Children's accents/pronunciation of words

Gatta Matta - in Australia we have almost no variance in local accent - and we are also in some cases 8 hours flight to get to a country other than Australia. I've often wondered whether that is why I often struggle so much with accents - and its something fairly common with some Aussies who have not spent a lot of time travelling. Not that we don't have anyone with an accent in Australia - but they are usually nowhere near as pronounced as they are when I travelled anywhere else. As language is something that is developed during childhood, and particular before the age of 5 - I guess it would make sense that if you are not exposed to deciphering accents at a young age that it would also be something that would be more difficult as adults. You there have Hugh Jackman, you are perfect to me.

Gatta Matta - in Australia we have almost no variance in local accent - and we are also in some cases 8 hours flight to get to a country other than Australia. I've often wondered whether that is why I often struggle so much with accents - and its something fairly common with some Aussies who have not spent a lot of time travelling. Not that we don't have anyone with an accent in Australia - but they are usually nowhere near as pronounced as they are when I travelled anywhere else. As language is something that is developed during childhood, and particular before the age of 5 - I guess it would make sense that if you are not exposed to deciphering accents at a young age that it would also be something that would be more difficult as adults.

I am following this conversation with interest because I learnt English and French at school and even if I am quite fluent and have spent long periods of time in English and French speaking countries, I am well aware of the fact that I am far from being perfect. I will go off topic here, you all are warned, excuse me in advance. Anyway I am just being inspired by this thread, I am not replying to anyone in particular. What I am finding interesting and confirms a sort of prejudice (and I am using the term prejudice on purpose, because I know that this is not fully true and I just want to share a different perspective, without offending anyone), that Italians have towards native English people is how "spoiled" they sometimes are in not being forced to learn a second or a third language since childhood, thus maybe loosing the ability of understanding and making themselves understood by people who learnt their language later or in a non native enironment. What I mean is that, for example, I know so many English speaking people who have been living in Italy for years, if not decades, if not a lifetime, whose Italian is still heavily accented or incorrect, much much worse in some cases than the alterations I hear by non English native people who speak English, but we can still understand them and we are so kind to them that they think their Italian is perfect (it never is, at least the pronounciation never is)... and in some cases even English husbands (my sister's) who do not even bother to learn the Italian wife's mother tongue... and we tend to think, when we are not understood:"oh come on, they understand perfectly, they just pretend not to, because they are so snob!". In such cases I used to snap at people,asking them if they preferred to speak Italian, French, Latin or ancient Greek instead of English if my English is so bad! Only Later I have started to think that it is not due to their being rude or snob or whatever, at least not for the English (for the French I am still investigating :D): they really DO NOT understand, and it is confirmed also in some posts here. So why do we? is it a matter of attitude? does this depend on the fact that even among ourselves our local dialects in Italy are so different from each other that we often need subtitles to understand regional movies? or by the fact that sivnce childhood we are exposed (at least in Rome, where I come from) to a very mixed and really multicultural and tolerant environment? I really do not know but this is why I said I would be so happy to have Esperanto back!

Molly - I've had a few of those situations also. There is only so many times you can ask someone to repeat - then you either have to tell them you cant understand whatsoever, or just take a guess at the answer pretending you understood :) I really don't have any advice. Usually I find that the people I cannot understand are ones who speak fast and mumble. Usally when someone slows down and makes the effort to enunciate each sound clearly, most accents become intelligible enough. When I speak to people who have thick accents or limited english I naturally speak a little slower and enunciate each sounds more clearly to make it easier to follow. I think some people assume that if we speak native english we should be able to decipher their english easily and they dont put the effort into making their speech more clear. When I couldnt understand one of DH's friends once when he started English classes he told DH it was because my English was not good enough! lol ETA - I don't know if you could just ask them politely to speak more slowly, or if its face to face to write it down. Usually body language is a big help, which makes phone convos harder. The gas station guy asked me the other day "Ruhssipt, ma'mam"? After a couple of "pardons?" he made a writing type gesture and it clicked he was asking if I need a receipt :) <em>edited by SlobberKnocker on 19/01/2012</em>

