What if I Suck?

Rev. Steve · Post by **Rev. Steve** » January 16th, 2006, 1:04 pm

It is off topic � but since you asked...

Do Americans have a love hate relationship with the Southern Accent.

It�s a fine question Stephan. And I think the answer is a resounding yes. But I think that it has to do with a variety of factors � none the least of which is that there are a PLETHORA of variations on the southern dialect. Some of them are simply ghastly � sort of like what many Germans think of listening to folks from Berlin � some of them cause us to deduct IQ points from the speaker, and some of them are so sweet and lovely we wish we could listen to them all day long. Unfortunately the bad ones seem to be the most prevalent (and not confined to the south � my wife and I refer to it as the �standard issue hick" accent) and I think this is one of the reasons that a movement has started amongst many southerners to get rid of there southern accents all together. On the other hand, many English teachers have declared that all English is equally valuable, despite poor enunciation and limited, or significantly unique vocabulary, or other deviations from �normal.� But I think that is just a ploy to justify themselves with their British counterparts.

So yes � I think it is a love hate thing... and once you hear a really nasty Southern dialect, you will understand why. Of course � everyone�s view of what �really nasty� is, is different.

LibraryLady · Post by **LibraryLady** » January 16th, 2006, 1:22 pm

Stephan, "nice" is often used as a sort of slang here with a meaning similar to "awesome." It's much like the often used "sweet" to express that you really like something. I suspect that was Hugh's intention.

Southern accents... Oh, how I love southern accents. My dad is from Arkansas and all his family is there. I love that Arkansas drawl, it's very comforting to me. But I think there are many people that automatically associate a southern accent with low intelligence, hence the love/hate relationship that many people have. And of course some people with southern accents do have low intelligence, but probably no more than people with no accent! One thing I love about Eugene is that he's got a southern accent yet he is very intelligent and wise.

Stephan · Post by **Stephan** » January 16th, 2006, 2:56 pm

Thanks. Its really interesting.
Off topic? Where else to chat. Wanna create a topic for it?
I�d love to read a little manual about this tongue.

Say ain�t as oft'n as you can.
Speak like ya rolling chew-tobacco in ya cheek.
Replace "their" wi' "them" - heck, don' care 'bout them pronoun things at all.
An' prop'r endins are just too much work aroun' hea.

I could give you a funny read about one of our peculiariest german accents. Too bad you don't know german - i could make you laugh.

"Damitze gleich zu lernen f�ngs, sollze ersma dat Lexikon mit die voll oft gebrauchten W�rters lesen."
...is viable spoken german.

RobertG · Post by **RobertG** » January 16th, 2006, 9:31 pm

Wow. I've been flying and doing other less interesting business stuff all day and was surprised to see so much reaction to what was essentially a public service message! Well... maybe it was more than that.

First, I have been engaged with dialogues with Eugene for many years. He is a very real side of myself, of course. Otherwise, he would be less than convincing. Rest assured, Stephan, I will be doing more interviews. Topics are still TBD but I'm not sure he would have much to say about file sharing.

This is not the place to get into all this, I was just trying to reassure new readers. But let me touch on this subject of accent.

Eugene's accent is from the Texas/Oklahoma region of the midwest, not from the deep south. I imagine it would find a home in Arkansas and Missouri, too.

Second of all, it is not a made up accent and Eugene may mangle a phrase or two but is nobody's fool. I was born in Dallas, Texas in 1953. My father grew up on a tenant farm during the Great Depression in Lake Dallas (south Denton County) and I have ancestors buried in Old Shiloh Cemetary outside of Corinth, Texas that go back to the mid-1800's. They originally came over from Missouri. I have cousins who have a much heavier accent than Eugene. You wouldn't understand a word they were saying, though English be your native language.

My mother's side of the family are New Englanders, principally from Massachusetts. One of my ancestors on that side (Wrisley, also known as Risley) was one of the founders of Hartford, Connecticut. Their accents are completely different than Eugene's.

From the time I was born until the day I graduated high school, we lived a nomadic life. I went to eight different schools. My places of residence were (in order): Dallas TX - Beaumont TX - Norfolk VA - Boston MA - Newport RI - Dallas TX - San Diego CA - Blackfoot ID - Toledo OR - Seattle WA.

