Posts by Jacqui Dunn
Last ←Newer Page 1 2 3 4 5 Older→ First
-
Up Front: Where You From?, in reply to BenWilson,
To say Auckland is 50 Timarus is praising both towns in my opinion.
I love the geography of this town, it’s one of the biggest selling points to me. Being close to both coasts is awesome, Piha is my yardstick for beaches around the whole world, and the Gulf is stunning. Waiheke is a....
How can you start like that and then go on like that, Ben? Waxing so lyrical?
One of the best views was one I used to get on the bus going up Symonds St towards Kingsland. I'd sit in one of the backwards-facing seats on purpose, just to get a glimpse of that view. Trees (the cemetery) down to water, and yachts - dozens of them on a good day - towards distant hills/islands. Magic.
-
Up Front: Where You From?, in reply to Danielle,
Ha! Yes. Once you've heard the miss, it's ghastly. Can get a bit obsessive....I follow along after Ms McLeod, re-interpreting for meaning and correcting mispronunciation. The result is, I usually don't have a clue what I've just heard after that!
-
Up Front: Where You From?, in reply to Megan Wegan,
These days we’re taught it’s OK to sound like a New Zealander, as long as you sound like a New Zealander everyone can understand.
That’s it exactly. I’m not against a New Zealand accent – for heavens’ sakes, I’ve got one myself!
@ Sacha: Catriona McLeod is a prime example of someone going for the Modulated Well-pronounced words, without actually understanding and getting across the meaning of what she’s saying. She also stresses odd words, utterly changing meaning on top of that. ETA: Although I have heard her mispronounce....it's more the rounded vowels she's going for. -
Up Front: Where You From?, in reply to Islander,
Yes, Kiwi Keith was a bit plummy. I used to think he was pompous, actually. However, his elocution notwithstanding, the speed he spoke at was rather well observed, as no doubt he'd suffered the horrors of speaker delay at meetings. Also gave him, and his audience, time to think. Or to say "rhubarb, rhubarb".
But...there is ample evidence if you listen to archival material from 40 or 50 years ago that the NZ accent is definitely there, but clear. (Not clare, which is often what you get these days.)
-
Up Front: Where You From?, in reply to Isabel Hitchings,
Once we get past the cringe New Zealand English is fascinating and deeply cool.
Yes, if you can understand it. Not sure if you were referring in your post to what I said, Isabel, but it saddens me more to have to ask people to repeat themselves, sometimes embarrassingly many times because, even though English is my first language, I am at a loss making any sense of what they’ve said at all.
It is interesting to listen to archival material – the New Zealand accent of say, Keith Holyoake, which was modulated, clear and probably more “standard English” than many native English. Listening to a variety of interviewees – many of them public servants, professionals, academics and the like – you hear pronounced “good” vowels (the sort we were encouraged to use when I was at school, back in the dim-darks), and slower speech.
Getting back to Emma’s post, though, and consequent posts from others, it struck home that the old term for university when I was (cough!) younger has been supplanted by a term I’d heard only from Australians. It was always “varsity”. Even the football team was “Varsity”. Can’t figure out when it changed, but it certainly has.
Edit:
@recordariWhoops, better not get all rugby on it, someone might hear.
Didn't hear. Must have been osmosis!
-
Up Front: Where You From?, in reply to Robyn Gallagher,
I was right where I wanted to be, and that’s how I define home.
Home on Mother Earth.
-
Up Front: Where You From?, in reply to Hannah,
I sometimes get the “are you from England” question, but think it’s a bit snobby to say “No, I just come from a line of educated teachers who knew how to speak properly” even though I think it’s true.
My pet hate is mumbled Niewzildspeak. So, good on you! Good on your parents!
I got asked once if I was a teacher, which rather amused me. Why? Because "you speak so nicely". Had to laugh at that. I sat in on a lesson in an Esol class once, where they were doing "ing" words. According to the teacher, they were "doeen een words: goeen, beeen, ringeen, laugheen." Me, I was nearly cryeen.
-
Up Front: Where You From?, in reply to Geoff Lealand,
I was born and brought up in Taranaki but attachments are now very few,
Me too, although I grew up in the Wairarapa from age 5. Going down to New Plymouth after my father's death and seeing that mountain! Such a presence! But it was the place my parents met and married in, and has a resonance with me. Few family connections now though.
-
Up Front: Where You From?, in reply to Ross Mason,
Just at the point of the kick I screamed – as loud as a 9 year old could scream – “MISS”
And did he?
-
Up Front: Where You From?, in reply to Michael Savidge,
NZ doesn't represent my political/philosophical bent very well
Maybe, but it's inextricably tied to and is part of what your politics and philosophy are, don't you think?