Your accent is something that other people hear so when I see eyes being raised in a quizzical way I know that I have to speak slower or even use a different word - I find an English one normally helps.
The Scottish accent is well known the world over through the media of cinema and television with the likes of Sir Sean Connery, Ewan
Mcgregor, Billy Connelly and sadly Willie the ground keeper at Springfield Elementary School
As a young(ish) sales rep. I was sent on a mission to sell a new concept to the Aberdeen agricultural market.On my very first call I was greeted with the phrase " Furry boots ya frae? and then a few fits and starts which led me to think I had crossed over into a strange foreign country. I came to understand the greeting was simply a request to know where I'd come from or who had sent me -"Where abouts are you from?"
Others I came to learn were:
Fit like? - How are you?
Fitya selling? - What are you selling?
Far hiv ya bin? - Where have you been?
We recently had a couple from the Isle of Skye staying at 'Les Balcons', the husband was originally from Aberdeen and he recalled the time when he was travelling on the bus and two local woman were chatting away in front of an English couple who were heard to say that "You would not expect to find Russians here in Aberdeen - must be the oil."
I've had a few moments myself. When Pauline and I visited Copenhagen many years ago we dropped into a small cellar bar where we heard the sound of 'The Eagles' drifting up to the street above. There was an American singing and after sitting down and being entertained he noticed me singing along and asked if I'd like to come and accompany him. As I began to speak to him he said that he would have to apologise as he did not speak Danish - I reassured him, in my best English, that this wasn't a problem, as neither did I!
Below is an example of the 'Doric' accent -apologies for some of the language!!
I'm now smiling! ;o))
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