Accents are what make languages interesting

Although I missed class on Friday, I was informed that we discussed languages and accents. To most people it is pretty obvious that I have a Southern accent. I am from a small town in South Georgia called Alma. It was here that I was born and raised. If you visit Alma, you will hear that most people who live around there have the same accent. However, my “Southern drawl” was one of the worst. I use the word “was” because surprisingly my accent has changed. I have been living in Athens for almost three years and most of my friends are from the Atlanta area. Because of this, some of the words I say are different. For example, I used to make one syllable words like “store” a two syllable word “sta-or” and some words like woman used to be “woeman.” Although it has changed, the accent is still noticeable to most of the people I associate with in Athens. However, when I go home I get called a Yankee and get picked on for having a Northern accent. My father has even corrected me when I used the word “on.” He informed me to say it like the word “own.” I think this is pretty humorous and have concluded that I just don’t fit in anywhere which is fine with me. One of the funniest experiences that I have had with a miscommunication because of accent was asking for ice at a convince store in Delaware. The cashier just gave me a weird look because she did not understand me. Finally she realized what I was asking for and informed that she thought I was asking for some ass.
Other languages have different accents too. One of my friends is from Argentina and she speaks Spanish and English fluently. Another friend who is a Spanish major had a teacher from Spain. As they tried talking to each other in Spanish, they realized they could not understand some of the words the other was saying. They even had arguments on how to say certain words. However, both were saying the words correctly they were just adding a different accent to them. My friend’s Argentinean Spanish accent also influenced her English accent. She always has a slight lisp no mater what she is saying.
Overall, I believe that it is important to know that other languages can sound different depending on location just as English does. In order to learn this, students should be required to learn a different language. Many other countries do this and often times make their students learn English. Because the United States is supposed to be a “salad bowl,” we have to appreciate everyone’s differences including language. If everyone was required to study another language this goal could be realized and would make a more accepting society.