-2014 03:22PM

Three customer service,good English but definitely have to listen hard to get the jist.

_Whimsical_ · 26-07-2014 03:23PM

This happens to me quite a bit. I know a few people from London who speak incredibly fast and I've no idea what they're saying very often.

In general is it more polite to just nod and smile and chance a "yeah" than to ask "what?" several times?
I'm never sure. Just going "yeah" must come across as being dismissive or "I couldn't care less what you're saying"

harry Bailey esq · 26-07-2014 03:23PM

some nordie accents can be quite tricky,especially the nordie culchie accent that can be found around magherafelt and the surrounding area.a few people seem to have deep hatred of the cork accent,but far worse accents can be found,somebody mentioned the Scottish accent,now that's just gobbleygook.But if your drunk listening to a Scotsman you'll understand every word,clear as a bell.