by Tricia Clarke
I’ve heard lots of parents say they don’t believe what comes out of their kid’s mouth, but sometimes I literally don’t. You see, my children have a completely different accent to me and every now and again I have to remind myself that they’re mine.
I’m British and I moved to America 7 years ago. My kids are 5 and 3 and are just starting to drive me crazy with the endless questions.
To their teachers and friends there’s not a remarkable difference about the way they speak but to me they are some of the most American-sounding children I’ve ever heard! I hear all the variances in pronunciation, the unique phrases and even slight drawl they are developing.
Before I had kids I remember being asked what I thought they would sound like. Of course, there was no way of telling. Would they pick up my intonation after hearing mainly my voice 24 hours a day or would they start speaking in a completely different way, as if they’d been adopted?
It’s definitely a conversation-starter, especially when we’re in a grocery store or restaurant. Some people find it fascinating and some even do a double-take. I wonder sometimes if people think I’m a babysitter who’s been employed to discipline them Supernanny-style!
The most humorous part for me is my kids have now started incorporating British expressions into their speech, like asking their pre-school teacher to use the “˜toilet’ instead of the “˜potty’ and complaining to their Grandmother about “˜hay fever’ instead of “˜allergies.’ When my son recently complained to an American friend of mine that his brother had thrown his “˜trousers in the bin’ she looked at me with a confused expression, almost begging for a translation.
If I’m honest I like the idea that my kids’ vernacular will become a fusion of American and British-English (especially when I start shipping them off to London for the summer) even if their mother tongue is different to their mother’s.
Tricia Clarke is freelance print and broadcast journalist and creator of the websiteBritsAcrossThePond.com, a site that celebrates the British experience in America.
Interesting read,I can definitely identify especially with the southern drawl my Kids have developed since moving to Atlanta. Sounds nothing like my proper Guyanese English. Lol
I can identify with this on two fronts. My parents are Jamaican and British. I grew up in NYC and my kids are so STL. It’s funny when we’re all in the same room together. It sounds like the UN.
I don’t know if this is relatable, but I was 8 years old when I firs came to this country. I didn’t even speak the language. I don’t know exactly how it was so easy for me to pick up on an different language but I did. I sound nothing like my monther, nor does my sister. I can tell you this kids can be mean and as parents we always want to protect our kids but the truth is that we can’t. other kids will make fun of them just because they sound different. It happened to me, I was beat up everyday by at least two-three boys just because I sounded different. The upside is it made me tough real fast. At home my mom never said anything to me about being different or sounding different she would just tell me to learn the language. So I would say that you should explain something to your kids about how they speak and sound.
I can imagine that heads turn when your voice as the authority figure is heard! However, I love coming to America! Everyone always wants to hear you speak and they often request that I ‘say it again!’.
We need to celebrate difference and although I think it’s sad that Henry R experienced what he experienced I can’t imagine exactly what you could say to your children about what version of the English language they adopt! As long as they know about their histories, cultures and immediate backgrounds then I say job done!
I value diversity and believe that a child’s ability to take on different languages, accents and undestanding is all part of raising children! Sometimes I recall spanish words from Dora the Explorer and shout them after my child whilst she is tearing through the local supermarket and she will naturally respond with an answer in Spanish and I have to rack my brain to remember exactly what she is replying! (she is three!) However some of the glances I get are always of a complimentary nature and I find myself wanting to learn more words just so that I can get those looks of questioning what the blazers I am saying!
So in short, I think your children not sounding anything like you can be a good thing! My grandmother was born in the east indies and my dad was too. My father has no trace of a Caribbean accent whereas my grandmother has a thick strong St Lucian chorus! My father has been living in London for 51 years and my grandmother much longer! He is as British as they come! He told me that he was told to talk that way when he arrived to England and not use patois at all. As a result he can understand some words but can not speak it! It’s a shame as I would love to be able to teach my children! So let’s call it adaptable…children speaking with a dialogue that connects to two different countries is adaptable! Lets all love difference!!!!!!!!
Very funny and interesting article.
Awesome that they are at least picking up your lingo if not your accent anymore. I’m sure that if you take them to your country, they will be able to adopt the local accent since they have heard you for so long. I am that way with my parents who are were not born in the US.
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