So I started my new job this past week (very cool and challenging, btw!). The firm's a pretty diverse tech MNC (read: we're all global geeks). As I went around meeting people, most of my new Asian colleagues thought I was Australian while the Europeans assumed I was American. :Head palm: Only a few locals and American expats got it right, i.e. I'm a Southeast Asian who's been overseas, mainly the Eastern US (NYC, Boston, Washington DC) for the past 12 years.
I wonder what this says about people's perceptions of foreigners vs. locals, and how I come across in speech and appearance, now that I'm a local expat, so to speak? While my "local" speech gets stronger after late nights (or a few drinks), I notice I vary my English "accent" or use the local language(s) - selectively, depending on the situation or person. Very dubious I know....
Any of you out there have similar experiences/musings of being "lost in translation?" Do share! Meanwhile, for more about life in Asia thus far, feel free to check out my Singapore posts here.
PS - Thank you for all your kind words and thoughts this past week.
2 comments:
Haha. What you have said is very true indeed, especially the varying your English accent bit. I've noticed this as well. :)
But rest assured, you're not alone in this kind of situation. I'm in the same boat. Having lived the past 16 years in Australia, I HAD to pick up some Aussie slang. That's just natural, because everywhere you go, people speak like that around you. But mine is not the "perfect" Aussie accent (try as hard as I did), because I went there when I was already 16 years old - too old to completely discard the Singlish accent that has been so deeply rooted in me! Even if my Oriental face doesn't give me away (e.g. over the phone conversations), the locals can tell that I wasn't born and bred in Australia.
Which brings me to the next point... when I first met you, you had some serious American slang going, but it seems to have toned down somewhat now. I reckon it's got to do with you being more influenced by how I speak (I call it Aussinglish!). Haha.
For people like us, who are able to "switch channels" in the blink of an eye depending on who we're talking to at that time, people will definitely find it amusing. :) Well, it's definitely a good ice-breaker when meeting new people! I reckon it's a talent / skill to behold, and not something to be feared / ashamed of! (like the X-Men!) Haha.
But seriously, having lived in Australia and having a personal encounter with people from all over the globe, put me in a room of Americans, Canadians, Scottish, English, Aussies, Kiwis, South Africans, French, Germans, Romanians, Filipinos, Indonesians, Japanese, Koreans, Indians, Thais, Vietnamese, Chinese (from China), Hong Kongers, Taiwanese, Singaporeans (that's too easy I know...) when they speak a few sentences of English, and I'll be able to tell you where they're from (if they've retained at least 75% of their local accents la)!
I'm still far from the ultimate level of getting "every" country in the world. Obviously, some of them are too close to call (for me anyway...) like [Romanians and Czechs and Russians] or [Scottish and Irish] or [Indians and Pakistanis] or [Vietnamese and Cambodians] or [Singaporeans and Malaysians], but at least I can tell which continent they're likely to have come from!
Haha. What you have said is very true indeed, especially the varying your English accent bit. I've noticed this as well. :)
Hee. I remember taking a taxi once with several US friends and they were laughing at how broken my English became when I spoke to the cabbie. It's kinda fun sometimes, though the more "serious" reason would be we do it to blend in or make others feel comfortable, I guess.
... when I first met you, you had some serious American slang going
Dude, when we first met, I was thinking "Who IS this guy that's going to talk about F & I, and what's he going to say about me, since we've just met for 10 mins? Apart from the above reasons, I know I speak more "proper" english when I meet new people, or in "formal" work situations...
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