Posted: Tue Mar 28, 2006 11:48 pm Post subject: chinese accent makes me not want to talk
i have this chinese accent that makes me really shy and quiet. whenever i talk, the person would imitate my accent and it really makes me so embarrased. i try to not be bothered but i do. and i never know what to say so i pretend i dont hear them. people always imitate me and say i talk weird and my accent is really strong. if i dont have this stupid accent i would be so loud and outgoing but with this accent i become really afraid to talk. people always look lower on me becuz i have this chiense accent. they think im a loser or something...why do people make fun of chinese accents? is it becuz its funny or do they wanna just be mean? anyone have similar experiences and y u make fun of peoples accents?
Joined: Jul 07, 2005 Posts: 922 Location: United Kingdom
Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 12:05 am Post subject:
Hey welcome to the site
I really doubt people want to be mean by trying to imitate your accent, it's more than likely curiousity, or they think they're just being 'friendly' and joking.
I've tried imitating my friends' accent because he has a very strong northern accent, and I'm from up north originally, so for me it's just light teasing, and he understands that, otherwise I wouldn't do it. These people probably just don't consider that it might offend you.
I don' t think anyone really likes their accent, but it's all about trying to accept yourself.
Welcome again , sorry I can't be much help with this question.
Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 1:02 am Post subject: Re: chinese accent makes me not want to talk
glassmenagerie wrote:
i have this chinese accent that makes me really shy and quiet. whenever i talk, the person would imitate my accent and it really makes me so embarrased. i try to not be bothered but i do. and i never know what to say so i pretend i dont hear them. people always imitate me and say i talk weird and my accent is really strong. if i dont have this stupid accent i would be so loud and outgoing but with this accent i become really afraid to talk. people always look lower on me becuz i have this chiense accent. they think im a loser or something...why do people make fun of chinese accents? is it becuz its funny or do they wanna just be mean? anyone have similar experiences and y u make fun of peoples accents?
I am curious. What country are you from now? I am from the US and when I went to Vietnam to visit a friend that friend would laugh really hard at a particular word that I would try to say in Vietnamese. hmmm... for the most part I think it is safe to say she and her family laughed because they found my pronounciation peculiar and cute. As to why people are laughing at your pronounciation, I think mostly it could be the same. But, also some people may just be either childish, idiots or both. I hope that in reality not everone you are around would not be like that. I believe if you try to sorround yourself by nice and half-way intelligent people you shouldn't have too much problems. On the other hand maybe it is cultural... I hear that it is quite amusing for a cantonese to hear a westerner try to pronounce the words of their 'sing-song' language as the slightest mispronounciation can change the meaning of the word- but that is more of having fun at the mispronunciation rather than making fun of the person doing it.
Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 1:11 am Post subject: Re: chinese accent makes me not want to talk
testobot wrote:
I am curious. What country are you from now? I am from the US and when I went to Vietnam to visit a friend that friend would laugh really hard at a particular word that I would try to say in Vietnamese. hmmm... for the most part I think it is safe to say she and her family laughed because they found my pronounciation peculiar and cute. As to why people are laughing at your pronounciation, I think mostly it could be the same. But, also some people may just be either childish, idiots or both. I hope that in reality not everone you are around would not be like that. I believe if you try to sorround yourself by nice and half-way intelligent people you shouldn't have too much problems. On the other hand maybe it is cultural... I hear that it is quite amusing for a cantonese to hear a westerner try to pronounce the words of their 'sing-song' language as the slightest mispronounciation can change the meaning of the word- but that is more of having fun at the mispronunciation rather than making fun of the person doing it.