In my adult life, I have traveled to Asia, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East. And I love going to Canada! (There you go, Hugh.)

My accent is authentic. I did not learn it from listening to too many "You Know You Are Redneck If..." tapes!

Glad you enjoyed the interview.

Now let this thread stand for what it was originally intended for! Eugene would be embarassed by so much attention.

Robert

Stephan · Post by **Stephan** » January 16th, 2006, 10:10 pm

Hey, i've visited two places where you've grown up

Thanks again robert, for asking Eugene. How about creating a login for him?

purplecow · Post by **purplecow** » April 22nd, 2006, 10:02 pm

GordMackenzie wrote: 1) Enjoy the sound of your own voice.

That's the hardest one for me to get over; I hate the way my voice sounds. When I first started reading books-on-tape for the blind, I could not bear to listen to my own recordings, even to check them. Every time I heard my voice, I wanted to cry.

After a while, I started realizing that short of surgery, there's nothing that can change the way I sound; and more importantly, that neither my friends nor my clients seem to care much about the sound of my voice (I am a math tutor - I make my living by talking). So, I'm forcing myself to listen to my own recordings to desensitise myself, as it were; and trying to concentrate on the audience (I hope there is one...)

I do care about not sucking; and I re-record things several times to make sure I get everything right. I try to read with expression and enunciate properly and all that. But I can't change the way I sound; and I'm learning to live with the voice I've got.

Larisa

Yakumo · Post by **Yakumo** » June 13th, 2006, 3:13 pm

The reasons I got started with Librivox are that not only does it give me something worthwhile to do with my time, but a place like this is just what I need to develop a small hobby for myself. As an undergrade in collage with no practical skill getting a degree in philosophy, it feels great to contribute to a project like Librivox, were I can learn some practical skills (recording and editing) with the friendly support of the forums. I am also doing something that compliments my love of literature and education.

The fear of sucking is a very real thing, I am not used to hearing my own voice and it sounds odd at best, but the great thing about Librivox is that anyone who is willing to contribute can do so. Their acceptance is guaranteed without reservation and their comments and support are always welcome.

to be honest, I had great reservations about joining for a long while because I was afraid that I would suck too badly, but my enthusiasm for the philosophy behind Librivox and the supportiveness of the forums won me over. I watched the forums for quite some time, became a member and saw that Librivox was every bit as inclusive as it aspired to be and that to appreciate Librivox fully, I needed to become a member and contribute in a greater capacity.

cheers to Librivox

Stephan · Post by **Stephan** » June 13th, 2006, 3:23 pm

to be honest, I had great reservations about joining for a long while because I was afraid that I would suck too badly, but my enthusiasm for the philosophy behind librivox and the suportivness of the forums won me over. I watched the forums for quite some time, became a member and saw that librivox was every bit as inclusive as it aspired to be and that to apreciate librivox fully, I needed to become a member and contribute in a greater capacity.

I don't know your voice, but you, sir, can write.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » August 5th, 2006, 12:47 am

I'm feeling somewhat bad about returning a section to the pool for Don Quixote. It wasn't that I did not have enough time to record the chapters, because I did record them. It wasn't because they were in Spanish, because I have studied the novel in its original language. It was because, when I listened to the recordings, I thought my Spanish sounded HIDEOUS. I did submit one short little section in Spanish, but couldn't bring myself to do the rest.

So, is this a) vanity? b) fear and dread of ridicule? c) perfectionism? It's weird, but this is the first time I've ever been embarrassed about my gringo accent in Spanish. I don't know what's got into me. As my late father used to say, "You are your own worst judge." Was he right?

Stephan · Post by **Stephan** » August 5th, 2006, 1:01 am

Hang on a sec, i know somebody who you need to talk to....

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » August 5th, 2006, 5:07 am

Stephan wrote:Hang on a sec, i know somebody who you need to talk to....

Yes...?

a.r.dobbs · Post by **a.r.dobbs** » August 5th, 2006, 9:35 am

Hey hi Sandra!

Um... it's funny you should be holding onto some Don Q files that you've already recorded and worked quite hard on.
Because um, so am I.

