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Aakscents and Impressions

Ever heard a guy that just came off a boat (or airship) from the south of India ask a question? As an example - Waat is the time wrrite nau? I think it butchers the language entirely as the words leave the mouth of this individual who has honed his diction and accents in the deep south. To many on the American shores too its a strange sound and does not elicit much reaction let alone admiration or swooning by the recipient of the inquiry? Now imagine that same question asked as - Wat eese de tyeme hier? Perhaps from a native of Sicily that came on the same conveyance. Perhaps its an Alitalia flight making its way from Mumbai to Roma to JFK. This time depending on the sex and cultural makeup of the native who gets asked this question there is a certain feeling of being charmed that exudes with the response. Oh how I like your accent - why its 2 o clock. The actual time has nothing to do with the feeling of being charmed as much as a fantasy that everything Italian or southern European is somehow very interesting and to be desired. Let me tell you this - anyone not enunciating the language as it is supposed to be used is basically butchering it. There are no two ways. The Italian is equally ignorant of the accent having honed his in the fishing village he came from. However the stateside reactions vary - people are enamored by any junk that is labeled European to the point where there are actually garments labeled Euro Shams that sell for a permium. I did hear a while ago that lungis from the very south of India were making something of an appearance on some brand catalogs. The instructions to wear one should however come with an accented speaker laying it on thick. That will teach the wearer to appreciate true diversity that exists on the planet and that each one is cut from a different 'clath' (in a manner of speaking of course).

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