The many questions-not-worth-their-own-thread question thread XXI

[Camikaze]

Essex can sound almost identical to Australian (which is itself a bastardisation of Victorian Cockney, for the most part) or South African.

Having spent a little bit of time in Essex, I can't say that I've heard any accents for which this could be said to be remotely true.

 

[Borachio]

Having spent a lot of time in Essex, passing through Essex, and living next door to Essex, I can confirm that Australian accents are only generally heard there if an Australian happens to be in the area.

It does happen occasionally. Usually when they get lost on their way to Earls Court.

 

[Flying Pig]

Having spent a little bit of time in Essex, I can't say that I've heard any accents for which this could be said to be remotely true.

OK, I'll amend it to 'can sound almost identical to an Englishman's perception of Australian or South African'. I have a friend from there who is always mistaken for a South African.

 

[Arakhor]

Having spent a lot of time in Essex, passing through Essex, and living next door to Essex...

Oh, you poor thing. There should be a medal for doing that.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I've never been able to describe any kind of midwestern accent. That's probably because I grew up here. I know mine's a little bit off the 'journalistic news-anchor neutral'.

Missouri is a crossroads of accents. Depending on where you are, you could hear southern, midwestern or an unaffected accent. I think VRWCAgent once told me that St. Louis has it's own accent, I'm not 100% sure but I think it's the one where 'here' is pronounced 'her'. Point being, you may not have been exposed to enough of a pure midwestern accent to know it.


Do you pronounce 'fork' as 'fark'?

Edit: I wonder with all the Pentacostals flooding the state, if Missouri will soon have yet another accent group in it. For instance, I've noticed that Pentacostals tend to pronounce the word 'dinosaur' as 'jesus horse' and 'secular' as 'satanic'.

 

[Arakhor]

For instance, I've noticed that Pentacostals tend to pronounce the word 'dinosaur' as 'jesus horse' and 'secular' as 'satanic'.

I laughed rather too much at that...

 

[Borachio]

Oh, you poor thing. There should be a medal for doing that.

:chuckle:

Ilford, Romford, Southend, Canvey Island etc... are certainly in Essex.

But other parts of Essex are quite as beautiful as anywhere else you could find in England. I was going to say the UK. But I doubt I'd go that far.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

I laughed rather too much at that...

Thanks, glad you liked it.

 

[Camikaze]

OK, I'll amend it to 'can sound almost identical to an Englishman's perception of Australian or South African'. I have a friend from there who is always mistaken for a South African.

My (Australian) uncle who works there is often mistaken for a South African too, so perhaps the issue can be narrowed down to Essex people having no idea what Saffers sound like.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

My mother was wondering why fridge magnets keep sliding down the fridge. Except she said it in less polite terms. Does anybody know?

 

[hobbsyoyo]

If they have been exposed to heating, been physically beaten or are old, they will lose magnetism. Refrigerator magnets are not permanently magnetic and things such as the above can make then lose their magnetic power.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Is there any way to fix it? I think I once read there was a trick about swiping a fridge magnet with one of those rare ones that you can find in magnet kits.

 

[cardgame]

Depending on how many additional magnets you have, you can indeed re-align them. You may also need a special tool, though. My physics teacher did it once, but I've forgotten how, exactly... a youtube search should be fruitful. "Re-align magnets"

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Yes. Buy a powerful permanent magnet (not another refrigerator magnet) and rub your refrigerator mangets against it in one direction multiple times. This will realign the ferromagnetic (iron based) material in the magnets into a single direction which will make them magnetic.

Alternatively, buy new fridge magnets because they are much cheaper than a permanent magnet, unless you happen to have one.

 

[aimeeandbeatles]

Actually I think I have a magnet kit somewhere. I'll look for it.

 

[hobbsyoyo]

Google it, I coud be wrong.

 

[Zelig]

I use magnets from hard drives as fridge magnets.

 

[cardgame]

Genius.

 

[Borachio]

If you hold a lump of iron at the correct angle and whack it very hard with a hammer, you could, if lucky, magnetize it.

Alternatively, you miss the lump of iron and break your hand/arm instead. And take a trip to the hospital. So it's kind of win-win.

 

[Cutlass]

Actually I think I have a magnet kit somewhere. I'll look for it.

People are throwing out stereo speakers all the time. The big speakers have big magnets in them.