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Sign up with Google Sign up with FacebookQ: What the hell I am getting a slightly western accent when I speak mandarin and I am a Chinese
It really sucks,I was told by some people that I have a slightly western accent when I speak Mandarin,I suppose one of the main reason is, I don't have much chance to speak Mandarin every day,At home,Husband speaks English with me mostly,as well as my colleagues and friends,they all wanna practice English with me,what's more,My job requires me to use English most of the time.
I wish I could speak Mandarin more with my friends and colleagues,unfortunately, it seems pretty hard.
Does your Chinese wife or GF has a similar experience?
Thanks.
11 years 20 weeks ago in Teaching & Learning - China
Well, Maggien you may have answered your own question.. your husband!
When I live in the maritimes, a part of Canada with a unique accent, I once called home and caught myself saying words the same way they say them. For instance. In Vancouver we call say "car" "caaar" sort of extending the "a" sound. In the maritimes they say "Car" sort of like "Kerr" it's just human nature! As a Canadian back home I sometimes like to speak Mandarin with Chinese people in my neighbourhood (I live in a place with many mainland businesses, like restaurants and such) and they always know right away I lived in beijing cause I add the "rrr" on the end of words!
I think many people pick up accents from speech. I pick up accents when I talk to some people because I always been around them., a mid western Canadian or a bit of Scottish. Funny tho, one of my Scottish friends that I grew up with, I could never understand a word his dad said except ''teddybear'' I can imitate many accents, except from de islans mon.
My wife still has her Chinese accent
Could be worse
You could pick up a Kiwi accent
I speak Mandarin with a Japanese accent and I am not Japanese and I am not joking either -- perhaps because I learned very standard and rather fluent Japanese way before I even though about coming to China. Very often and without knowing it I will slip Japanese words into the Chinese that I am able to speak and this results in everyone just staring.