How You Say It Matters!
Just thought I would share a quick experience :
I had to go through an automated answering service to contact my ophthalmologist. I was prompted to say the name of the department I wanted.
The conversations goes as follows:
Me : “Ophthalmology”
Automated service: “Ok, Dermatology”
Me : “Cancel. Ophthalmology”
Automated service: “Ok, Dermatology”
Me : “Cancel.” ( Shouting) “Ophthalmology”
Automated service: “Ok, X-rays”
A million years later, it finally clicked …
Me: “Cancel. Ophthalmology” (In my Pseudo British Accent)
Automated service : “Ok, Ophthalmology ”
Moral of the story: It’s easy to get comfortable knowing that both the US and UK share the same language. However, the inevitable is that you will have to change your accent ( at least a little) if you want clear communication. I was “lucky” that the automated serviced “corrected” me. However, I wonder how many other Brits think I was speaking “rubbish”.
Rubbish = Common British Slang for nonsense
Learning English : My Fulbright year in England 