Hey Alicia…thanks for a great read (I’m looking at upgrading as respect you need to be paid for your great writing talent and your time). Just wanted to make a wee suggestion if I may…re your accent woes.
I worked a lot in Australia, nursing in 4 different states eventually, and quite a bit of it in ED in big busy hospitals in Sydney. What I learned is that us Kiwis keep our teeth together and mumble, quite fast…so our vowel shortened accent is even harder to understand by the poor Aussies!! Sick people struggle to take stuff in anyway so it’s even more important to be understood, to be clear. Yes like you I’m a fast and full talker too! BUT what worked was not so much worrying about the accent (you can’t change that so just be a proud Kiwi!) and instead focus on “how” you are talking. Yes slow down but the key is to ENUNCIATE! Unclench the teeth and pronounce the words more deliberately. Don’t overthink it or it’ll sound like you’re on drugs!! Just enunciate more …as Kiwis don’t enough. It worked for me and i apparently even developed a bit of an Aussie accent to boot. I have often been told I’m easier to understand for a Kiwi…and even now (been home for 10yrs) when I’m clearly explaining something, the Aussie accent comes thru (I’m told). My enunciation journey in Australia made me a better speaker…Boom!😊💃😎
“Not only do I have what an Australian client once called “the thickest New Zealand accent I’ve heard, it’s quite remarkable” I also speak a million miles in hour when I’m excited, peppered with a string of constant profanity. (Another quote, from a writing workshop buddy this week: “It’s been really interesting talking to you. You say the word fuck more than any woman I’ve ever met.”) … Thanks, I guess?“
Hey Alicia…thanks for a great read (I’m looking at upgrading as respect you need to be paid for your great writing talent and your time). Just wanted to make a wee suggestion if I may…re your accent woes.
I worked a lot in Australia, nursing in 4 different states eventually, and quite a bit of it in ED in big busy hospitals in Sydney. What I learned is that us Kiwis keep our teeth together and mumble, quite fast…so our vowel shortened accent is even harder to understand by the poor Aussies!! Sick people struggle to take stuff in anyway so it’s even more important to be understood, to be clear. Yes like you I’m a fast and full talker too! BUT what worked was not so much worrying about the accent (you can’t change that so just be a proud Kiwi!) and instead focus on “how” you are talking. Yes slow down but the key is to ENUNCIATE! Unclench the teeth and pronounce the words more deliberately. Don’t overthink it or it’ll sound like you’re on drugs!! Just enunciate more …as Kiwis don’t enough. It worked for me and i apparently even developed a bit of an Aussie accent to boot. I have often been told I’m easier to understand for a Kiwi…and even now (been home for 10yrs) when I’m clearly explaining something, the Aussie accent comes thru (I’m told). My enunciation journey in Australia made me a better speaker…Boom!😊💃😎
Lol … soul sister!
This totally resonates 🤬🤬🤬🗣️🗣️🗣️
Speaking more slowly
“Not only do I have what an Australian client once called “the thickest New Zealand accent I’ve heard, it’s quite remarkable” I also speak a million miles in hour when I’m excited, peppered with a string of constant profanity. (Another quote, from a writing workshop buddy this week: “It’s been really interesting talking to you. You say the word fuck more than any woman I’ve ever met.”) … Thanks, I guess?“