h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I can absorb accents and dialects and all that stuff - it's a side-effect of being an Army brat. Basically: camoflage.

But, I generally speak a sort of toned down BBC English from choice. No idea why that is (or it could have been spending my primary school years in Windsor, and the teenage years in a horribly posh boarding school)

You don't have a Yorkshire accent? Shame on you!

I'm a missionary. Haven't lived in God's Own Country since I was a wee babby.

I do put it on sometimes, though, in pubs and things when we're out and about up north. Especially if anyone has commented on the Sheffield Wednesday Owl tattoo...

Mostly, however, I had any traces of an accent kicked out of me early on as a kid. I learned very quickly that neutral was best, unless you really had to assimilate, then I had one accent for play and one accent for home.

Speaking of that, though - have you noticed any changes in your personality when you use different dialects? I've found I'm more outgoing in English

sorry Mala I've not been around.I hope everything works out for you You have been through some times lately. Take care of your self

Oddly enough, I was thinking about that the other day, Mal. I think I say things in German it probably wouldn't even occur to me to say in English.

Well, I'm a LOT more sarcastic in English. Probably I'm nicer in German, not sure though. You tell me?

Although...I suppose it's only natural for personality to change when speaking a language that calls nipples 'breast warts'.

I wish I spoke such a poetic language.

I just told K that, and he found it much more amusing than his previous favorite, "handschuhen".

I do find myself seriously in want of a dark rum and some fresh fish'n'chips when the Newfanese strikes.

My favourite German word used to be Schadenfreude.

Actually, it still is

See, language forms thinking

And what about your Dutch persona? What's she like?

Mostly annoyed by my father, I don't speak much Dutch except to him

Ah. Exasperated, then.

phew! For a minute there I thought you were talking to me - since a lot of Germans think I speak German with a Dutch accent. But I don't.

People usually guess I'm from Finland no matter which language I'm speaking

But my Dutch sounds German simply because it's Haags - the vowels are a lot more German there than elsewhere.

Riiiight - the latest lab results are back. But they're only sending them to my GP, not to me ("to save postage" ) and my GP is on holiday until the end of the week...

I'm trying to find a bright side for you to look on - the best I can come up with is that, after all their time-wasting and procrastination, you can be sure it's nothing fatal, or you'd have died long ago!

Thinking twice about posting that. Hope you don't take it amiss.