Re: The really really really fresh off the boat desi's day at school
I'm in the same boat as those who are often looked down upon because of the way they dress. For me it's often hijab and jilbab/abaya.
Usually at school or at the malls, people get stunned once they hear me talk. I may have a bit of an accent remaining, however, it doesn't come out too strong very often. Unfortunately, I talk extremely fast both in Urdu and English to the extent that my words start to slur and at times I end up stuttering. That is when it looks awkward and it requires me to slow down and pronounce my words correctly.
Other than that, I hardly have any problem, alhamudlillah.
South Asian accents are quite decent. Nothing beats Chinese or one of the Carribbean accents. They are a little too hard to understand.
Re: The really really really fresh off the boat desi's day at school
Miss M it works both ways-u find our accents amusing, and we find fob accents amusing :)
basically, you're gonna speak like the people from the place in which you grew up
i was born and raised in the US-can i speak urdu? for the most part, yes. Do i have an accent when i speak urdu? hell yes...but that's ok, cuz my English is lovely :D
Re: The really really really fresh off the boat desi's day at school
Sarah....i have had those fob days few times and i know exactly what you mean....either i let go of myself on purpose and not caring the kind of fob panna i am doing and people are watching me like you described your situation about the garbage bin :D or it happens to me when i am speaking to a white and i start to feel at unease sometimes that maybe they can't understand my accent and thats when i start to studder or completely loose it :D
Re: The really really really fresh off the boat desi’s day at school
I speak in southern English accent, Speak Pushtu in a southern English accent and pronounce my name in a Pushtu accent , which Punjabi speaking people ammend to the way they have heard it pronounced.
Katchi speaking and Gujrati speaking people call me something different and sometimes at the end of the day Ive fogotten how to say my own name properly!
Re: The really really really fresh off the boat desi's day at school
Hmmm...it might be interesting to go around for a day talking, walking and generally acting like a fob and see if I get treated any different. Dress pants and trainers here I come...
Re: The really really really fresh off the boat desi's day at school
language has never been a problem for me...nomatter where i am i adapt! i just switch from punjabi to urdu and then to english! its great! it amazes me how the mind works!! i have met quite a few ppl with a strong accent...
its a question of adapting yourself to your surrounding! the more you listen to ppl the way they speak the more you try and mimic words like they do without even realising that you are!
Re: The really really really fresh off the boat desi’s day at school
HAHAHAHAHA aawww no…i’ve been borned and raised here and all that. i don’t make fun of fobs…i mean, i do, but only when i’m joking around. kasme i have a lot of respect for them :k:. i would be so scared moving to another country and all that…
p.s. your english is really good :k: that post was hilarious …
Re: The really really really fresh off the boat desi’s day at school
It’s gud fatima that u dont poke fun at FOBs, ABCDS should nt be laughed at either… even if they cant help mispronouncing simple words like “Gosht” as “Ghosht” and “Baal” as “Bhaal,” let alone actual, authentic Urdu vocabulary. Apparently, it’s not thier fault if they r having a hard time grasping n comprehending a language, even though their FOb parents have been communicating in Urdu since the time they[abcds] were being born, there must be some other factors invloved…like lack of intellect and learning capabilities.
Sarcasm aside, ABCDs should be called FObs when they visit Pakistan/india and Fobs should be called DCBA–"desis confused by America.
How abt that for a change?
As for SaraS., accent or no accent, American born n raised or a “Freshie”, treasure your uniqueness and savor your identity. Be yrself n express it.
Re: The really really really fresh off the boat desi's day at school
I've been living in the US for about 13 years so have no accent, but my wife points out that every time I talk to my parents on the phone, I revert back to a fobby accent for about 10 minutes after the phone call is done...
aawww no…i’ve been borned and raised here and all that. i don’t make fun of fobs…i mean, i do, but only when i’m joking around. kasme i have a lot of respect for them :k:. i would be so scared moving to another country and all that…
