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Actually, according to linguists, they wouldn't lose it. The age at which someone can learn a second language (and speak it without an accent) is generally accepted to be from under the age of six, with some success up to around age 11. After that, the second language will almost always be accented, even if ever so slightly. It has to do with the language centres in the brain.
I did my graduate thesis on this topic and I agree with you. By 13 we have almost lost our capacity to learn a second language fluently, though there are always exceptions.
My point is, a lot of times, to fit in, kids will try hard to 'adapt' to a new country/accent especially in teen years.
I just thought maybe the OP might have tried that.
If he felt it was such a handicap, he could take speech therapy to eradicate his accent. I know a woman who moved to the USA from abroad in her teens and she was so self conscious she had coaching lessons to rid herself of her accent. (British by the way). I think she was nuts to do it. A British accent is an advantage in the USA in my opinion.
Some others, well, yes, people will find them annoying but 'who cares?' Like someone else mentioned, you can have a USA regional accent and have stupid comments made to you! I have a slight NY accent (not Fran Drescher but you can tell I am from Metro NY). People do not like NY accents because they 'assume' all sort of things about New Yorkers.
I just say 'who cares?' and I think the OP should be proud of himself and develop his personality and stop 'blaming' his accent.
I've been here for 11 years and I didn't lose my accent. By slavic I meant Russian, I just didn't want Russia to get in the way here because a lot of people have some interesting perspectives on the country.
Why haven't I lost my accent. Maybe I have some sort of brain damage, I am not really sure. Anyways, please don't put gasoline in the fire. You **** me off.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GT500
None of this applies to me. I don't feel as I am an immigrant. What makes me mad is that girls think that I am.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GT500
cricket,
I've been here for 11 years, meaning 11 revolutions around the sun. Do you really think that I don't know anything about American culture....give me a break....
First off, I think Slavic accents are insanely sexy! I've dated a Bulgarian, Serbian, Polish, and a Russian dude. Hotness!
Anyhow, I'm thinking that you already have your answer in the second response I quoted. The girls in your area don't think you are American so you can either move to another town that's more date friendly or start using the foreign-ness as part of your charm. Joke about your differences to put them at ease. Relax and enjoy dating as an adventure instead of having any specific agenda in mind.
All in all you seem too sensitive and defensive over what other posters/people think about you. If people have been screwing with you in your hometown, work through that so you don't bring that defensiveness and animosity into potential dating situations.
I did my graduate thesis on this topic and I agree with you. By 13 we have almost lost our capacity to learn a second language fluently, though there are always exceptions.
My point is, a lot of times, to fit in, kids will try hard to 'adapt' to a new country/accent especially in teen years.
I just thought maybe the OP might have tried that.
If he felt it was such a handicap, he could take speech therapy to eradicate his accent. I know a woman who moved to the USA from abroad in her teens and she was so self conscious she had coaching lessons to rid herself of her accent. (British by the way). I think she was nuts to do it. A British accent is an advantage in the USA in my opinion.
Some others, well, yes, people will find them annoying but 'who cares?' Like someone else mentioned, you can have a USA regional accent and have stupid comments made to you! I have a slight NY accent (not Fran Drescher but you can tell I am from Metro NY). People do not like NY accents because they 'assume' all sort of things about New Yorkers.
I just say 'who cares?' and I think the OP should be proud of himself and develop his personality and stop 'blaming' his accent.
I agree wholeheartedly, viz my previous post. I fail to see why an accent in and of itself should either be a turn-on or a turn-off in and of itself. To make assumptions of anyone solely based on their accents is so banal and so ignorant.
For instance, as much as I admired Henry Kissinger back in the day (no, let's not get into politics here!) his monotonous and guttural speaking tone left me very cold. He had no levity in his intonations, he had no intonation really. He certainly had a command of the English language which when written made absolute sense but to listen to him speak was a bit painful to my ears.
As far as NY, Boston, New England in general, Southern, Western, MidWest and all other American accents, it's got nothing to do with any particular accents but more to do with the timbre, tone and presentation. Same with international accents which have the same range of dialects.
It all has really nothing to do with accents per se. It's a shame that people would even judge someone because of their accents and, in the case of your friend who hired a coach to rid herself of her British accent - yikes! How is she doing these days?
