Pet Peeve: You Sound Funny!

it's a shortening of the word to say "caff", not a different pronunciation.

It's more slang/dialect/nonstandard than just shortening. Very common in the Cockney and Estuary dialects.

I hate it when they mimic it and sound like Annie Oakley or John Wayne.  FFS, I am a Yankee.

Well the thing is, America is losing her regional accents. All the American tourists I meet have the accent Dave Chapelle uses for white folk:

Dave Chappelle about his white friend Chip

I don't mind people commenting on my accent.  I hate it when they mimic it and sound like Annie Oakley or John Wayne.  FFS, I am a Yankee.

Exactly. Everytime someone has tried to mimic my accent they end up sounding like a cartoon parody voice of some wild west accent.

Another thing I hate is when people insist I keep talking just so they can hear it. I've mentioned it elsewhere on here, but I am considering charging people if the way I speak is being used for their entertainment. There was a man a couple weeks ago who wanted me to speak for his friends and it didn't matter what I said as long as I kept talking American. Grrrr! I used my 'whatever I wanted to say' to mention how it annoyed me to be put on display and treated as if I was a sideshow freak just because I sound different. 

Another thing I hate is when people insist I keep talking just so they can hear it. I've mentioned it elsewhere on here, but I am considering charging people if the way I speak is being used for their entertainment. There was a man a couple weeks ago who wanted me to speak for his friends and it didn't matter what I said as long as I kept talking American. Grrrr! I used my 'whatever I wanted to say' to mention how it annoyed me to be put on display and treated as if I was a sideshow freak just because I sound different. 

It's even more annoying that they expect you to be flattered by this request!

Having been in Scotland near 4 years- I was just back in the US for a 2 week holiday - and people (not family or folks I speak to on the phone/skype on a regular basis) - really had trouble understanding me now in the US.   But I still have a very generic American accent if you ask me!!!

And don't feel too bad- my boyfriend, was born in Newcastle, moved to the north of Scotland at the age of 2 -learned to speak from his Geordie parents and grandparents, but then the Highland accent creeps in - and he has the strangest accent you'd ever hear. (and I'm not taking the piss, he makes fun of it himself!) No one understands him at all!

Yeah, I once used a local word (I said someone was canny, it's a Northeast thing) and my boss told me it sounded ridiculous for me to say that with my accent and that I should think of that word as off-limits to me. It hurt my feelings for her to make fun of me and treat me like such an outsider that was trying too hard to fit in.

 

That's awful!!! 

It's even more annoying that they expect you to be flattered by this request!

Exactly! I used to try to be polite about it, or in a panic about seeming rude, I would sort of give in and speak so they could hear it. Now I try to politely point out how rude they are being without being overly rude myself. Some seem to act like they can't believe I'd say something like that, but most take a moment to think and understand where I am coming from with my comment. What people don't seem to realize is, I really enjoy talking about a wide variety of subjects, and if they would simply engage me in an intelligent or even silly but fun conversation (ever had those who would win a fight - Mighty Mouse or Under Dog, or the David Lee Roth/Sammy Hagar argument type conversations in a bar or pub? Silly but fun at times) they'd be able to listen to me talk for quite some time without offending me.

I've noticed that Minnesotans and Canadians right up above you sound very similar.  It is a different accent to some people. Until I had travelled to Minnesota, I had never heard that type of accent before. Then I had a Canadian friend up in Saskatchewan who sounded very similar.

I get asked if I'm Canadian quite a bit   It is very similar, we do the funny "o".  I like my accent though and I hope I don't lose it, I have picked up some British slang though, my mom thought it was funny that I said "post" instead of "mail" whiled I was Skyping with her and I also say "sorted" a lot now.

It's more slang/dialect/nonstandard than just shortening. Very common in the Cockney and Estuary dialects.

