Accents & Homemade Redcurrant Jam, What A Combo!

" Accentuating ones Accent "

Nobody wants to admit that they have an accent riding piggyback aboard their language. Yet those accents that we all do have make us special, unique and dare I say... unmistakable. Take yesterday evening for example: We could have been the setting of a bar joke...

A typical warm and sunny Burgenland evening outside next to the grill, complete with an:

• Australian
• Austrian
• South African
• American
• German

As is only normal, the conversation turned towards accents.

Not that late in the evening either. Isn't there usually a time during any party where most of us do sound the same...you know, when we try like blazes to pronounce our ' sssses ' clearly and with attempted dignity.

Or rather someone asking if they actually had one!...Eh, yeees indeed, a broad and instantly recognizable one too!

The South African and Australian accents do often get mixed up outside of either country. Mainly in the States. No, nothing similar there but what can you do. Some of us get put into the same box:

• The Irish & the Scots
• The Australians & the New Zealanders
• The Austrians & the Germans
• The Americans and the Canadians

How do we know what we sound like? There were the odd occasions when I left a message on the answering machine but truthfully, it's not so nice to hear yourself speak. Somehow I sound much cooler in my head.

Accents do make a difference how one is perceived. Private schools make their living by guaranteeing an accent-free diction at the end. Especially in the English language, the gold standard to aim for is the Eton, Oxford accented speech ( speaking as if you had a hot potato in your mouth )...Thousands are paid to achieve it. If you can't afford those lofty portals, there is always a career as a TV announcer / Newsreader...they get coached to have a neutral accent. They all sound the same, don't they?

As for our redcurrant jam, what a hit it was with everyone. We organized vanilla ice cream for dessert and what nicer topping than this redcurrant jam. Sweet and tart together! Pale white & vibrant red. The jar was almost empty at the end...clearly, redcurrant jam puts a nice Burgenland accent on vanilla ice cream!

Biggi