I was taught good manners and usually try to listen carefully to other people and It's good to hear other parents teach their children to do the same. However, my point is, if you can't understand what a person is saying, and no matter how many times you stop and say, pardon; excuse me, can you say that again, I don't understand, and still can't get the gist of a conversation, then there's a problem with that particular individual's accent. Before anyone jumps, my husband's first language is Arabic and we both agree that certain individual people's accents are totally unintelligible, regardless of how perfect their English grammar may be or how educated they are. What I would really like to know is, what would you do in these circumstances as I usually just want to drop through the floor and disappear, especially in social situations. Answers will be gratefully received as it is a Thursday! <em>edited by Molly on 19/01/2012</em>

and omg at the poster who actually corrects her[i'> husband[/i'>...blimey, would like to be a fly on the wall in[i'> that[/i'> house lolol Referring to me, by any chance? When he's talking to DS and says 'we done' or 'I seen' then yes, I'll point out it's incorrect. I don't want DS growing up saying 'we done' or 'I seen' because it's incorrect. It's not slang, it's not regional, it's incorrect. If I say something incorrectly, I'd like someone to point it out to me so I don't make the same mistake again. I once told a friend what was wrong with my car - the chief gasket was blown - and he never tires of reminding me of that one! Come on round any time and watch the fireworks :D.

I have friends of many nationalities and if English is not their native language we have the time, because it's a friendship, to communicate at our own pace. I'm talking about the many frustrating and embarrassing phone calls I've had over the years, particularly in customer service, where a person could possibly have been perfectly grammatically correct, but because of a certain accent (for me) I've not been able to understand a word of the conversation. In this case I would prefer a clearer accent and some grammatical mistakes. However, if it was in a professional capacity then I would expect both. <em>edited by Molly on 19/01/2012</em>

My question is: If you can't understand an accent how can you hear the words? I still cannot understand DH's accent sometimes. He was taught English by a spanish person - so often his English is like someone with a thick arab accent speaking english in a foney spanish accent. Often one accent is tricky enough let alone two. Added to that, he confuses ch/sh, p/b and often mispronounces word - even without one accent let alone two it would be difficult to decifer.

I really don't understand why so many people get riled up by this thread. It all boils down to your own personal parenting choice, I don't really think there is a right or wrong answer here. It's only natural that some parents want their children to adopt the same accents and certain slang words, likewise if a parent feels the need for their children to have a British/American accent because they think it is most advantageous to them. I love living in the UAE because of the many different accents I hear around me, I personally don't have a hard time understanding people simply because of their accent but maybe its just me. I think that accents tell alot of where you came from, where you have lived etc, it gives you a sense of belonging so no wonder some parents are concerned about the implications of how their kids pronounce certain words. I don't have children, but if I do, they would be learning my mother tongue regardless of where we live, simply because I see that as a part of who they are, no different with parents preferring their children to adopt their own accent. On the other side of the fence, there are certain accents which seem to sound more 'naturally English' than others, I don't want the PC brigade on me so I'll leave it at that. But speaking from personal experience at interviews, I have heard many relieved comments from potential employers about how 'I don't sound at all (insert my nationality)'. Does it bother me? Not really, I like my accent and I'm fluent in my native languages, at the end of the day I would much rather be able to speak 5 different languages albeit with an accent compared to a sole native English tongue. My point is, it all boils down to your personal preferences, so just live and let live.

My question is: If you can't understand an accent how can you hear the words?

This is a choice we make for our child. Like with any parenting choice - its made due to the experiences of both parents and what they feel is best based on that. Its really of no consequence to anyone else - and what you do with your own child is of no consequence to me, because your child is someone completely different and the choice you make are based on an entire life full of experiences that are different to ours. If its not important to you - honestly, whats the big deal if it is to anyone else. Some things that are important to you will be silly to me. Thats life - get on with it. Some people float around on the boards offering nothing but criticism or judgement to others. Its such an interesting topic, with such varying opinions and views. Its just such a shame on this board that some people feel it is their role to read through approve whether everyone else's opinion is valuable or valid based solely on whether its the same opinion as their own. Are you like that with your children? <em>edited by SlobberKnocker on 19/01/2012</em>

