Foreign accents

[Coldicote]

Quite often I answer the phone to callers whose foreign accents I cannot understand and so put the phone down. Do other ABers have this problem? I have no intention of being rude or disrespectful, but who are these people and is there any way of getting it over that some foreign accents are too difficult to understand to carry on a conversation?

[ludwig]

I've never had the problem of not being able to understand someone, but I do put the phone down on them because they're usually from call centres trying to flog you things.

If you want to be less abrupt than that, just say 'I'm sorry I don't understand what you're saying - I'm going to hang up now'. That seems reasonable, and polite.

[micmak]

I have a problem with foreign accents. I just say "thanyou for your call" then I hang up.

[joggerjayne]

Normal phone conversation with BF ...

**ring ring**

JJ - "Hello?"

BF - "Hello, Jayne."

JJ - "I'm sorry, I can't understand a word you're saying."

BF - "It's me, darling."

JJ - "Look, are you trying to sell something?"

BF - "No, Jayne ... it's me!"

JJ - "I'm sorry, I'm hanging up now."

**click**

[Bobbisox]

I am afraid I may have come over as being a bit rude last night when I had to phone T mobile, the Indian gentleman said
Good Evening Mrs Villiams (Wilson) you are speaking to ...Fred!!!!
I just about choked with giggling and I said Fred????
Yes Mrs Villiams, it is Fred..Hello

[ChuckFickens]

There is a guy where I work with a very strong accent, he stopped me in a corridor a couple of weeks ago to ask me something...

He said it once, I didn't understand and said pardon?

he said it again, still didn't understand so said pardon again..

He said it a 3rd time, still didn't understand but didn't want to say pardon a 3rd time so just said "yeah" and walked off...

it turned out I'd just agreed to give him a lift home that evening and he was a bit peeved when I didn't wait for him!!

[Bobbisox]

mind you, no one can understand us lot ..:-0)

[joggerjayne]

Staff in Maccy D's are largely unintelligible.

After you place your order, they say something incomprehensible. Assuming that the only logical question is which drink you would like, I reply ... "Coke, please"

But the conversation could be ...

"I'll have a Big Mac Meal, please"

"You have a face like my dogs butt."

"Err, Coca Cola."

[keyplus90]

Most of the calls are from India usually and they just read a script given to them. So whatever you say would not change much because majority do not even listen to you as they are busy reading. I do not have problems understanding accent but one think makes me laugh when they say their name. Michael, Catherine, Emma etc and I always ask them that I am not sure how many Michaels are there in India so tell me your real name,

"Chandu Lal" he said. or "Janki Devi" if female.

I usually receive calls to do with injury claims.

Caller - "We know someone had accident at this address ..............

Me - "Yes it was so horrible we were 22 people travelling in a mini and horrific accident with a motor bike carrying 11 people and unfortunately all 33 died on the spot".

And he/she still says "Oh see you are eligible for compensation....................."

And I know why, In India, Pakistan etc it is very much possible to have 22 people in a mini and 11 on a bike.

[Bobbisox]

JJ I really miss you in CB I think you had much to offer
Mopsy x

[naomi24]

I never listen to them. I just say 'sorry, I don't do this' and put the phone down - and I do the same with the people I can understand if they're calling to sell me something.

I had one recently who asked for my husband but got his name backwards - surname first and then Christian name. That kinda gave me a clue that the caller wasn't in the UK. :o)

[gingejbee]

I have problems with foreign accents on the phone, but not with people face-to-face.

[craft1948]

When I worked for BT International we had an office in Paris. The blokes I worked with used to ring this office out of hours just to listen to the recorded message delivered by a lady with the sexiest French accent ever.......

[ludwig]

Naomi, there's a couple of quite famous footballers called Phil and Gary Neville (ex Manchester United). Their father's name is Neville Neville, so he'd be unable to detect such a clue.
You have to wonder what possessed Mr and Mrs Neville to call their son Neville. Lack of imagination or what? Still I digress.

[dundurn]

Generally I don't have a problem with accents but occasionally I have to talk to someone for a good few minutes before i 'get' the intonation of their voice and work out the exact way in which they mangle their vowels (as opposed to the way I mangle MY vowels, namely Scottish).
When the phone rings and it's a sales call I don't really draw a distinction between Padmini from Pune, Les from Leeverpool or Brendan from Belfaast - I put the phone down - the call is only costing me my time, but that's a commodity I can't buy. On the other hand, when I'm trying to buy two fish suppers in Whitley Bay it doesn't help that I only speak Seaton Delaval (those few miles make all the difference!) so I stand there like a simpleton trying to understand and make myself understood.

[Coldicote]

Thanks for your answers. Glad I'm not the only one! It seems to be one of these modern trends, called 'out-sourcing' I believe, but I can't imagine they generate much business for their employers - whoever they are.

[naomi24]

Ludwig, or maybe they thought it was funny. Impossible to mix that one up!! :o)

[McMouse]

I know an indian guy who applied for a job in a call centre. At interview they asked if he was experienced.

He told them. "When the phone goes 'green green' you 'pink' it up and say 'yellow'.

Naturally he got the job.

[BertiWooster]

There used to be a black guy where I work called , Chalky White

[boxtops]

I don't have a lot of trouble with the accents - In fact the last time I had to ring BT because my home hub fell over, the guy in India rang me back and was on the phone 45 minutes getting me set up again. They're only doing a job - I wouldn't want to do their induction and watch hours of Corrie and Eastenders so they can assimilate the way life is in the UK.... I understand a lot of call centres are coming back to the UK now because of customer dissatisfaction, but I can't say it's ever bothered me where they are, as long as they can help. I wouldn't hang up because they only ring back - but like tonight the conversation goes, "Hallo, do you know about BT Vision?" - "yes and as I tell your colleagues every couple of weeks, I don't want it. Please take me off your call list. Thank you - goodnight".

[birdie1971]

I do one of two things. Either, I ask them to hold the line while I get the 'householder'... and just leave the phone on the side (it's their call after all); or I interrupt them and ask them if they've heard about Our Lord and His Good Works and continue to extol the virtues of a life spent in penitence and prayer.

That seems to do the trick.

I don't reserve this technique for calls from overseas – it works equally well for domestic calls.