That Bloody Accent
Posted by
cereals
Posted on: 08/28/08
That Bloody Accent
Yesterday, I was walking home from town when I tripped over some cobblestones and fell flat on my face. (Damn Danskos and cobblestones just don't mix). A young guy was walking slightly behind me, and kept walking without even glancing down at me. The girl walking towards me sort of looked at me for a second, more out of disdain than anything else, and kept walking. I remained sprawled on the ground in utter shock.
So much for notorious British manners. In this case, only my laptop was nice enough to help break my fall. And it still might me pay for that someday.
And the things is, I sort of wanted to tell the guy to fuck off when I ran into him again a bit further down the block. I didn't because A.) It would have been a bit of an extreme reaction. B.) I hardly ever swear at all, especially directly at people C.) It is against everything I stand for to be rude to complete strangers. D.) He would have heard my American accent and would have been able to instantly write me off as an obnoxious American.
Accents can really get in the way sometimes.
The other night (after my insessant fretting) Ashley assured me that if I walked silently around town, never uttering a peep and revealing my accent, that people would probably assume I was Welsh. Even though I don't have "the look" down pat (my hair is too curly and I don't have the right boots) I blend in reasonably well to the untrained and uninterested eye.
But that bloody accent.
I even find myself mumbling sometimes when I am purchasing a pair of jeans in Jane Norman or a bottle of Magners in a Spar. Will the clerk think it is cool that I am American, or not? Will she even notice? (Yes, most likely).
Why do I care?
I guess I have always felt an urge to fit in whenever I am staying in this country for an extended period of time. I worry about the negative stereotypes that can come with being the "American Girl," so I dress as "British" as I can and abandon much of my California slang.
Tomorrow, I am going into town, sans laptop, and buying a proper pair of boots that adorn the feet of all the trendy Welsh girls walking perfectly soundly around town.
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cereals
Coffee cup is full; feel free to approach me. : )
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