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Wannabe?....me?

 Language Learning Forum : Cultural Experiences in Foreign Languages Post Reply
34 messages over 5 pages: 1 2 3 4 5  Next >>
GauchoBoaCepa
Triglot
Senior Member
Brazil
Joined 5228 days ago

172 posts - 199 votes 
Speaks: Portuguese*, English, Spanish

 
 Message 1 of 34
01 May 2010 at 3:38am | IP Logged 
I guess you all know that studying any language requires a pattern to be followed. I mean in terms of accent. Therefore, I wonder how we'll speak that same language just regarding an accent, basing on a way to express what we're learning and absorbing.

I decided to come up with this thread because some guys have already called me "wannabe" as I like putting on an American accent during a conversation in English...or speaking just like an Argentinian as I talk to anyone in Spanish...both accents really please me. Things worsen if you admit enjoying the culture of a certain country....my personal case, being a Brazilian, I love Argentinian culture and some people deride it.

Have you been through the same situation just considering your favourite languages?

Edited by GauchoBoaCepa on 01 May 2010 at 3:39am

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GREGORG4000
Diglot
Senior Member
United States
Joined 5332 days ago

307 posts - 479 votes 
Speaks: English*, Finnish
Studies: Japanese, Korean, Amharic, French

 
 Message 2 of 34
01 May 2010 at 4:09am | IP Logged 
"Don't learn English, only English-native-speaker-wannabes learn English"

People are against you learning about culture and trying to adopt a native-like accent? Pretty silly

Edited by GREGORG4000 on 01 May 2010 at 4:11am

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Smart
Tetraglot
Senior Member
United States
Joined 5148 days ago

352 posts - 398 votes 
Speaks: Spanish, English*, Latin, French
Studies: German

 
 Message 3 of 34
01 May 2010 at 4:12am | IP Logged 
Hmm. Never met one of those people.

Keep your accent :)
1 person has voted this message useful



Kounotori
Triglot
Senior Member
Finland
Joined 5153 days ago

136 posts - 264 votes 
Speaks: Finnish*, English, Russian
Studies: Mandarin

 
 Message 4 of 34
01 May 2010 at 3:27pm | IP Logged 
You shouldn't care about everything others think. A clichéd response I know, but tried and tested by millions the world over. :) Just let them wallow in their own ignorance.

And if you pronounce English well in real life, then I think there might even be some envy mixed in there as well.
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GauchoBoaCepa
Triglot
Senior Member
Brazil
Joined 5228 days ago

172 posts - 199 votes 
Speaks: Portuguese*, English, Spanish

 
 Message 5 of 34
01 May 2010 at 4:39pm | IP Logged 
Considering English accents we prefer to put on, fortunately I've faced a few jealous people but my main concern is Spanish....as I'm Brazilian and also admit enjoying Argentinian culture there's a huge rivalry involving both national soccer teams...whereas such rivalry should be restricted only to the pitch. However, many uneducated Brazilians have been molded by bad-intended channels. Thus, that's been led to a certain hatred from many Brazilians towards Argies because of soccer stuff and other silly assumptions.

As my favourite accent is the "porteño" and being a southern (my homestate has border with Argentina just being the southernmost one), sometimes the result isn't good....people stare at you as though you were a twat.

Nowadays whoever speaks Spanish here in Brazil is still seen as "cucaracha", leftist, a fella who licks Argentinian boots.



Edited by GauchoBoaCepa on 01 May 2010 at 4:41pm

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Luai_lashire
Diglot
Senior Member
United States
luai-lashire.deviant
Joined 5637 days ago

384 posts - 560 votes 
Speaks: English*, Esperanto
Studies: Japanese, French

 
 Message 6 of 34
01 May 2010 at 5:15pm | IP Logged 
In America (at least where I am) you get some of this as well, in particular against Japanese culture..... There's even
a word just for "japanese wannabes"... the "weeaboo". Any interest in anything from japan can get you labeled as
one, but knowing some of the language or liking anime are the most grievous. Really people just use it to make
fun of anyone they consider a nerd, and seeing as I'm proud to be a nerd, I don't really mind being called a
weeaboo, either. The only thing that bothers me is the assumption that if you're interested in a particular culture,
you must hate your own country and wish you were born somewhere else.
1 person has voted this message useful



GauchoBoaCepa
Triglot
Senior Member
Brazil
Joined 5228 days ago

172 posts - 199 votes 
Speaks: Portuguese*, English, Spanish

 
 Message 7 of 34
01 May 2010 at 5:41pm | IP Logged 
Luai_lashire wrote:
The only thing that bothers me is the assumption that if you're interested in a particular culture, you must hate your own country and wish you were born somewhere else.


That bothers me too...whereas I cannot see myself agreeing with overstated nationalism that turns into a sheer chauvinism afterwards....and chauvinism is the remedy for the uneducated ones.
2 persons have voted this message useful



robsolete
Diglot
Senior Member
United States
Joined 5194 days ago

191 posts - 428 votes 
Speaks: English*, Spanish
Studies: French, Russian, Arabic (Written), Mandarin

 
 Message 8 of 34
05 May 2010 at 6:22am | IP Logged 
In terms of accent and "wannabe" status, I've actually given some thought of--as a fun motivator for learning--trying to study the accents (and possibly the nonverbal affects) of areas that I could "pass" for. I'm a mix of Swedish, Irish, and Sicilian, which makes me a bit "ethnically ambiguous" at first glance.

On looks, for Spanish I could possibly pass for Chilean or Argentinian. I could probably convince someone I was French or Quebecois if I tried hard enough. Russian and Arabic would maybe be possible (although for Arabic I'd have to work the tanned Sicilian and for Russian I'd have to work the pale Swede, so passing for both at the same time wouldn't work).

As for Mandarin I wouldn't be fooling anyone. . .

Anyway, nothing I'm planning on worrying about. I just see it as a possible fun motivator during the intermediate/advanced plateau stages. Would make the FSI drills go a bit faster I suppose.

Edited by robsolete on 05 May 2010 at 6:23am



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