Accent

When I went to college, my northern Plains accent came out in contrast to my new friends from different parts of the United States. One person in particular liked to laugh at my o's and how the words ''bag'' and ''beg'' came out indistinguishable. It's frustrating when someone replies to your statement with ''can you say 'roof' again?" instead of following the conversation. They're not really listening to what you're saying, but how you are saying it.

A new language, in my experience, always brings a new accent. A new way to sound consonants, certain vowel shapes used to the exclusion of others. Sounds may be indicated by a certain letter that you're used to in your alphabet, but it's not pronounced the same way as in your native tongue. "Todo" (Spanish for all) does not sound like the name of Dorothy's dog, and if you say it that way, people are going to step back, blink, and say to themselves, "wow, did she really say that?"

In your native language, regional differences in accents are normal and to be expected. When you learn a new language and disregard the accent, I think it borders on impertinence. You are a guest to a new language, a new culture. You should not come in as if you are elbowing your way through the language.

I am not a linguist (though I think some training in this discipline would not only help my speech but also my thoughts in this regard) I think about Spanish a lot, as I am daily immersed in it. I'd like to think that I've developed certain aspects of cultural sensitiveity, one of which being careful of how I say what I say. I often mess up and am grateful for the continued patience of my team, friends, and acquaintances here. But what I'm trying to say is listen to how you say things. These languages have been in existence a lot longer than you have. It takes patience to hear the subtle difference between what the native speaker says and how you're saying it, but you should still listen.