Slobber, English isn't one language; what is taught as being grammatically correct in the US is not in every way the same as what is taught as being correct in the UK (can't off the top of my head remember any examples, and they are at the more obscure edges of grammar, but they exist). And there is a difference between what is taught as correct grammar and the spoken English of the classroom. An English teacher could well teach the difference between shall and will, (but if this ever happens I am sure it will be to students at a fairly advanced level) but I simply do not believe that anything close to the majority of UK or Australian primary school teachers use the formally correct word each time in spoken English. "Paining' may not be 'correct' but it is valid dialectical use I am interested in your need for grammar at a later educational stage - rather to my despair (as part of my job involves rewriting things that other people have written) hardly anybody seems to need correct grammar these days (there is one very senior manager I work with whose writing I recognise by the idiosyncratic use of apostrophes....). If you are in fact saying that you only want your children to be taught by people using correct formal English, that is to me quite distinct from saying you don't want them taught by someone who says [b'>to another adult [/b'>'park at the backside of the building' (hardly an egregious error) or talks about a tiffin box (are you suggesting that is 'incorrect'?) which was the post triggering this part of the debate. But it rules out the vast majority of teachers I have come across, however expensive the school. I didn't say it was one language - i said what is considered as formally correct (as apposed to colloquiall/dialectically common) in most countries is mostly [i'>almost[/i'> identical. I never implied bad english is only taught by non-native speakers. I said I myself was taught inadequate english for academic use in Australia. I also said I wouldnt leave my child in a school with an AUS/UK/US English teacher with poor grammar or speaking with slang in an English lesson. It *is* important (in my eyes) if you are teaching grammar that you also speak and expect children to speak what they are learning in order to understand it and feel confident/natural in using it. Day-to-day informal exchanges are completely different to how one would speak or write in a formal or academic setting. My child can learn slang and to "get his meaning understood" without going to school at all. Thats a very low standard to put on an education. Hanging around friends is about learning how to get your meaning understood. School is about how to speak/write formally/academically, and learning how and why the language is what it is and what makes certain things correct or incorrect in an academic sense. No one with enough knowledge to teach academic English would say "paining". Pain is not a verb. You cannot be pain-"ing". If someone teaching English does not understand that fundamental rule of the language or how to put it into practice - the english lesson is not more useful than sitting around talking to friends in the school yard. My experience was somehow ending up in law school at a very competetive university. Every word choice, placement, and punctuation dot was vital. I was rural, slangy and taught based on the premise that all we needed was to get by in day to day informal exchanges. Things like "aint" "my friend and me" went uncorrected.Whilst I did pick up certain things in a more academic environment - sarcastic remarks such as spongemonkeys reference to succinctness are hardly surprising to me - I'm far from an exeptionally articulate person and nor is anyone I was schooled with. Its actually a source of anxiety when speaking in certain settings. DS's father has experienced similar anxiety due to his accent and english errors - and it bothers him if he speaks to people in english and they have to ask him to repeat it over and over until they understand him. Neither of those scenarios are things we wish for our child to have as a barrier in life - so we have specific things we want to get from his education - including grammar, confidence in speaking in all settings to all people, and having an accent and way of speaking that is easy to understand by people who speak that language natively (again, applies to arabic not just english). I Part of my upbringing was being told by my father that people do have 2 ears and 1 mouth and that is for a reason. I myself tend to write in very underwhelming language ( on here) - don't know whether I am lazy or whether I adapt to the time and the place because I certainly have the capacity to write in other ways. My father told me to listen to words not accents, that's what I tell my children.

Part of my upbringing was being told by my father that people do have 2 ears and 1 mouth and that is for a reason . Love the quote by your dad! Your father is a wise man.

