here is one for our southern hemisphere pals

[old tree man]

I put my big size 13 in it this week, talking to a new mate with an Australian accent (so i thought) until he told me he was from new zeland, well i was embarresed to say the least, he was very gracious and forgiving, thanks Jim.
So without trying to sound totally stupid how can you tell the accents apart, i often get called a londoner but i am originally from Kent and my accent is softer than the londoners, especially living up here in yorkshire,

allthe best
Russ

[kiwirach]

i always get asked if i'm an aussie!

the way i describe it to people is our accent is softer than theirs and usually use the words dance or chance as an example....not sure how to type it so it makes sense. we draw the word out more, they clip it to my mind.
i believe also kiwis raise the tone of their voice as they finish a sentence...someone told me that once!.

oh, and have also been asked if i'm a canadian

[Sky]

It's easy once you've lived here and also you can tell whether a kiwi comes from the North or South Island too.
Ozzies sound completely different to me now but it's just a time thing, can't really tell you how I can tell the difference.

[Wombat]

Yup, sound totally different - they have sex between five and seven!

Nev

[Millymollymandy]

Kiwis eat fush n chups on the dick!

[red]

er ys.. my best pal, who is a Kiwi would talk about fush n chups
most sentences end with A?

When she was living here, was when BT brought in its telephone answer machine thingy.. but you had to say the number into the phone to get the message.. she would get 'I'm sorry, I did not quite hear that' and have to try and put on an English accent to get her messages.

[Annpan]

A kiwi friend of mine, Hilin, says that if you listen an Australian talk for more that 5 mins you want to slap them... I doubt that is PC.

I think Australians sound more nasal and say things like 'chuck another on the barbie, this avro'

Of course easiest way is to ask where they are from

[Millymollymandy]

Hilin!

[ina]

I think Australians sound more nasal and say things like 'chuck another on the barbie, this avro'

That's not the kind of thing you want to ask your GP to say, though! I've been wondering for a while where he is from... But we don't talk about fush'n chups, either.

I think I could probably tell the difference if I heard both together.

[MrFalafel]

I believe the protocol is thusly:

If you think someone may be from either Oz or Kiwiland then its' best to ask them if they are from New Zealand as most Ozzies are not offended if they are confused with a Kiwi whereas most Kiwis are offended to be mistaken as an Ozzie.

Also, if you think someone may be from either the USA or Canada its best to ask them if they are from Canada as most Americans are not offended if they are confused with a Canadian whereas most Canadians are offendedto be mistaken as an American.

[mrsflibble]

when i first moved from Nottingham to essex i got asked on an almost daily basis: are you scottish or are you jeordie. I am neither.

I know australians and Nz'ers dont' like it if you mix them up, same as canadians and americans don't like it if you mix them up... and also as a bit of an etiquette lesson; if in belgium, the correct way to ask if someone speaks english is to ask first; in french; if they speak french- you know, just in case they're from the dutch speaking bit. made this faux pass when on holliday in brussels. I went to a burger bar and said "est-ce que vous parlez anglais?" do you speak english? he answered in a rather annoyed tone and with a dutch accent "non, mais je parle français" no, but I do speak french... that's a naïve 17 year old me thoroughly told off.

[Bonniegirl]

Kiwi's say their vowels all wrong!

Here's an example!

50,000 Kiwis meet in Eden Park for a "Kiwis Are Not Stupid Convention.

Helen Clark says, "We are all here today to prove to the world thet Kiwis
are not stupid. Ken I hev a volunteer."

Carlos Spencer (All Black Star) gingerly works his way through the crowd
and steps up to the stage.

Helen asks him, "What uz fufteen plus fufteen?" After fufteen or twinty
seconds Carlos says, "Eighteen!"

Obviously everyone is a little disappointed. Then all 50,000 Kiwis start
chanting, "GUV HUM ANOTHER CHANCE! GUV HUM ANOTHER CHANCE!"

Helen says, "Well sunce we've gone to the trouble of gitting 50,000 of you
un one place end we have the world wide priss end global broadcast media
here, I thunk we ken guv hum another chance."

So she asks, "What uz sivven plus sivven?"

After nearly thirty seconds he eventually says, "Ninety!"

Helen is quite perplexed, looks down and just lets out a dejected sigh -
everyone is disheartened.

Carlos starts crying and the 50,000 Kiwis begin to yell and wave their
hands
shouting, "GUV HUM ANOTHER CHANCE! GUV HUM ANOTHER CHANCE!"

Helen, unsure whether or not she is doing more harm than good, eventually
says, "Ok! Ok! Just one more chance...What uz two plus two?"

Carlos closes his eyes, and after a whole minute eventually says, "Four!"

Throughout the stadium pandemonium breaks out as all 50,000 Kiwis jump to
their feet, wave their arms, stamp their feet and scream "GUV HUM ANOTHER
CHANCE! GUV HUM ANOTHER CHANCE!"

[kiwirach]

not sure if i should or at that one bonniegirl....am also struggling with the 'carlos started to cry' . the funny thing is....to my mind, thats exactly how Helen speaks

its been so long since i had real fish n chips, i'd forgotten thats something that we say that gets poked fun at!.

dont ever call me an australian..... ....tis bad enough my sister married one and has then become a citizen . i'm of the ' i support NZ and anyone playing australia' brigade!!

[green-girl]

I have a few kiwi friends who call a pool a "pull", they pronounce their "i" more like "ee" or "u"

Ask about an esky - if they don't know what it is or call it a "chully bun" then they aren't Aussie! :)

[Bonniegirl]