Of course I could say much more but shall refrain. Just wanted to add to my previous post on this thread. Cheers!
To make assumptions of anyone solely based on their accents is so banal and so ignorant.
In my observations, accents are a package deal. The accent indicates that this person is part of a culture, and that culture often includes social or behavioral characteristics. It is neither ignorant nor banal to think about these things.
Actually, according to linguists, they wouldn't lose it. The age at which someone can learn a second language (and speak it without an accent) is generally accepted to be from under the age of six, with some success up to around age 11. After that, the second language will almost always be accented, even if ever so slightly. It has to do with the language centres in the brain.
Hi sunshineleith,
I did a paper on second language acquisition . You got it. About 12 is when an accent will still linger. Your brain simply filters out the sounds.
To the OP: I used to fake accents just for yucks, and I can tell you its an asset.
None of this applies to me. I don't feel as I am an immigrant. What makes me mad is that girls think that I am.
OK. At least I answered your poll.
Quote:
Originally Posted by GT500
Technically I am not foreign. been here for 11 years.
He-he, I've been here for almost 15, I'm a citizen, and I blend just fine for all practical purposes, but I'll remain foreign as far as my thinking and habits go. It’s true you spent formative years here, unlike me, and yet foreignness is not something you shed entirely like snake's skin. Those who deliberately try their damnest to do so are pretty pathetic to both tribes, I think.
It's a shame that people would even judge someone because of their accents and, in the case of your friend who hired a coach to rid herself of her British accent - yikes! How is she doing these days?
This was actually a person I met while working. She married an American and has British roots (goes back there often) but because she grew up in NY (and not a hick part but Metro) she wanted to rid herself of her accent.
Stupid, yes, but as a teen, I guess you could understand about 'fitting in.' (again, I would see it as sexy and an asset).
I'm sure my husband gets 'nicely treated' when he complains about things because of his accent whereas I would grate on someone's nerves because of how I speak. When we want to complain I have him do it with his firm and polite intonation...lol..
Funny thing, I am actually the polite and 'people person one..'
Sorry, no reason to go off topic. OP, I hope it all works for you.
In my observations, accents are a package deal. The accent indicates that this person is part of a culture, and that culture often includes social or behavioral characteristics. It is neither ignorant nor banal to think about these things.
I beg to disagree. I think you missed the point entirely and am confused by your post.
Hasn't America always been the melting pot of diverse immigrants? Did they not come here with accents! From whence did your forebears come?
Americans have never failed to incorporate their historical backgrounds into the whole mix of American society but some have also taken on a stance akin to, 'Well we're here but we don't want all the rest of them here."
I beg to disagree. I think you missed the point entirely and am confused by your post.
You said that it is ignorant and banal to judge someone by their accent.
I am saying that accent implies culture. I mean, I doubt there are a bunch of people in Vladivostok or Calcutta who talk like I do. Accent is more than just how you sound, it is a strong indicator of where you're from, and in some cases, how you were raised.
Quote:
Hasn't America always been the melting pot of diverse immigrants? Did they not come here with accents! From whence did your forebears come?
Depends on how far back in time you want me to go.
Slavic (Russian), Dutch, English, Irish, French, German, whatever, it all is very exotic and very sexy to me. I actually prefer foreigners (European mostly) to Americans. So much so, that I married a Frenchman. His accent is EXTREMELY heavy. He has been here for 8 years and he is 39 years old. He will never lose his accent. He is very self conscious of it. When he gets down and sad about it, I remind him that it "bought the farm"
Perhaps your shyness is a result of your accent? Maybe it's making you appear sheepish and not confident? Women pick up on that stuff. Trust me.
One guess is that your location isn't saturated with foreign cultures, therefore making it seem a bit more "outsider". I guarantee you that if you went to NYC, LA or any other large metropolitan area, it wouldn't be near as much as an issue.
I also had a relationship with a Bosnian a few years ago and his accent drove me nuts (in a good way). He was a very confident individual. Perhaps too much for most psychology textbooks.
And as others have said on here, perhaps it's not your accent but something else.
There are plenty of women that LOVE accents, you just may not be running into any of them.
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It has to do with the language centres in the brain.
How is she doing these days?
