Inglish iz harrd



I'm teaching English to adults twice a week this month. I did it once a week in the spring. I teach beginners. Mostly Brazilians (and man, Brasil must be the most rockingest country in the world. I want to go THERE when I die..and they won in the World Cup yesterday, so there was much rejoicing last night) with a spattering of Mexicans. We've been working on money the last few lessons.



"'Twenty dollars and eighty-three cents,'" I read loudly, my carefully enunciated Standard American English brought out for show.



"Twenty dollars and eighty-three cents," my students repeat.



"Or you can say, 'Twenty eighty-three.'"


"Twenty eighty-three."



We all smile broadly, proud of our ability to read prices two ways, fully and colloquially.



"Excuse me, teacher. When I am at the gas station, he says no 'twen-ty' but 'twenny'. No 'twen-ty'. He say 'twenny'."



"Um, yes. Yes, the man at the gas station does say 'twenny'. I say 'twenny'. But correct is 'twen-ty'."



My students look at me in disbelief.



"You say 'twenny', teacher? 'Twenny'? No 'twen-ty'?"



Damn. I'd been caught between a rock and a hard Southern accent.



"Yes. Yes, I do. I say 'twenny', I say 'twenny fie' for 'twenty-five'. I even say 'fiddy' for 'fif-ty'. I HAVE A SOUTHERN ACCENT, OK??!??!"



Then I had to explain what the South was.



Teaching English is the ultimate challenge, especially in a place like Atlanta where the accents my students hear are so diverse and confusing. It's a lot of fun though. And not just because the Brazilian men flirt and tell me how beautiful I am (is it a coincidence my class is 70% male when most classes skew female? I think not.) It really makes me think hard about language and putting it all together, which is something that fascinates me to begin with. And it's a welcome change after the tedium that is workin' for the man.

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