i live in the US. i dont think anyone thinks chinese accents are pecular and cute. i think these people are getting a kick tyring to put other people like me down...and they're just very childish. as for the thing about people being friendly and joking i guess that can be true since they're doing it right to my face, ppl who are mean usu dont do it to peoples face but behidn their backs
Posted: Wed Mar 29, 2006 1:22 am Post subject: Re: chinese accent makes me not want to talk
Quote:
i live in the US. i dont think anyone thinks chinese accents are pecular and cute. i think these people are getting a kick tyring to put other people like me down...and they're just very childish. as for the thing about people being friendly and joking i guess that can be true since they're doing it right to my face, ppl who are mean usu dont do it to peoples face but behidn their backs
Well, I suppose you maybe right. Also many people trying to get kicks from being mean will team up on you right in front of your face. From my experience when I was a teenager and in my early 20's, many of the younger people- especially the popular crowd or the crowd trying their hardest to be popular- could be paricularly nasty, cruel, and inconsiderate towards other people. As I got older I began meeting people who were less inconsiderate and tried less hard to be cool by putting other people down. I know that that probably doesn't do you much good now. All I can say is that I understand that it can be difficult but not everyone is like that. Try to be around people who are more intelligent and considerate and less worried about winning the all elusive popularity contest. Do you find it ironic that while many people in the US like to taught their culture of independence that there is a strong yet subtle cultural force among many youths that tries to inforce conformity not through the polictical laws but by social means- such as inconsiderate and mean social teasing? I do.
Joined: Mar 02, 2006 Posts: 27 Location: Los Angeles
Posted: Wed Apr 05, 2006 5:37 am Post subject:
What a coincidence. I felt exactly the same way when I first came to US. I came as a fresman in high school and was so self-conscious about my English that I would not talk to any English-speaking people and just hung out with Chinese groups. At first it was part because of I could not speak English well, but even after I became more fluent I still had a hard time communicating with people. School and other public places were hell; I felt everyone was watching me and judging me when I made mistakes. Last year was the worst. I knew almost no one in my classes and just sat by myself. I did very well academically but could not connect with people. This year (a senior) I have been doing pretty well. Although I can't say I am fine dealing with people, at least I made some friends in classes and feel less depressed. I still have problems with girls, however. One revealing experience was my visit to Calstate LA. A lot of students and even professors there have accents but are fluent in English. I now think it is sort of cool to have accents because people know English is not your native language and admire you to be able to speak a foreign language. I dont think that people really are offended or think less of you when you speak English with accents, rather, they may feel interested that you actually speak their language. Picture this, when a caucasian speak Chinese but with accents, would you think less of him/her or would you be rather pleased?
I had a Chinese exchange student live in my house (my room) for 8 months. I thought her accent was kick ass and wonderful, like a spice to add flavor to the flat sounding english language.
I am envious of cool accents.
Accents I am envious of:
Texan
Chinese
Australian
British
P.S. 40% of people are extroverts: they are not very sensitive to us sensitive folk. Try to ignore them because they are just...not worth your time. ( :
_________________ I am likely to miss the main event
If I stop to cry or complain again
So I will keep a deliberate pace
Let the damned breeze dry my face
its a good talking point though isnt it? i mean, strik up a convo (if you can)
and if you cant think of anything to say talking about your accent and/or origins would be interesting
Joined: Jan 27, 2006 Posts: 143 Location: Sydney, Australia
Posted: Sat Aug 26, 2006 11:20 am Post subject:
Mate i know how you feel, 20% of the people in my grade are Chinese, don't ask what percent fall under the Asian cateogory . From what i've seen, some of the Chinese in my grade are popular, some aren't, it goes the same for all races. I can only recall of one Chinese person i know who people mimmick in a more friendly way, however otherwise no one really mimmicks the Chinese accent down here. If your good with people, they won't mind, so please don't blame your accent. The Chinese accent is more seen as a cute, amusing accent down here, and i think you blaming your accent is just like another social phobic blaming their looks. What you and my example both have in common, is that in the end this does not stop you from being social phobic.
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, sorry I can't be much help with this question.
. From what i've seen, some of the Chinese in my grade are popular, some aren't, it goes the same for all races. I can only recall of one Chinese person i know who people mimmick in a more friendly way, however otherwise no one really mimmicks the Chinese accent down here. If your good with people, they won't mind, so please don't blame your accent. The Chinese accent is more seen as a cute, amusing accent down here, and i think you blaming your accent is just like another social phobic blaming their looks. What you and my example both have in common, is that in the end this does not stop you from being social phobic.