Me and My Southern Accent

I should really be used to it by now but I still find it funny anyway.

This morning, I was wandering aimlessly at the market just outside my compound trying to find something to eat. That's one more thing that I like about my new house: the market is just a minute away. I thought I hit the jackpot when I saw a vendor selling what seemed like taho. Taho! I had not had taho in ages! It only cost 5mao (half a yuan, which means about P3.50). Thinking how lucky I was, I asked for an order. I wanted to ask the woman to put more arnibal into the taho but was a little too late since she was already tying the translucent plastic. Just to be sure though, I pointed at the brown syrup and asked, "这是甜的吗? (Is this sweet?)," The woman looked at me as if I'd lost my mind. "不是!是酸的. (No! It's sour.)" My eyes widened. I didn't know whether to risk it or just go find something else to buy. "你认为是甜的吗? (Did you think it was sweet?)" I nodded. Curious glances from everyone within three meters. "你是哪里人? (You're a person from which place, or basically, Where are you from?)" I was still too shocked thinking about sour taho that I was not able to answer. How is it possible to have sour taho?! She gave my original taho to the woman beside me and decided to give me the taho without the sour brown liquid, telling me to just put sugar in it if I wanted it sweet. "行. (Ok)," I said, dazed. As I was about to go, I heard the curious onlookers talking about me. "是南方人. (A Southern person or She's from the South.)," said the woman's husband. I turned back to look at him then said, "什么?我是菲侓宾人. (What? I'm a Filipino.)" Exclamations of surprise from everyone within hearing distance. I then went home, not forgetting to buy sugar from the corner grocery store before going up the six flights of stairs.

So there I was, watching "Sylvia" and putting sugar on my taho as I contemplate on my Southern accent.

Of course it is not at all surprising, having learned Chinese from Southern people as I was growing up. But for the life of me, I can't tell the difference! I can't hear my accent! I know, I know, it's because I'm so used to it and all. But just for a moment, I want to hear how I sound like and how it's different from the way most people sound in this part of China. And if I do go to the South, I'm sure they'll hear some other weird accent from me too.

When I first came here, Wendy once commented that Jesse, another foreign teacher at the time, sounded like a child when he spoke Chinese. I asked if I also sounded like a child. She said no, maybe someone from a different part of China. I did not ask her to be more specific as I didn't really know much about Chinese geography, much less their accents.

Recently, I asked Lynn if I sounded like a foreigner if I talk in Chinese. She said no. I sounded like someone from the South. "Oh-kaaay..." I said as I chewed on this piece of information. "But I like it," she was quick to add, probably afraid that she offended me. "I like listening to you talk in Chinese. Very soft." "Hmm..." I said. "Men like it too. That's why Andy..." I was already laughing so hard she didn't get to finish her sentence. She likes teasing me about men and Andy, in particular. The first Andy.

Anyway, that made me realize why people like repeating what I say in a sing-song tone. Or sometimes they talk to me with an exaggeratedly weird accent. It never made much sense before. I knew it had something to do with the way I sound but it's clearer now that it's because I sound "soft." Sorry, maybe this only makes sense to me.

Sometimes I wonder if I'm doing my ancestors injustice by denying to have come from the South. But then again, it would be hard to claim that I am from a place that I've never been to. So until that day, I will have to content myself with my Southern accent.