Stephan thinks you need to talk to me (he pointed your post out to me), but very interestingly, I actually need to talk to you!!
I've recorded a couple portions of the English translation of DQ at least three times in full ... and they're really pretty long. I too, submitted one short piece, the section that's about 15 minutes long, after the poems section and before the author's intro.
Now the ultimate coincidence would be if those are exactly the same sections that you're holding onto (in the Spanish)! Are they?? I should go look at the thread, but I'll just ask.
I've even edited nearly all of what I'd recorded for the at least third time.
And now I've been seriously considering starting all over again.

I don't speak Spanish -- solemente un pocito pocito -- but what do you say to our swapping files sometime soon and advising each other? I think you might not go for this because it's your Spanish pronunciation that concerns you. For that my opinion would be worth not much. I think for that it'd be ideal to have a native speaker from Cervantes' hometown

and a European student of Spanish listen in and offer their insights.

We both have to decide what's the point at which we'd be willing to let our poor, insufficiently-appreciated-by-us readings go into the book, into the catalogue, out into the public ear. [Long pause] When we've worked hard on them? Then now. When we're satisfied with them? Then never.

And believe me, I wouldn't share these files -- while I'm making this decision myself -- with anyone that I didn't think was as . . . particular

. . . as myself. Because I know folks would say, you know, get over it, why are you holding this hostage, if you think that's bad ..., you're nuts, etc.

Whaddaya think?
By the way, if that really doesn't appeal to you, how's about you set these underappreciated files aside for a week while you record something else in the forum, anything else that appeals to you but that's pretty short so it could be completed in the next week. And after that one is all done and submitted, you sit down and listen again to these files.

Then be honest: Are you willing to make it possible that . . . someone Even More Critical than You might listen to the file someday in the future and think something unkind about it?

Anita

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » August 5th, 2006, 9:55 am

Heh heh, that's pretty much it! Someone even more critical than I might say mean things about my Spanish. You hit the nail on the head.

And it has happened before, but it never much bothered me before. I've always been able to make myself understood in Spanish. After all, I'm a native speaker of English, so people can expect to hear a foreign accent. Personally, I find foreign accents charming, so why shouldn't someone else? It doesn't make sense, I admit. Some weird form of self-loathing perhaps?

It is also possible that this has happened because it is the first time in all the years of my life that I've ever heard my recorded voice speaking Spanish. When I first started recording for LibriVox, I wasn't thrilled with the sound of my own recorded voice in English, and I'm still not, but it doesn't seem so, well.... dreadful as it does in Spanish.

I have not destroyed the recordings, however. I will take your advice, leave them alone for another week, maybe give them a listen when I'm in a particularly good mood and see what happens. Also I should consider the fact that Don Quixote is meant to be a funny story, so a silly accent might not be so bad.

The one Spanish recording that I submitted, Capitulo 41, is filed wherever the Don Quixote Vol. 1 files are kept. I think it was done before I discovered noise reducing techniques with my software, making the situation even worse. If you can't find the file there, I can send you a link.

I know our recordings are entirely volunteer stuff, but I hesitate to submit a recording that I believe to be inferior. Others out there trying to record in a language not originally your own: Are any of you suffering similiar vicissitudes of self-criticism? How do you overcome it?

PS: It could be most enlightening if we trade recordings to see how we each sound to the other, Anita. We might find we are not so dreadful as we fear. I hope.

Stephan · Post by **Stephan** » August 5th, 2006, 10:42 am

I can noiseredux and sweeten your files if it helps you a bit to be ok with your recordings. We don't want to see all your manpower/workhours go to the wastebin.

Sandra · Post by **Sandra** » August 5th, 2006, 11:13 am

My specific problem with the Spanish readings:

When one is rattling away in Spanish, often one comes to a tangle of consonants such as -l, -d, or -n followed by (or preceded by) a trilled -r sound. It doesn't seem like much, but I am finding it horrendous when I listen to myself attempting it.

Here's a horrendous example:

Carlos corre alrededor del rio. (Cringe!)

Do you know of any native Spanish-speaking Librivox members? If I could persuade one to listen to a sample and give an honest opinion, this might help. Perhaps my pronunciation isn't as dreadful as I think. And perhaps it is worse. Only one way to find out! Where I live here in Wales, I know of no one who is a native Spanish-speaker.

�Hay alguien aqu� natural de un pa�s donde la gente es hispano-hablante?