Does Learning A New Language As A Missionary Ever Alter One’s Accent For The Rest Of Their Life?

[malkie]

Speaking English, my parents told me that I had somewhat of a Mexican accent about three-quarters of the way through my mission (2nd Christmas). I did not believe them until I got transferred to another area and was given a similar remark by my new, American companion.

When I got home, I needed my Dad to translate what I said for other people for about a week-and-a-half because I had a hard time coming up with the words in English.

Within about a month-and-a-half of getting home, however, I was speaking English normally. My accent certainly is not affected by my mission now (a decade later).

My daughter served a mission to a South American country and also has trouble transitioning back to English after speaking Spanish.

I think that this is a fairly common experience for anyone who speaks more than one language. I know someone who was born and brought up in Mexico, and who is fluent in English and now living in Canada. Sometimes when I ask for help with Spanish, the reply is "wait, give me a minute - I don't remember."

I speak French & Spanish equally well/badly. I've met and tried to converse with French speakers in Mexico and have found that a couple of weeks in a Spanish-speaking environment temporarily all but destroys my ability to speak French.

But no amount of exposure to Spanish or French seems to have any effect on my speaking of English with a Scottish accent. Of course, by reputation us Scots don't like to give anything away - even our accent

[Philo Sofee]

You blooty blokes know nothin. I went ta Missoureh, and the chaps theh knocked me accent out inta the blimy riveh! I can't blinkerin straigthen er out fer the coin in me pockets!

[Everybody Wang Chung]

You blooty blokes know nothin. I went ta Missoureh, and the chaps theh knocked me accent out inta the blimy riveh! I can't blinkerin straigthen er out fer the coin in me pockets!

You are on a roll today Phio!!

[sansfoy]

I've only ever heard this idea of forgetting to speak one's native language (or other fluently spoken language) within the LDS community, by returned missionaries and the like, with rare exceptions. I did know a woman who claimed to have forgotten her native German even though she still had a German accent, but in her case she'd come over as a teenager in the 1950s and never had much chance to speak German again.

But the idea that you can be more than momentarily stymied by the switch between languages is. . .strange. I face this in limited ways, as in a few seconds or a few minutes maybe, or perhaps slipping in erroneous words for as long as an hour if I've been immersed in, say, Spanish, and need to switch to Portuguese, which is so closely related it almost feels like a dialect of the same Iberian language. Beyond that, I have a hard time thinking someone would have a difficult time speaking their native language just because they'd been on a mission, and let's be honest, most foreign missionaries find ways to speak plenty of English.

[Jersey Girl]

sansfoy? Do I know you?

[PseudoPaul]

I served a foreign mission and had to learn a new language. During the several decades I’ve been back, my native English accent has never once been affected.

If any of you have had the opportunity to listen to Daniel C. Peterson speak, you’ll notice he has a distinct Eastern/Bostonian accent.

Well, starting at the 8:40 minute mark, DCP finally explains the origin of his weird accent. Apparently it started on his mission after DCP learned German so well. Learning “perfect” German altered his English accent for the rest of his life.

https://podcasts.google.com/feed/aHR0cH ... HQAAAAAQAQ

Has anyone ever heard of such a thing happening to a missionary? Call me skeptical. I think the better explanation is that DCP is lying and his accent is completely fake. DCP fakes his accent to sound more intellectual — a sort of cheap imitation of his racist hero, William F. Buckley.

Strange and bizarre but par for the course with DCP.

No. Once you come home you quickly shed any accent you acquired. This has to be an intentional affect. It's kind of like Sting (the singer) - he intentionally changed his accent to a more sophisticated one once he became famous.

[sansfoy]

sansfoy? Do I know you?

I think you might.

[Philo Sofee]

sansfoy? Do I know you?

I think you might.

If you know Jersey Girl, yer just all right in my book!

[Jersey Girl]

sansfoy? Do I know you?

I think you might.

sans my old friend!!!

Gunnar and I are down in the Paradise Forum. Really we are.

[Jersey Girl]

I think you might.

If you know Jersey Girl, yer just all right in my book!

Hey I know people.