Unofficial Christ's Hospital Forum

I saw some of you talking about accents on the other page, so I thought it deserved its own thread.

I've got a fair amount of family living in South Africa, so I am pretty familiar with the accent. However, the first time I called up New Zealand House in London about my visa, I could have sworn that I was talking to someone with a South African accent! Must have been a kiwi though. If I told my kiwi friends that I mistook a kiwi for a saffer id be in big trouble! anyone have trouble distinguishing between aussie/nz/saffer accents?

as for british, ill take irish accents and leave the rest

For me it is the way Kiwis pronounce their Es that makes them distintive.
I have recently read a couple of books by Kiwi authors and I get the impression that a major past time out there is how can I put it, Aussie baiting!

Is there a distinct difference between north and south island accents?

There are regional accents in NZ - the more rural accents are alot broader and harsher than say, the city accents. And the south island is lots more rural than the north island.
Yes, aussie baiting is a pastime. In orientation week at uni it was called the "west island" and we were told that the aussies had changed their entry requirements - now you dont need to be a criminal to enter!

But do they still have the hereditory ball and chain.

I was taught a Kiwi insult that I have used a few times, the Aussies I have said it to all claim not to know what it means but went bright red around the collar anyway!

i cannot differ between Kiwi and Oz unless its a really strong Oz accent. Oly time i notcied was when Jack Scully was in Neighbours the actor was a Kiwi and he said ma different which made me notcie!

But as we know i have issued with my own dad's accent! But I can distinguish most, except Spanish and Portugues and mid east europe accents they all sound the same

Do you ever get the feeling that you are digging yourself into a nice big hole Amy?

daily-no hourly

It is the east european accents I find hard to distinguish

When we lived in the US I had a friend who had an 80 year old mother who had been there since she was 18. She was originally from Ireland and one day while talking to her I said that her accent sounded just like that of a friend of mine. It turned out that she was from the same village. 62 years and she still sounded like a girl from Castlebar.

I've always loved the Irish accent...

Sister has a Geordie boyfriend who has a very distinctive accent!

The Kiwi and Aussie accents are fairly easy to distinguish. The Kiwi accent is quite clipped, hence the reason South Africans sometimes get mistaken for New Zealanders. Kiwis pronounce "e" as "i" and "i" as "u" so "Ben" becomes "Bin" and "chips" become "chups". The Aussie accent is a bit more brash. I have trouble telling American and Canadian accents apart though...

^^ yeah i quickly learnt that when I got over there! Mustnt confuse the two....

marty wrote:I have trouble telling American and Canadian accents apart though...

If in doubt ask them to say "about". A Canadian will always respond aboot. Unless they're French Canadian of course.

I don't know why this is though.

graham wrote:

marty wrote:I have trouble telling American and Canadian accents apart though...

If in doubt ask them to say "about". A Canadian will always respond aboot. Unless they're French Canadian of course.

I don't know why this is though.

That's often said, but not really true. Most of the Canadians I know don't say 'aboot', though a few do.

I've a vague sense that it may be an eastern thing, but I don't know for sure.

North America is such a big country you really can't generalise.