Slobber, English isn't one language; what is taught as being grammatically correct in the US is not in every way the same as what is taught as being correct in the UK (can't off the top of my head remember any examples, and they are at the more obscure edges of grammar, but they exist). And there is a difference between what is taught as correct grammar and the spoken English of the classroom. An English teacher could well teach the difference between shall and will, (but if this ever happens I am sure it will be to students at a fairly advanced level) but I simply do not believe that anything close to the majority of UK or Australian primary school teachers use the formally correct word each time in spoken English. "Paining' may not be 'correct' but it is valid dialectical use I am interested in your need for grammar at a later educational stage - rather to my despair (as part of my job involves rewriting things that other people have written) hardly anybody seems to need correct grammar these days (there is one very senior manager I work with whose writing I recognise by the idiosyncratic use of apostrophes....). If you are in fact saying that you only want your children to be taught by people using correct formal English, that is to me quite distinct from saying you don't want them taught by someone who says [b'>to another adult [/b'>'park at the backside of the building' (hardly an egregious error) or talks about a tiffin box (are you suggesting that is 'incorrect'?) which was the post triggering this part of the debate. But it rules out the vast majority of teachers I have come across, however expensive the school. I didn't say it was one language - i said what is considered as formally correct (as apposed to colloquiall/dialectically common) in most countries is mostly [i'>almost[/i'> identical. I never implied bad english is only taught by non-native speakers. I said I myself was taught inadequate english for academic use in Australia. I also said I wouldnt leave my child in a school with an AUS/UK/US English teacher with poor grammar or speaking with slang in an English lesson. It *is* important (in my eyes) if you are teaching grammar that you also speak and expect children to speak what they are learning in order to understand it and feel confident/natural in using it. Day-to-day informal exchanges are completely different to how one would speak or write in a formal or academic setting. My child can learn slang and to "get his meaning understood" without going to school at all. Thats a very low standard to put on an education. Hanging around friends is about learning how to get your meaning understood. School is about how to speak/write formally/academically, and learning how and why the language is what it is and what makes certain things correct or incorrect in an academic sense. No one with enough knowledge to teach academic English would say "paining". Pain is not a verb. You cannot be pain-"ing". If someone teaching English does not understand that fundamental rule of the language or how to put it into practice - the english lesson is not more useful than sitting around talking to friends in the school yard. My experience was somehow ending up in law school at a very competetive university. Every word choice, placement, and punctuation dot was vital. I was rural, slangy and taught based on the premise that all we needed was to get by in day to day informal exchanges. Things like "aint" "my friend and me" went uncorrected.Whilst I did pick up certain things in a more academic environment - sarcastic remarks such as spongemonkeys reference to succinctness are hardly surprising to me - I'm far from an exeptionally articulate person and nor is anyone I was schooled with. Its actually a source of anxiety when speaking in certain settings. DS's father has experienced similar anxiety due to his accent and english errors - and it bothers him if he speaks to people in english and they have to ask him to repeat it over and over until they understand him. Neither of those scenarios are things we wish for our child to have as a barrier in life - so we have specific things we want to get from his education - including grammar, confidence in speaking in all settings to all people, and having an accent and way of speaking that is easy to understand by people who speak that language natively (again, applies to arabic not just english). I My experience of living in many countries is that we ALL struggle to be understood at some points in our lives. You mention anxious and anxiety several times in this discussion - maybe you are seeing far too much into all of this.....? Perhaps your anxiety is rooted in yourself as opposed to anyone ELSE thinking adversely of you or your father in law?.... you SAY that you are not articulate yet you write copiously on this matter. You comment on my " sarcasm" - I will be honest with you - yes, I started to read what you had written but it just went on so long that I got bored with it and stopped reading it as there was little that was new in it but more of the previous. Knowing when to stop and how to put information across in a targetted manner is just as much a part of effective communication as accent, confidence etc. Part of my upbringing was being told by my father that people do have 2 ears and 1 mouth and that is for a reason. I myself tend to write in very underwhelming language ( on here) - don't know whether I am lazy or whether I adapt to the time and the place because I certainly have the capacity to write in other ways.

And there is today's lesson : speak/write succinctly and you may well be listened to ! ;) :D

