Accents

I’ve been thinking a lot about accents recently, due to my time thus far in Germany. I have been told numerous times during conversations (in German) that I have a nice accent. Usually conversations follow a similar pattern. Someone will say something to me, and if I understand and am capable of replying in German, I will. Then a few more exchanges and the proverbial light bulb goes off in people’s minds. “Oh, you’re American! I can tell because of your accent.” All of that is said in English to me, and that same phrase has been uttered a handful of time, almost verbatim every time.

This is a little disheartening because usually they just speak English after that, despite the fact that I was clearly trying to use German, but that can be a topic for another blog post. This one is about accents.

So anyway, growing up I have never been told by anyone that they “like” my accent. In America, I have a very non-geographical accent. It’s not Southern, or Bostonian, or from any other locale. In other words, I don’t have an accent to people from the United States. It is so fascinating to me that such a subtle thing as differences in pronunciation can identify someone as a foreigner, and we all know almost immediately when someone is one.

Pronunciation, or my accent, is one of the things I struggle with the most with my German. I have been told that I have great grammar and speak clearly. I have even been complimented on my “gut Deutsch.” Even still, however, as soon as I open my mouth, the facade is up.

However, being on the other side of the fence, so to speak, has also really opened my eyes to what immigrants go through every day back home, ESPECIALLY if they do not speak the language fluently. I just think about how every little thing is so easy for us in the United States and we don’t even think about it on most days. Everything is conducted in English, which most of us speak as a first language. We all know the cultural norms, like how to hold silverware while eating and which clothes to wear to which event.

I remember the first time I went out to a restaurant in Germany, I had to watch the other patrons to find out what to do with my napkin at the end of the meal! Do I set t on the table? On my plate? Get up and throw it out? It was such a small thing to not know but I just wasn’t sure what the cultural norm is.

All of this awareness has given me such respect for foreigners in the United States. We give immigrants and foreigners such a hard time without stepping into their shoes and trying to understand how hard it is to live in a foreign country in the first place. Accents give everyone away. We know when someone is an outsider, but we don’t always empathize until we become the outsider ourselves.

Next time you encounter someone with an accent, smile at them. They probably need some encouragement. Living in another country is so hard and we are all just trying to get better every day.

Love you all,

Meghan