Where Are YOU From?

Seltzer · 01-02-2010, 07:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lateralus

^ That is a pretty accurate description, nicely done

I'm one of those weird Australians though that say "dance" and "chance" with the same pronunciation as "father" - although it's a bit hybrid. And this could possibly be because my mother is a New Zealander and would've had some influence on me growing up I suppose...

Seltzer, you were born in Australia right but you live in New Zealand? What kind of accent do you have, or have you noticed your accent change as you've lived in a different place? I find stuff like that really interesting as both of my sisters moved overseas when they were about 18 and I've noticed changes in the way they speak since. Accents and their behaviours are so odd.

Mmm the dance/chance vowel sound is a point of common regional variation in the Australian accent. The NZ accent has some variation too - it's non-rhotic except in the case of some Southlanders who, as a result of Scottish immigration, really emphasize their 'r' sounds (especially noticeable when they say words like bird). And there is also some Maori variation.

And yeah that's right, I moved when I was 13. I lost my Australian accent pretty quickly (within 2 years of coming here) - well I guess I didn't lose it so much as it morphed into some weird but harmless Australian/NZ hybrid. I'm envious of people who don't lose their accents like one of my teachers from high school who moved here 15 years ago from Australia and still sounds completely fresh. I do wonder what would have happened to mine if I'd moved over as an adult but I guess you've answered my question there.

I find accents, dialects and language in general to be fascinating. I was reading a book on animal behaviour about 5 years ago which talked about songbirds having regional accents which makes sense given their mechanism of song learning. Maybe tore knows a bit more about it?

Ronnie Jane Devo · 01-02-2010, 08:44 AM

Some pics of where I live:

A nice view of the Richmond "skyline" from a footbridge that crosses the James River.

Another shot of the James River (from Belle Island) looking toward the center of town. Here you can see the footbridge where I took the previous shot, suspended from the automobile bridge.

Some of the more interesting architecture on the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) campus. Those ugly window-mounted air conditioners are everywhere though.

One of the nice parks by the river, where the vegetation is so unusually lush you think you're in Louisiana and not Virginia.

Next I post pics from farther west.

NumberNineDream · 01-02-2010, 08:50 AM

Really loved that park in your last pic, not many have a river.

Ronnie Jane Devo · 01-02-2010, 08:52 AM

Some typical countryside in western Virginia, with lots of nice rolling hills.

You can find plenty of run-down farm buildings like these too.

Camping in the George Washington National Forest, near Staunton.

A park near my old home after the big snowstorm this December. We didn't get this kind of snow for like 15 years, and then we got it twice within the past 10 months, haha.

Those are all photos I've taken, so there are a few nice areas I haven't included. Lots of historic buildings in Charlottesville because of UVA and all the early Presidents who lived in that area. Staunton is also a pretty town.

p7byrd · 01-02-2010, 11:13 AM

I was born and raised in Seattle, but I live in DC now.

SATCHMO · 01-02-2010, 01:22 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronnie Jane Devo

Some pics of where I live:

A nice view of the Richmond "skyline" from a footbridge that crosses the James River.

I lived in Richmond for 4 years before moving to Maine a year and a half ago. Church Hill represent!

ElephantSack · 01-02-2010, 09:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ronnie Jane Devo

Some pics of where I live:

You ever get drunk or catch shows at MacCormack's?

One of those pictures from the West looks like Skyline Drive.

TheCunningStunt · 01-03-2010, 09:15 AM

MANCHESTER LA LA LAAAAAAA

Ronnie Jane Devo · 01-03-2010, 11:51 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SATCHMO

I lived in Richmond for 4 years before moving to Maine a year and a half ago. Church Hill represent!

Cool. I used to do a lot of urban exploration over there, haha. Did you go to VCU?

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElephantSack

You ever get drunk or catch shows at MacCormack's?

Nope, but I hardly ever go out to places (really introverted and also kinda poor). Where is it? Maybe I'll check it out sometime.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ElephantSack

One of those pictures from the West looks like Skyline Drive.

If you mean the one with the guard rail in it, that's I-64. Not sure I've ever been on Skyline Drive. They charge you like $15 to get on it, don't they?

OceanAndSilence · 01-03-2010, 02:59 PM

Neptune

01-02-2010, 08:44 AM	#322 (permalink)
Ronnie Jane Devo moon shoes Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 57	Some pics of where I live: A nice view of the Richmond "skyline" from a footbridge that crosses the James River. Another shot of the James River (from Belle Island) looking toward the center of town. Here you can see the footbridge where I took the previous shot, suspended from the automobile bridge. Some of the more interesting architecture on the Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) campus. Those ugly window-mounted air conditioners are everywhere though. One of the nice parks by the river, where the vegetation is so unusually lush you think you're in Louisiana and not Virginia. Next I post pics from farther west. __________________ Last.fm

01-02-2010, 08:50 AM	#323 (permalink)
NumberNineDream Blue Bleezin' Blind Drunk Join Date: Jul 2009 Location: The land of the largest wine glass (aka Lebanon) Posts: 2,200	Really loved that park in your last pic, not many have a river. __________________ Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do cats eat bats? Do cats eat bats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats?Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Do bats eat cats? Welcome to the Black Lodge

01-02-2010, 08:52 AM	#324 (permalink)
Ronnie Jane Devo moon shoes Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Virginia Posts: 57	Some typical countryside in western Virginia, with lots of nice rolling hills. You can find plenty of run-down farm buildings like these too. Camping in the George Washington National Forest, near Staunton. A park near my old home after the big snowstorm this December. We didn't get this kind of snow for like 15 years, and then we got it twice within the past 10 months, haha. Those are all photos I've taken, so there are a few nice areas I haven't included. Lots of historic buildings in Charlottesville because of UVA and all the early Presidents who lived in that area. Staunton is also a pretty town. __________________ Last.fm

01-03-2010, 02:59 PM	#330 (permalink)
OceanAndSilence i write and play stuff Join Date: Sep 2009 Location: Sydney, Australia Posts: 239	Neptune __________________ http://www.myspace.com/chrisneto - tune in to chill out

01-02-2010, 11:13 AM	#325 (permalink)
p7byrd DC expat Join Date: Nov 2009 Location: Frankfurt, Germany Posts: 65	I was born and raised in Seattle, but I live in DC now.

01-03-2010, 09:15 AM	#328 (permalink)
TheCunningStunt love will tear you apart Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Manchester, UK. Posts: 5,107	MANCHESTER LA LA LAAAAAAA