Coping With Asian Accents
If you’re headed to places like the Philippines, Singapore and India, you’d be pleased to know that english is widely spoken and most people you meet on the road are pretty fluent. If you’re a tourist, it’ll make your meanderings much easier. At the very least, you’ll have less difficulty asking for directions if you get lost. If you’re on business travel, I’m sure you’ll find it convenient to be able to conduct your meetings and dealings in English in these countries, and in other big cities in Asia.
However, you should prepare yourself for the accents. Sometimes, although some Asians’ english grammar and diction are perfect, you’d think they’re speaking a totally different language. I myself admit to having a hard accent, a strange mix resulting from watching American movies, schooling in the Philippines, and living in Germany.
Asians in the US have the opportunity to enrol in accent reduction programs. However, if you’re Asia-bound, do not expect Asians in Asia to speak english the same way an American, British or Australian would. If you’re staying in Asia for a short visit, you may find it funny, or even charming. If you’re staying in Asia long, well, what do they say again when you’re in Rome…?
Tags: accents, Asia, english, language, speechRelated Stories
POSTED IN: Business Travel in Asia, Culture Shock: Asia, General : Asia Travel
5 opinions for Coping With Asian Accents
WTJ
Aug 16, 2006 at 2:35 pm
haha.. even asian also can’t understand asian’s english..
melo.villareal
Aug 18, 2006 at 4:19 am
WTJ, thats rude….. remember ASians also speak their own language aside from english…. how about you?
ExpatJane
Aug 19, 2006 at 5:09 pm
I live here in Asia and the accents have never phased me. I didn’t come here expecting them to sound like me. I mean some Americans speak horrible English.
Anna
Aug 22, 2006 at 12:17 pm
I quite agree with ExpatJane. I am an Asian living in Asia, but I get to talk to clients from UK and US. Though I have an accent, I am glad to say that I can speak English quite well. Some people have mistaken me for a native-born English speaker, and I have spoken with some Americans who speak horrible, nearly incomprehensible English.
Ruth
Aug 22, 2006 at 12:35 pm
i think there’s a bit of truth to WJ’s comment, though. some asians are difficult to understand, but that’s not something that should be taken against asians. in fact, that’s something to be praised, as english is as melo pointed out, just a second, or third language.
expatjane: erm, my english is failing me just right now. do you mean “fazed”? if so, then bless you. i’ve met westerners, though, who get confused with asians’ adaptations of the english language. it may not be critical situations, but can be a source of a few misunderstandings. re: americans speaking english: i can also imagine that even in america or UK, people from different states/regions would have difficulties understanding each other.
anna: i did not mean to bash anyone’s english (heaven knows, i don’t have the right!). i just thought this is a tidbit of info that might be useful for travellers in the region.
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