I've always wondered that. Like how we impersonate asian langauges (no offence but...) by going "[garden tool] weee chaaa nung weee chung woo" how would say, a Chinese person try and mock us by pretending to speak english?

I would suppose that English sounds like what other languages sound like to us. A load of gibberish sounds like a good bet. As to how people would imitate it, I don't really know. It would depend on each individual person and their sense of humour.

I'd guess English sounds kind of like Chinese sounds to us. Just a bunch of random sounds that sound really weird. (basically what was said above)

Well, a lot of people say Swedish sounds like "hurdyburdyhurdyhurdy" sort of :lol: I think I remember someone not speaking English explaining how English sounded to him, I think it was like "sdhsdheusdhsuedhe" haha.

Haha, there was a Catherine Tate sketch where she was a translator or something and ended up really offending all the different ambassadors in the room... even though I don't particularly like her, this thread brings back memories of that sketch...

 

 

 

I remember this on the radio a while back as well, I think the conclusion was that we sound like "Blah blah blah"

 

 

 

We're boring? Aw man :roll:

It sounds like English, they just don't understand it.

It depends on the language that you are listening to it from.

 

The first thing you will notice are the sounds and sound combinations that are not common in your language.

 

Then, you will try to mesh them together with the sounds you do recognize.

it would sound like English but people just wont know what it means thats all

it would sound like English but people just wont know what it means thats all

 

 

 

It sounds like English, they just don't understand it.

 

 

 

They answered it, Good job guys.

I'd guess it sounds like a long string of gibberish. When I listen to other languages being spoken, that's what it sounds like to me, I don't know where one word starts and one word ends and same goes for them I guess. Too bad we don't speak with spaces...

I think the point is that we tend to immitate other languages by making sounds, how those languages sound to us.

 

 

 

I'll try and find that Catherine Tate :? sketch..... (here it is... could be a bit offensive but it's just an example, you don't have to watch it... http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdf2eLeCLHI)

 

 

 

The question is, what sounds would someone who doesn't speak English make to impersonate us?

 

The question is, what sounds would someone who doesn't speak English make to impersonate us?

 

 

 

git er dun! Sorry, just had to say it.

 

 

 

To me Japanese and Chinese just sounds like random gibberish. Ex: zsdghfah sahjgfhavshak sgaj

I've been thinking that too. There are some Polish peeps in my school and whenever I hear them talk I can only make out 'schzzshbusschhschczzhschs' sounds.

Where is this "someone" from?

 

 

 

Is the English you talk about unaccented? Because I've got a few Indian friends who sometimes speak too fast for me - in English. Then there are the Brits, the Aussies, stereotypical American rednecks, and gangsta Americans whose accents are, well, sometime unintelligible.

 

 

 

Yeah, I'd imagine some of those accents could be made fun of. My friends and I like to make fun of the british and redneck american accents (imagine a redneck American saying "Noo-kyoo-leer way-pons of mays deestruction")

I've been thinking that too. There are some Polish peeps in my school and whenever I hear them talk I can only make out 'schzzshbusschhschczzhschs' sounds.

 

 

 

This sound has been described by linguists as the sound made by a caribou as it is being devoured by a hungry lion in a dry bush.

 

 

 

I'm from Poland and at least I can make sounds you can't. Schzzshbusschhschczzhschs!

 

 

 

@topic: My dad, who can't speak an English word, says that British English speaker sounds like 'excited' all the time (This accent!), but American accent is fine. He knows nothing!

before i learned english, it sounded(sp?) like chinese for me (no offence)

Hmm, I guess it sounds like a bunch of words you don't know. Try to think of words that you don't know.

Hmm, I guess it sounds like a bunch of words you don't know. Try to think of words that you don't know.

 

 

 

And how are we supposed to do that?

I have a British Latin teacher at my school, who is also my adviser, and he has told me that those in Europe often impersonate us using a Texan accent. Generic southern kind of thing.

I think the point is that we tend to immitate other languages by making sounds, how those languages sound to us.

 

 

 

I'll try and find that Catherine Tate sketch..... (here it is... could be a bit offensive but it's just an example, you don't have to watch it... http://uk.youtube.com/watch?v=Zdf2eLeCLHI)

 

 

 

The question is, what sounds would someone who doesn't speak English make to impersonate us?

:lol: "This is not my sandwich"