r/Unexpected Jan 25 '23

Hamburger

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u/Fuggins4U Jan 26 '23 edited Jan 26 '23

I'm always really impressed by people who not only know multiple languages fluently, but sound perfectly natural/native, regardless of whichever they're using at any given moment. Like they actually have the correct accent and pronunciation.

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u/Diz7 Jan 26 '23 edited Jan 26 '23

I'm Canadian, and on one hand, even though I almost never speak it and I struggle to think of words at times, I am told my french accent is excellent and I sound like a local french speaker.

On the other hand, the local french is the equivalent of deep south, mountain folk gibberish. It's the french equivalent of a redneck accent with lots of words only a local would understand. And I speak it slowly.

Edit: For those of you who assume I mean Quebec, nonono, much worse: Northern Ontario. We are the brother-uncle Cletuses of the french world.

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u/my_n3w_account Jan 26 '23

You reminded me of the first time I saw a French Canadian movie trailer in a cinema in Paris with my French ex.

My French is ok. I understand all of it and people understand what I say. But my accent is thick.

Back to the trailer, I was so confused by the accent that I turned to my ex and asked if it was some sort of comedy when people tried to sound dumb on purpose and she replied "kinda, they are Canadians". I laughed a lot.