what accent do you struggle with you the most?

[Spinneret]

Scottish for myself

 

[Imzadi]

Whichever one the overseas customer service rep on the phone has. Doesn't matter if he tells me his name is "Mike." He's often hard to understand, especially when reading by rote from the manual he was told to repeat aloud.

 

[fla4fun]

I am pretty good at understanding people despite their accents. I would say the most difficult to me would probably be some of the Slavic or Southeast Asian accents, however I can usually understand those as well so long as I focus.

I have often wondered how I would sound speaking another language with a North American accent. I have a lot of admiration for people who can speak multiple languages. I am trying to learn French right now, and it’s certainly a challenge for me.

 

[prairie_girl]

Whichever one the overseas customer service rep on the phone has. Doesn't matter if he tells me his name is "Mike." He's often hard to understand, especially when reading by rote from the manual he was told to repeat aloud.

You do realize you could be talking to an American citizen, right?

I’m sorry, but this attitude drives me crazy. I work customer service, so I know that sadly, I will always find work if I need it, because I have a plain, easy to understand voice.

As far as understanding accents, I can’t think of one that I just plain can’t understand, even if it’s just the basics.

 

[nw6675]

Until masks during covid, I never realized how much I depend on lip reading. No matter who it is, I have a harder time on phone calls. In person, I can't think of any accent that is troublesome.

 

[DVCjj]

Southeast Asian on the phone.
Scottish on British mysteries on TV.

 

[Imzadi]

You do realize you could be talking to an American citizen, right?

I’m sorry, but this attitude drives me crazy. I work customer service, so I know that sadly, I will always find work if I need it, because I have a plain, easy to understand voice.

As far as understanding accents, I can’t think of one that I just plain can’t understand, even if it’s just the basics.

If that American citizen was in a speaking job talking to a specific demographic who can't understand him well, he is not WELL SUITED for that job. There are plenty of other customer service jobs that do not rely on being verbally understood.

It's the same for a rocket scientist who went to MIT and knows he is lecturing to general population/lay people, but keeps speaking predominately with such technical jargon and not breaking it down for the lay people that he becomes frustrating and annoying to listen to.

CLEAR?

 

[prairie_girl]

If that American citizen was in a speaking job talking to a specific demographic who can't understand him well, he is not WELL SUITED for that job. There are plenty of other customer service jobs that do not rely on being verbally understood.

It's the same for a rocket scientist who went to MIT and knows he is lecturing to general population/lay people, but keeps speaking predominately with such technical jargon and not breaking it down for the lay people that he becomes frustrating and annoying to listen to.

CLEAR?

There’s a word for your attitude, but I’m too polite to say it.

Have the day you deserve.

 

[Imzadi]

Have the day you deserve.

THANK YOU!!! I am actually having a GREAT DAY!

I was just gifted this new to me exercise bike today. It works fabulously.

The Amazon reviews say it's wonderful.

I was given it because I deserve it.

@AustinTink Look what I was gifted today!
Between this and the Dyson earlier, I'm actually having a fabulous WEEK! Again, thank you for your part in this.

 

[Carol_]

Irish. I have to read the subtitles to get that last 25% that I just can’t make out.

 

[penn19]

Indian. If I call Sirius I about lose my mind. I’m sorry, they may very well be American citizens (?)but I can’t understand them so…..

 

[twinklebug]

Indian. If I call Sirius I about lose my mind. I’m sorry, they may very well be American citizens (?)but I can’t understand them so…..

Over the course of 15 years I've worked closely with our overseas Indian counterparts. At first it was difficult, but then it became quite easy to understand them, in fact I prefer talking with them than some of my relatives. It's all a matter of acclimation.

The accent I struggle with the most: the deep south, and it's not just the accent, it's the terms... I just don't know half of them and I feel like an alien who just landed here trying to find a fueling station for my ship.

 

[Mysterian]

Some Irish for sure. Check this guy:

Also some people in the South.
“Where are the watch bands?“
“Over in the jury section.”
”Jury section?”
Then it dawned on me, Jewelry section.

 

[Silver saucer]

Scouse.
When watching the Great British Bake Off,
I found those contestants with a Scouse accent were a bit harder for me to understand.

 

[antmaril]

Scouse.
When watching the Great British Bake Off,
I found those contestants with a Scouse accent were a bit harder for me to understand.

I was just going to mention “The Great British Baking Show”. There is a woman on the latest season that I struggle to understand. I know she is speaking English, but I can’t understand a word she says. I have no idea about the accent — I just know that I cannot understand a word of what she is saying.

 

[TLSnell1981]

Indian. If I call Sirius I about lose my mind. I’m sorry, they may very well be American citizens (?)but I can’t understand them so…..

This is also difficult for me. I take the blame if the conversation isn't going well. I fall back on my "southern accident" is hard to decipher and ask for a different agent

 

[CynBeth]

Indian or the Philippines.

 

[easyas123]

Indian. If I call Sirius I about lose my mind. I’m sorry, they may very well be American citizens (?)but I can’t understand them so…..

This - it can be very difficult to understand. Stateside I'd say a thick southern accent.

 

[Minnesota!]

I don't struggle with international accents, usually.

It's deep south that hurts my ears.

 

[goofy4prez]

I have a hard time understanding a mask accent. You know, talking with a mask on, especially when they are on television, outside, and there's not a living organism within 10 feet of them.
(For the record, I am not anti-mask. I wear them when needed. That doesn't mean I like how people sound with them on though.)