Slobber, English isn't one language; what is taught as being grammatically correct in the US is not in every way the same as what is taught as being correct in the UK (can't off the top of my head remember any examples, and they are at the more obscure edges of grammar, but they exist). And there is a difference between what is taught as correct grammar and the spoken English of the classroom. An English teacher could well teach the difference between shall and will, (but if this ever happens I am sure it will be to students at a fairly advanced level) but I simply do not believe that anything close to the majority of UK or Australian primary school teachers use the formally correct word each time in spoken English. "Paining' may not be 'correct' but it is valid dialectical use I am interested in your need for grammar at a later educational stage - rather to my despair (as part of my job involves rewriting things that other people have written) hardly anybody seems to need correct grammar these days (there is one very senior manager I work with whose writing I recognise by the idiosyncratic use of apostrophes....). If you are in fact saying that you only want your children to be taught by people using correct formal English, that is to me quite distinct from saying you don't want them taught by someone who says [b'>to another adult [/b'>'park at the backside of the building' (hardly an egregious error) or talks about a tiffin box (are you suggesting that is 'incorrect'?) which was the post triggering this part of the debate. But it rules out the vast majority of teachers I have come across, however expensive the school. I didn't say it was one language - i said what is considered as formally correct (as apposed to colloquiall/dialectically common) in most countries is mostly [i'>almost[/i'> identical. I never implied bad english is only taught by non-native speakers. I said I myself was taught inadequate english for academic use in Australia. I also said I wouldnt leave my child in a school with an AUS/UK/US English teacher with poor grammar or speaking with slang in an English lesson. It *is* important (in my eyes) if you are teaching grammar that you also speak and expect children to speak what they are learning in order to understand it and feel confident/natural in using it. Day-to-day informal exchanges are completely different to how one would speak or write in a formal or academic setting. My child can learn slang and to "get his meaning understood" without going to school at all. Thats a very low standard to put on an education. Hanging around friends is about learning how to get your meaning understood. School is about how to speak/write formally/academically, and learning how and why the language is what it is and what makes certain things correct or incorrect in an academic sense. No one with enough knowledge to teach academic English would say "paining". Pain is not a verb. You cannot be pain-"ing". If someone teaching English does not understand that fundamental rule of the language or how to put it into practice - the english lesson is not more useful than sitting around talking to friends in the school yard. My experience was somehow ending up in law school at a very competetive university. Every word choice, placement, and punctuation dot was vital. I was rural, slangy and taught based on the premise that all we needed was to get by in day to day informal exchanges. Things like "aint" "my friend and me" went uncorrected.Whilst I did pick up certain things in a more academic environment - sarcastic remarks such as spongemonkeys reference to succinctness are hardly surprising to me - I'm far from an exeptionally articulate person and nor is anyone I was schooled with. Its actually a source of anxiety when speaking in certain settings. DS's father has experienced similar anxiety due to his accent and english errors - and it bothers him if he speaks to people in english and they have to ask him to repeat it over and over until they understand him. Neither of those scenarios are things we wish for our child to have as a barrier in life - so we have specific things we want to get from his education - including grammar, confidence in speaking in all settings to all people, and having an accent and way of speaking that is easy to understand by people who speak that language natively (again, applies to arabic not just english). I

LOL, I rather thought that - though my ex had some language uses that really, really grated (Perfectly valid central Scotland regionalisms. But very irritating) And what do you do when it comes to class markers like 'pardon'? - (or; if you think this thread is OTT, have a look at http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1192381-to-prefer-What-to-Pardon/AllOnOnePage ) I love mumsnet its so funny how they all try to get one up on each other (regarding what school DC goes to) just like EW then...

Ok I confess that when I am nervous I correct my husband who speaks a perfect Italian but sometimes has a very light Tuscan accent (something nobody perceives apart from me). The truth is that when he speaks like that he reminds me of his mum...:cool:

LOL, I rather thought that - though my ex had some language uses that really, really grated (Perfectly valid central Scotland regionalisms. But very irritating) And what do you do when it comes to class markers like 'pardon'? - (or; if you think this thread is OTT, have a look at http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1192381-to-prefer-What-to-Pardon/AllOnOnePage ) I love mumsnet its so funny how they all try to get one up on each other (regarding what school DC goes to)

lol, thanks, but i really don't get how you can move to a foreign country where your children spend their days with children from all over the world (not to mention foreign teachers), and still expect them to only speak perfect whatever you want them to speak... lighten up...please... Me? dunno...do you correct other adults ???? lol What no not that post, the above quote after thanks, but really

LOL, I rather thought that - though my ex had some language uses that really, really grated (Perfectly valid central Scotland regionalisms. But very irritating) And what do you do when it comes to class markers like 'pardon'? - (or; if you think this thread is OTT, have a look at http://www.mumsnet.com/Talk/am_i_being_unreasonable/1192381-to-prefer-What-to-Pardon/AllOnOnePage )

and omg at the poster who actually corrects her[i'> husband[/i'>...blimey, would like to be a fly on the wall in[i'> that[/i'> house lolol

lol, thanks, but i really don't get how you can move to a foreign country where your children spend their days with children from all over the world (not to mention foreign teachers), and still expect them to only speak perfect whatever you want them to speak... lighten up...please...

Sandfly :)

Blimey... typical Dubai thread then lolol all so far up your own @rses !!!! does it really matter ? if you bring your children to a foreign country shock horror they might actually pick up some other lingo lol we all bang on about getting into the local culture - enjoy whats here etc etc yet when it's our children joining in suddenly it's oh no i'm not having little johnny sounding all american !!! Amen to that sister.

