redcurls

I am not trying to be controversial here, nor is this a putdown of a person who speaks with a foreign accent, but last week I was on a flight from Fort Lauderdale to Philadelphia (Air Tran) and the head cabin flight attendant - who made the announcements, etc - spoke with a heavy Hispanic accent. She used the correct terms of English but often you needed to think about the word she used in order to realize what she was saying. (I find this hard to explain, but I hope I'm getting the point across.) I can't help but think this would be dangerous in an emergency?? Any thoughts?

Sara

Being English, I feel exactly the same when I'm on US domestic flights - the American crew mangle the universal language to an extent that I'm hard pressed to decipher exactly what is being said ! Now that's controversial....

Peter

I agree with Sara. All American speakers of English crucify the English language so I think your concern is narrow minded.

And yes I too live in England.

Josie

Redcurls, I'm afraid you only put yourself down on this one. Better get used to hearing English spoken with a "foreign" accent, "even" on American carriers. 15% of the US is now Hispanic; I'm not sure what % is now Asian; the 12-15% that are African-American include some who speak what "redcurled" people may consider non-standard English.

And then there are the huge populations of the UK, S. Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Hong Kong who are "native" speakers of English, and I think you might have trouble understanding many of them over a loudspeaker.

Here's a thought: I suspect that the "accent" you'd consider the "purest" -- i.e., the easiest to understand -- would not be "American" but Canadian! Here's to setting Canadian English as the standard!

.... and we will now hear from the French about the possibility of using Canadian French as the standard!! Hoo hah! Zut! Gretsky!

ME

Well Redcurl,
I wuz once on a plane to South Carolina from New york and I wuz darn near shocked when i done heard the yankee steward talk in a northern u.s. accent. I mean where do these folks get off talkin like they're all proper? I could barely understand a word she done said as she pointed to the exits and put on that silly yellow mask...Gosh darn it, I think there should be a daggon standard where all american flight attendants talk the same way so that us folks down in the backwoods and understsand them when we fly. This woman was talkin and annunciatin words like no body's business. I think American should be the universal language on all planes and those folks who done think that they know how to speak american should first pass a class on speaking american.

Jody

Beat girl, I know what you mean, I have the same problem with the annoucemnets in the London tube stations! other than "Mind the gap"

ilisa

Aren't we close-minded? Having an accent does not mean one is not fluent. It just means they speak with an accent. Some people never lose it.

Sara

Jody,
If your comment about London tube station announcements was meant to inflame me, I'm afraid I have to tell you I am from the North of England (Manchester, to be exact). I have exactly the same trouble when bloody Cockneys slur their way through the language. P.S. None of this was meant to be malicious - this is the famous sardonic English sense of humour at play !

Candida

The most unintelligible English I even encountered was provided by an Arab student who had learned the language in Louisiana. Both his accents were heavy, and the combination was astonishingly difficult for a Toronto ear.

Monique

I have has the same problem too. I have been on the phone with customer service and had to ask to be transfered to someone who spoke better english. The guy was inflamed and hung up on me. I just coldn't understand him I wan't trying to be mean. I have never had trouble understanding people in Europe who speak english. The brits, dutch, germans and italians were all very friendly and easy to understand. The french F you look is pretty universal so I got that one loud and clear too LOL!!

English McEnglish

I too have had some problems understands people not speaking English. Specifically everywhere I fly they are speaking Spanish, or as I like to refer to it: "The Devil's language".

Now this is not just confined to the flight attendants, but also the pilot announcements and most of the passengers. I occasionally will scream out: "Speak English, devil bitch!" while the attendant is going over the safety instructions, but it usually does no good. I have learned to live with this while speaking very quickly in gibberish when asked for my drink order. I then say, how do you like them apples? to which the attendant will often reply with gibberish of her own, or "Spanish" as some people call it. Anyway I think I will move from Cancun soon so I don't continue to have this problem.

Jody

Beatgirl- I adore the english and their sense of humor , I even married one!!!!!! watched Billy Elliott last night and now have all sorts of new words!!