It’s pretty weird knowing your children are effortlessly mastering a language that you are still grappling with after some years of study. Weirder still; I am absolutely deaf to their developing accent – that of Provence. Is it to the Parisiens what a Geordie accent is to Londoners? Or a Texan accent to New Yorkers? Husband reckons it’s a sing-songy accent, influenced by the proximity to Italy.
What I can spot though is the classic ‘eng’ ending in Provence-speak. Thus demeng mateng at the boulangerie I will buy some peng. If you get my drift.
I totally agree with you! My time in Provence was wonderful and I felt that I was prepared language-wise for a study semester abroad...but, once I got off the plane and heard all of the "eng" s I was stumped! So, its not "je voudrais du pain?" its "je voudrais du peng"? Oh la la! Then, there's the extra syllable placed at the end for words that end in an "e". Musique becomes musica for instance. I did pick up on that and its remained. Since I'm from the States, most Parisians write it off as being close to Quebec (which I am) and never think that its from their own country of the sparkling, charming and laid-back Provence.
Posted by: rspring | June 09, 2007 at 06:42 AM