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“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter and those who matter don’t mind.” ~ Dr. Seuss

Accents are no secret, but dialects often can be. The key to unlocking these words you didn’t know exist is, but of course, traveling!

One thing I have discovered from living in or visiting so many cities growing up, as well as speaking to lots of people along the way, is that I use English words that others in certain regions have never heard before and some people actually use English words that I have never heard before either.

If that’s a shock to you then you should probably get out more, but the point is, words are interestingly unending and no matter how much we think we know, traveling always teaches lots of lessons.

 

LESSON #1: FRINGE

My first experience discovering that I might have strange words in my vocabulary was when I was in elementary school in Roswell, New Mexico with my best friend, Julia. We were at her house discussing hair styles and I happened to mention something to do with her “fringe”.

“What’s a ‘fringe’?” she asked.

“Uhhhh . . .”

And, for the life of me, I could not come up with another word. So, of course, I had to resort to the pointing method.

“You mean ‘bangs’?” she laughed, “I have never heard of ‘fringe’ before?”

My words are a direct result of being my mother’s daughter. She’s from Zimbabwe where there is a major British influence and that is why I grew up using words I didn’t even realize weren’t American English.

There I am, talking away and someone stops me in the middle of my sentence just to say, “What is that?” or “What did you say?” and I’m left dumbfounded that my “English” speaking friend doesn’t understand what I’m refering to. (Hey! Sounds similar to my food experience!) Confusion disolves when we finally figure out a synonym for the word I used and a whole new world opens up for the both of us.

My mom just so happens to have fringe to this day and, although now I know what word to use for Americans, when speaking with my mom, “fringe” will forever be “fringe”.

LESSON #2: RESPECT THE DIALECT

My mom has also expressed how she has to search for the “right” words when she speaks, because she knows her words might not mean the same to others.

I say, “Speak on, Mother!”

. . .

But, seriously.

All the words I have discovered and even that have rubbed off on me recently simply because my friends speak freely only makes me appreciate language even more. And if you’re reading this, hopefully you appreciate the different dialects of the intriguing American English. But I also hope you not only appreciate other languages as a whole, but respect those who speak them as well. English isn’t even the #1 language in the world any more and Spanish is already taking over the United States.

Soon we’ll all be speaking different dialects of Spanish.

But I’ll leave that for a seperate post.

If you want to learn more about how your dialect compares with others in America, check out this survey by the New York Times to see your personal dialect map. Mine was definitely all over the place. Apparently I am least similar to speaking like those in Providence, Rhode Island and most similar to those in Oceanside, California.

Clearly I’ve never lived on the East Coast.

Here’s a little dictionary compiled of either words that I say (and some with an accent) because of my mom or words that I’ve discovered from different regions of America.

  • Fringe = Bangs
  • Flannel = Washcloth
  • Trainers = Sneakers/Tennis shoes
  • Jumper = Sweater
  • Boot = Trunk of a car
  • Indicator = Car blinker
  • Motorbike = Motorcycle
  • Cutlery = Silverware
  • Surviette = Napkin
  • Tomato (a pronounced like ah) = Tomato (a pronounced like an A)
  • Vitamin (First syllable rhyming with pit) = Vitamin (first syllable rhyming with right)
  • Salty = Annoyed/Bitter/Upset
  • You feel me? = Does that make sense?/Do you understand?

My dialect is probably more similar to British English than America entirely.

What region is your dialect most similar to? Does it match up with where you’re from or where you’ve traveled to?

Hopefully this helps to open everyone’s minds to the vast vocabulary that is out there and maybe we’ll come to realize we may all be “right” when it comes to what words we use.

LESSON #3: DON’T SUPPRESS

Language is such a beautiful thing.

It can tell stories through more than just words.

And I feel that if you suppress your language, you suppress your true self.

Don’t suppress . . . EXPRESS!

Express yo’self!

It might be a little akward at first and it might require a little patience, but a little patience never hurt anyone, or should I say, ” . . . never hurt nobody!”

I know we all want to be understood, but eventually you figure it out.

Not to mention, you just helped someone expand their vocabulary!

Your language says a lot on where you come from and where you come from says a lot on who you are. So be proud of who you are and always remember where you come from.

Feel free to leave a comment! I’d love to hear your own experiences with different words!

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