Slobber, English isn't one language; what is taught as being grammatically correct in the US is not in every way the same as what is taught as being correct in the UK (can't off the top of my head remember any examples, and they are at the more obscure edges of grammar, but they exist). And there is a difference between what is taught as correct grammar and the spoken English of the classroom. An English teacher could well teach the difference between shall and will, (but if this ever happens I am sure it will be to students at a fairly advanced level) but I simply do not believe that anything close to the majority of UK or Australian primary school teachers use the formally correct word each time in spoken English. "Paining' may not be 'correct' but it is valid dialectical use I am interested in your need for grammar at a later educational stage - rather to my despair (as part of my job involves rewriting things that other people have written) hardly anybody seems to need correct grammar these days (there is one very senior manager I work with whose writing I recognise by the idiosyncratic use of apostrophes....). If you are in fact saying that you only want your children to be taught by people using correct formal English, that is to me quite distinct from saying you don't want them taught by someone who says [b'>to another adult [/b'>'park at the backside of the building' (hardly an egregious error) or talks about a tiffin box (are you suggesting that is 'incorrect'?) which was the post triggering this part of the debate. But it rules out the vast majority of teachers I have come across, however expensive the school.

Blimey... typical Dubai thread then lolol all so far up your own @rses !!!! does it really matter ? if you bring your children to a foreign country shock horror they might actually pick up some other lingo lol we all bang on about getting into the local culture - enjoy whats here etc etc yet when it's our children joining in suddenly it's oh no i'm not having little johnny sounding all american !!!

Hello Kitty - False multiculturalism. Well thats rather presumptuous of you. DS is actually mixed race. Having babies with a foreigner is a far greater commitment to multi-culturalism than choosing who schools my child. My aspirations for my son's English education is about making him fluent and prepared for further academic study in that language. We have the same standards for native speaking teachers for his fathers language of arabic, and his third language French (yes, they are those scary "foreigners" that I'm apparently oh-so afraid to let teach my child!). My educational aspirations for my child are to prepare him as much as possible for further study in any field he may choose. Academically for many professions, particularly prestigious ones "linguistically all that matters is that you were understood" is not a reality. As I have found out the hard way myself, and which my sons father as a second-language english speaker himself is also aware of. ETA - And far from "silo-ing" into our "demographic" - I have not met another Australians here yet aside from at the consulate. The people we associate with most are my sons arabic family, and less often with friends/business partners only one of which is western (canadian) and the other is pakistani. You're so off the mark with our "multiculturalism" witch hunt its almost comical <em>edited by SlobberKnocker on 18/01/2012</em>

Fascinating thread for me to read, esp as I have just received my son's school report and his non-native English teacher writes that his NATIVE (Blackheath London for those who know) English accent is not correct !!!!!! Too posh for you dear? And I am not even going into the details of how we're talking about him following English as a second language as he attends a French school ....!!!!! It takes all sorts I guess and her 'borrowed' accent seems correct to her (Miaw) :)

I do have a fun question and I would love to hear what you all (y'all) think! Regardless of if you chose the American or UK curriculum for your child here there is the IB option that has gotten more and more popular. Do you think that in the written form as it pertains to IB, English should be marked wrong if it is spelled A) British or B) American? Remember, this is an INTERNATIONAL program. :) Just curious how YOU would feel if your child got marked off on spelling with the IB? FYI: There are teachers here in Dubai that do mark off!! I think as long as the spelling is CONSISTENT then either way should be fine. Ladies? edited by americanfamily3 on 18/01/2012 That's an interesting question Americanfamily, I would hope a teacher would be sensitive to the fact that it's an international program with international students and keep that in mind when teaching language. For example, if it's 'colour' or 'color' I would hope the teacher would recognize (or recognise!!) the spelling associated with a different country, either that or he/she should ensure to clearly inform students which spelling is acceptable prior to a test, if possible. When I was a preschool teacher here I taught my children many 'different' pronunciations. For example, when learning the alphabet I would sayd "zed" but then told the class, "some people say zee and that's ok too, we sometimes say things differently in other countries." We went through this often; tomato tomAto!! Funnily enough, three year olds get that, and accept it and the differences we all have so much easier than we, as adults, do!! (sorry if there are any mistakes, I despise typing on the iPad!) :)