Foreign people with Irish accents (sort of).

Terry

I was out in Liffey valley tonight and had to ask a security guard for directions.

We called him over and he said "Alright, bud. What's the story" in a Dublin accent.
So we start asking him for directions and then his accent slowly began sounding more and more foreign until we could barely understand what he was saying.

He looked European, but I'd be hard pressed to say which part of Europe because he could very easily (and did) pass as Irish at first glance (you know the sallow skin that some Dublin people have).

Has anyone else encountered this?

I know you get the odd knob coming back after three months abroad with a strange put on accent, but this dude did actually sound like he was from Dublin at the start.

Dartz

Probably been here a while.

If you learn English in Dublin, you're going to sound like you learned English in Dublin. Doesn't matter if you were born here, or if you just arrived last year off a boat...

Things that you have to say more common are going to sound more natural than things that you don't regularly say too, I find.

It is very confusing having problems comunicating with a chinese person who speaks with a waa waa Belfast accent.
And doesnt consider your flat midlands monotone to be English.

dlofnep

I know a few lads foreign who us "Well boy" all the time here in Waterford.. Tis funny. They say it in an Irish accent too, and then immediately go to their accent.

Terry

Moonbaby wrote: »

It is very confusing having problems comunicating with a chinese person who speaks with a waa waa Belfast accent.
And doesnt consider your flat midlands monotone to be English.

I met you once. You seem to have a relatively neutral accent.
Or I was just hammered.

hullaballoo

I'm from Greystones, living in Cork and the local domino's pizza guy is Polish but has a Cork accent over it. Some of the Phillipino people who work with my girlfriend have really strong Cork accents as well. I suppose it's just not something we're used to but it can be awful funny.

Red Hand

Some people from Newfoundland speak with Irish accents and they've never been to Ireland.

Terry

hullaballoo wrote: »

I'm from Greystones, living in Cork and the local domino's pizza guy is Polish but has a Cork accent over it. Some of the Phillipino people who work with my girlfriend have really strong Cork accents as well. I suppose it's just not something we're used to but it can be awful funny.

That just reminded me of last weeks episode of Heroes, where Hiro and Ando thumb a lift from a trucker who looks Chinese and he tells them to stop talking all foreign to him in a Southern U.S. accent.

I've known Black and middle Eastern people with Irish accents for years (They are Irish, but with parents from various countries). It was just weird to hear the gradual transition to his normal accent.

I have to say though, that the strangest thing I ever saw was a black wigger.
I was on a job a few years back and there was a black guy of about 18 or 19.
He had a proper Irish accent, so I can only assume he was born here, but he tried to dress like a rapper and had it arse about face. As did his scobie white friends.
I didn't know whether to laugh or cringe.

galwayrush

I know a guy who went to London to work, came home after only 6 weeks, homesick,came back with a strong Cockney accent, never lost it since.

Latchy

I do remember a few years ago meeting a girl in liverpool who had a very soft south county Dublin accent .When I asked her how long she was living over here she replied

'' Oh I am from liverpool but I was working in a bank over in Dublin for 7 years and picked up the lingo ''

I was like ' Oh really '' ? :eek:

RonMexico

Anything different to the "cmere I wantcha" accent is welcome.

Ann22

An African woman I know says her two sons have mad Dundalk accents. She said as well that they ask a question and answer it at the same time eg 'Do you want a biscuit...yeah?' or 'Do you want to come for a walk..no?'. That got on her nerves a bit. I was amused:)..I do that all the time but wasn't aware of it. Wonder if that's just a Dundalk thing or do other Irish people do it?

wylo

I love hearing it to be honest, it gives me a feeling that there in Ireland and proud of it!!!

JayeL

Worked with a few Italians in Cork, they spoke English in the customary up and down Corkonian accent, along with Corkisms like "how bad?"

Boskowski

I'm one of them. I'm not doing it because I want to please anyone or because I want to sound Irish. It's just something that happens to you over time.
I would have had fairly solid English before I came to Ireland but I really learned to speak English as an every day language here. And these little expressions and idiosyncrasies just creep into your own lingo when this is what you hear every day. Can't help it and rarely even aware of it unless someone points it out to me.

Friend of mine is originally from Manchester and lives in Berlin now for 20 odd years. Last time I met him when I went home he couldn't stop laughing and also givin' out over my accent.

stovelid

Latchy wrote: »

I do remember a few years ago meeting a girl in liverpool who had a very soft south county Dublin accent .When I asked her how long she was living over here she replied

She sounded American, in other words.

netwhizkid

A few lebanese took on Irish accents from dealing with the Irish soldiers stationed there for years, I remember an RTÉ news article about the Irish soldiers been withdrawn from UN peacekeeping duties and the lebanese old shopkeeper who dealt exclusivly with the Irish being sorry to see them go speak in a fine a brogue as any country mick.

It is the one thing I really love is my accent and it is a great bonus with women from certain countries who just love to hear it.:pac:

Latchy

stovelid wrote: »

She sounded American, in other words.