Without giving any background to why I asked-

Me:What do you call the place we had coffee in Paris?
Mr A: A cafay.
Me:What do you call the place on <blah> Road where we get all day breakfast?
Mr A: A caff.
Me: What's the difference?
Mr A: A cafay is spelt with the funny "E".
Me: E acute.
Mr A: And it's more pretentious.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caf%C3%A9#In_Europe

In the United Kingdom and Republic of Ireland a café (with the acute accent) is similar to those in other European countries, while a cafe (without acute accent) is more likely to be a greasy spoon style eating place, serving mainly fried food, in particular breakfast dishes.

Although there doesn't to seem to be many references to that article, at least not with that section.

Since TykeMan is a native speaker from the North, I'd say that it's probably more than just Cockney or Estuary usage. I guess it could have spread both geographically and in meaning from what that article later claims was a facetious take on the French pronunciation.  It definitely is a bit more nuanced than that now, at least in usage among the native speakers I've been around. 

I grew up on the outskirts of London and went to a private school, I was accused by the local children (outside of school) of sounding like a snob so I started trying to sound more like them. Then my Mum started dating a scottish guy and I thought that was the coolest accent ever so I tried to copy it. After 4 years living in Nottingham and dating a Yorkshireman I ended up moving to Louisiana for 9 years.

My accent is sooooo screwed up I have no idea what to expect when I move back to the UK.

That said the drunker I get the more toffee nosed queens english I slip back into.

Hubby has been making fun of me for years for various pronunciations. But I totally empathise with all of you, the 'omg keep talking' is getting so old. I am looking forward to seeing him suffer similarly in the UK I must admit Then again while he has a very neutral accent for a southerner (most folks don't believe he was born and raised here) he has been practising his best Larry the cable guy redneck hick accent. So more likely I'll be the one in the corner saying 'I don't know this man' *grin*

Oh he laughs at me when Mum and I do the 'bye bye bye bye' thing too over skype

He loves to mispronounce french words too, 'I don't speak French' he says. He'll probably love the caff version of cafe

Another thing I hate is when people insist I keep talking just so they can hear it. I've mentioned it elsewhere on here, but I am considering charging people if the way I speak is being used for their entertainment. There was a man a couple weeks ago who wanted me to speak for his friends and it didn't matter what I said as long as I kept talking American. Grrrr! I used my 'whatever I wanted to say' to mention how it annoyed me to be put on display and treated as if I was a sideshow freak just because I sound different. 

I get this in the States as well. First time I went to visit DW, we went in a local diner, not in any tourist area so of course I stuck out in a small NJ town with a British accent and when I ordered, the waitress said (to my now DW) "oh, hasn't he got a lovely accent, where's he from" and then kept asking my to talk!

My mother lived in a very small rural Tennessee town. One day, she was in the general store, and an Englishman came in. He ordered a few things and chatted with staff and left after a while.

One old coot in the store leaned over to another and said, "Some people cain't talk raat."

I've been here six years and just came back from a visit to California. I gave my sister's fiancé the death stare when he greeted me with a phony British accent. This happens EVER SINGLE TIME I go home. It's annoying, but hey if that is what he is aiming for, well I am just happy I'm not marrying him.

So what I've incorporated some British phrases and pronunciations like car park, wonky and process. I just consider it just like the East and South SF Bay divide of the use of 'hella' or the N CA or S CA use of '101' or 'the 101'. Regional variations do not necessarily make you speak with a British accent.

It does give me more empathy for my dad's cousin who was from California and moved the Dallas as an adult. Her Dallas accent is SO thick that is the first thing everyone will make a comment on. I think she likes it. Me, on the other hand seem to get grief on both sides of the ocean for how I speak. No, I will probably never say 'Argos' correctly, but at least I get a smile.

No, I will probably never say 'Argos' correctly, but at least I get a smile.

I've given up on pronouncing Matalan correctly.  It is now The M Store.   

We were at my aunt and uncle's party on Saturday night. DH opened his mouth and one of the women started swooning over his Irish accent. That's fine, but then she asks him to say something, which we all know is always annoying. THEN she asks me if I pay him money to talk!    Um, no! That was my exact response, actually. I mean, what do you say to that??