No. 11
without an accent
without an accent
i portray myself each day;
a one-woman play
a one-woman play
did anyone get the Spinal Tap reference? ...anyone?
i have been way too busy to write proper entries lately, but this is National Haiku Writing Month and anything else is actually gratuitous (count yourselves lucky, i say). i've been cheating and writing the rest of the entries a day later and pre- or post-dating them. it's a neat trick, really. i wish it worked for homework, or apologies, or any other time-orient(at)ed obligations.
anywho, a professor of mine and i were talking about my accent the other day - or rather, my lack thereof. she basically said something quite true: i concern myself almost obsessively with my accent and how i come across to people and it is often to them so insignificant that i'm basically fussing over nothing and constantly being paranoid. it was she who first observed (or at least told me directly) the fact that i'm essentially playing the role of myself every day, measuring my tone, emphasis, intonation and that it was exhausting just to think about. when she put it that way, it made plenty of sense, particularly when she followed up with the fact that everyone knows of my englishness either because i've said something (or many somethings) pointing out my difference in nationality, (e.g. "oh it's like that in england" or "i'm awkward because i'm english" or i quote entire scenes from This Is Spinal Tap - not yet, but i can), through my orthographical differences, or my quirky and compulsive out loud self-corrections with my pronunciation and the fact that other friends and colleagues tease me on a regular basis, mostly as a result of my own insecurity and bashfulness. i was with her up to this point, then balked at the idea that i should switch back to the original accent and not repress it/deny my upbringing (since i'm doing such a poor job of blending in, as is the 'true blue american way', was my understanding). to me that would seem flat out crazy, borderline multiple personality disorder. she said that i'd get a lot of attention (allegedly positive... i still don't want it) but alas, for now, you'll just have to wait until i'm a little drunk (on water, of course. what? it's possible), spontaneously reading aloud, or sleep-deprived like everyone else, madam.
i have been way too busy to write proper entries lately, but this is National Haiku Writing Month and anything else is actually gratuitous (count yourselves lucky, i say). i've been cheating and writing the rest of the entries a day later and pre- or post-dating them. it's a neat trick, really. i wish it worked for homework, or apologies, or any other time-orient(at)ed obligations.
anywho, a professor of mine and i were talking about my accent the other day - or rather, my lack thereof. she basically said something quite true: i concern myself almost obsessively with my accent and how i come across to people and it is often to them so insignificant that i'm basically fussing over nothing and constantly being paranoid. it was she who first observed (or at least told me directly) the fact that i'm essentially playing the role of myself every day, measuring my tone, emphasis, intonation and that it was exhausting just to think about. when she put it that way, it made plenty of sense, particularly when she followed up with the fact that everyone knows of my englishness either because i've said something (or many somethings) pointing out my difference in nationality, (e.g. "oh it's like that in england" or "i'm awkward because i'm english" or i quote entire scenes from This Is Spinal Tap - not yet, but i can), through my orthographical differences, or my quirky and compulsive out loud self-corrections with my pronunciation and the fact that other friends and colleagues tease me on a regular basis, mostly as a result of my own insecurity and bashfulness. i was with her up to this point, then balked at the idea that i should switch back to the original accent and not repress it/deny my upbringing (since i'm doing such a poor job of blending in, as is the 'true blue american way', was my understanding). to me that would seem flat out crazy, borderline multiple personality disorder. she said that i'd get a lot of attention (allegedly positive... i still don't want it) but alas, for now, you'll just have to wait until i'm a little drunk (on water, of course. what? it's possible), spontaneously reading aloud, or sleep-deprived like everyone else, madam.
2 comments:
No, because I was busy folding cold cuts to fit the tiny pieces of bread.
Deonne, you're my favourite. Favourite what, I cannot say, but if I had any sort of list for ranking people's brilliance or some sort of award-giving for "Maker of Days" you would top that list and would win that award. True story
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