She did sould like she was from D4 ... a bit

netwhizkid wrote: »

A few lebanese took on Irish accents from dealing with the Irish soldiers stationed there for years, I remember an RTÉ news article about the Irish soldiers been withdrawn from UN peacekeeping duties and the lebanese old shopkeeper who dealt exclusivly with the Irish being sorry to see them go speak in a fine a brogue as any country mick.

It is the one thing I really love is my accent and it is a great bonus with women from certain countries who just love to hear it.:pac:

Remember seeing the documentry about the Irish troops in lebanon and they had a ' mingy ' shop .The young lebanese girl grew up surrounded by dublin accents and spoke with a kinda inner city type dublin accent

ie ' young wans...there's younfelliss '' .

Mairt will confirm this ...were are you Mairt .?

MikeyCdublin

Was coming home from town one night and got in a taxi the driver was nigerian and you could hear he was starting to pick up the dubllin accent he was sayn stuf like 'No Bother' and its ****in rappit and a guy walked infront of the car and he says 'fuking Mauritian get outta the way' Picking up the habits aswel ha

herya

I'm Polish and I was talking to a middle age Irishman once, at some stage he stopped talking, looked at me and asked "your accent... you're from..." (cue me waiting if he'll guess.. some people think I'm German or Dutch) "... Donegal!"

I've never been to Donegal in my life and I don't know anybody from there! I thanked him for the compliment though :cool:

trailerparkboy

Jeremiah 16:1 wrote: »

Some people from Newfoundland speak with Irish accents and they've never been to Ireland.

Yes sir they sure do, i lived there for over 6 months a few years ago, great people, the people from bay bulls Nl have a deeper irish accent than us irish.

Hauk

The Asian guy that works in Army Bargains in town has a real thick Dublin accent. I went in to get some stuff, and was greeted by a "What's the story?" and the upwards flick of the chin.

I was completely taken back, but returned the upwards flick.

Latchy

Originally Posted by Jeremiah 16:1
Some people from Newfoundland speak with Irish accents and they've never been to Ireland.

Very much like Limerick accents

netwhizkid

Has Jason Sherlock (the Dublin footballer and RTE Personality) got an Asian parent? he speaks with a true Dub accent.

Snowie

my mates got a girl friend who has an American accent tho she was a 90210 fan

I dont look irish or sound irish apparently slightly south african and a bit of uk coming from an irish person

nitrogen

Jeremiah 16:1 wrote: »

Some people from Newfoundland speak with Irish accents and they've never been to Ireland.

I met a Newfie who had a waterford accent and has never crossed the Atlantic. Couldn't say a bad thing about people from Newfoundland, mighty craic.

randylonghorn

realcam wrote: »

I'm one of them. I'm not doing it because I want to please anyone or because I want to sound Irish. It's just something that happens to you over time.
I would have had fairly solid English before I came to Ireland but I really learned to speak English as an every day language here. And these little expressions and idiosyncrasies just creep into your own lingo when this is what you hear every day. Can't help it and rarely even aware of it unless someone points it out to me.

Yeah, that sounds right. I think with a second language you tend to pick up the local idiom / accent of where you learn it (or regularly speak it) very easily.

I have an Estonian friend who is especially gifted with languages. She speaks almost flawless English with an American Ivy League accent ... yet she has never been to America, or even lived in an English speaking country for more than a couple of weeks holiday. Her teacher, however, was an American Ivy League graduate.

Similarly, I knew an American who lived in the Kerry gaeltacht for a couple of years and learned Irish while he was there. He could easily pass for a native to most people when speaking Irish ... I have seen people who don't know him literally jump when he reverts to English, at which point his extremely strong Texan drawl suddenly reappears!

wyk

While in Ireland I have to adapt a more 'Irish-like' version of my own Texas accent simply so people can understand me, and to prevent myself from endlessly having to repeat everything. I am sure some foreigners also simply pick it up. Now here in Texas, there are a LOT of foreigners with Irish accents

WYK

Terry wrote: »

I was out in Liffey valley tonight and had to ask a security guard for directions.

We called him over and he said "Alright, bud. What's the story" in a Dublin accent.
So we start asking him for directions and then his accent slowly began sounding more and more foreign until we could barely understand what he was saying.

He looked European, but I'd be hard pressed to say which part of Europe because he could very easily (and did) pass as Irish at first glance (you know the sallow skin that some Dublin people have).

Has anyone else encountered this?

I know you get the odd knob coming back after three months abroad with a strange put on accent, but this dude did actually sound like he was from Dublin at the start.

xOxSinéadxOx

I remember some one who won the rose of tralee before had an italian/irish bogger accent. it was hilarious

hoser expat

nitrogen wrote: »

I met a Newfie who had a waterford accent and has never crossed the Atlantic. Couldn't say a bad thing about people from Newfoundland, mighty craic.

must have been my father in law....Newfie who's never been to Ireland but would fit right in down in Waterford.

omyatari

I am one of those people aswell i guess,
my boyfriend is a Dublinner and we have been living together for a good while now, think its inevitable to pick an accent up that way.

apparently i sounded somewhat American when i came over, but its hard to judge yourself what you sound like.

alot of people i talk to sometimes be in shock if they find out im not Irish.