On the way to the concert on Sunday, I was having a conversation with my friend about the fact that people of certain geographical are able to distinguish between each other easier than those not from the area. The classic example is that white people (or maybe just Americans?) are often unable to distinguish between Japanese, Chinese, etc. As it happens, my friend is Romanian, and was telling me that typically, Europeans can tell each other apart without having to hear an accent--e.g., he could tell a German from an Italian from a Brit at a distance. And that Americans stand out like a sore thumb.
This doesn't surprise me at all; the part that makes it mentionable is that it led to one of the better compliments I've received in a long time. According to him, if he'd seen me walking down the street in Romania, he would not have placed me as American. He wasn't entirely sure how he would categorize me, but if he had to choose, probably Irish.
Too bad my accent will still place me as American.
This doesn't surprise me at all; the part that makes it mentionable is that it led to one of the better compliments I've received in a long time. According to him, if he'd seen me walking down the street in Romania, he would not have placed me as American. He wasn't entirely sure how he would categorize me, but if he had to choose, probably Irish.
Too bad my accent will still place me as American.
syh:
Ah, but if you keep quiet, you'll keep 'em guessing--for a little while, anyway.