People who are impossible to understand

[Gandalf]

I had a really frustrating phone call this evening. Basically I got a call at about 7pm and it turned out to be one of my students. I teach a lot of people so I have no idea who it is, but basically she has a pretty difficult to decipher accent and speaks at a rate of about 200 words per minute. The gist of it was basically wanting to know if there were two acceptable answers for some fill in the blank grammar question. She said the sentence once and I honestly had no idea what she said. I could pick out the odd word, but really couldn't pick up the gist of it whatsover. I asked her to repeat and still it was over my head. Then she gave me the two so called possible answers and I couldn't answer as I had no idea what the sentence was. This went on for about 3 minutes and I didn't want to be rude and say that she was impossible to comprehend. She seems to speak pretty good english and has a decent lexical range, but speaks oddly. I tried telling her to send me an email and I would respond to it that way, but on trying to give her my email address she kept breaking off and talking about other off the wall things. "I haven't even given you my email address yet!", I protested. And tried again and again she broke off and started waffling. "Do you want an answer to this grammar question or what?" I was thinking. Eventually I got my address across and said I would respond when I get home and of course there is no email for me to check. Obviously didn't listen and was too busy trying to talk for bloody England.

So all in all what is the point in calling me for a non work related grammar question and to be speaking in incomprehensible code? That's my fascinating story of the day. Now for you to share your experiences with people you could not understand. I'm sorry my story isn't an exciting one, but I don't really live a very exciting life. I am not Jim Boogie. However, if you are mean to me I will tell you to fuck off.

[Mattyhitman]

Is it English you teach Miles?

Seems ironic if thats the case.......

[Gandalf]

Is it English you teach Miles?

Seems ironic if thats the case.......

Oi, young man. If you are referring to any typos in my OP that is because I haven't checked it. If you are referring to the impossible to comprehend person, then I take no responsibility for her prior education.

And 'thats' should really have one of these snazzy little things ''''''!

I'm only teasing you, I am in a good mood today as I had a kebab. And so I shall thus insert another cheesy smiley.

[Mattyhitman]

Is it English you teach Miles?

Seems ironic if thats the case.......

Oi, young man. If you are referring to any typos in my OP that is because I haven't checked it. If you are referring to the impossible to comprehend person, then I take no responsibility for her prior education.

And 'thats' should really have one of these snazzy little things ''''''!

I'm only teasing you, I am in a good mood today as I had a kebab. And so I shall thus insert another cheesy smiley.

not referring to typo's, just thought if it were english you were teaching then.........

What was the kebab made of then?

[Gandalf]

Is it English you teach Miles?

Seems ironic if thats the case.......

Oi, young man. If you are referring to any typos in my OP that is because I haven't checked it. If you are referring to the impossible to comprehend person, then I take no responsibility for her prior education.

And 'thats' should really have one of these snazzy little things ''''''!

I'm only teasing you, I am in a good mood today as I had a kebab. And so I shall thus insert another cheesy smiley.

not referring to typo's, just thought if it were english you were teaching then.........

What was the kebab made of then?

Nah, I've only taught these students 7 times so far and only teach them a total of 16 times in a semester. Actually only 13 times when you factor in mid and final tests and an initial introduction lesson. So basically whatever there has been from before that is totally beyond my reach. I refuse to take responsibility for this hundred mile an hour elvish chit chat.

The kebab was great. I drove down to the military base and found this new place. It was a bit pricey, but basically a chicken kebab on skewers cooked on hot charcoal and cooked right in front of me. Absolutely delicious. It also came with thick naan bread which was very nice. They were impressed by the fact that I sounded English, I guess they only get military and Korean customers.

[Mark TKO]

I think the only way you can ever be happy in life Miles is to take the advice given to Edmund Blackadder in 1985 and KILL EVERYBODY IN THE WHOLE WIDE WORLD.

[Spicoli]

I had that happen with AT&T last week with a random rep named "John green" on the other end. Not only could I not decipher what they were sayin but he sounded very much like a female. He never once corrected me as I said 'can you repeat that Ms.' often. It was a thick gnarly accent and you quickly learn that all 'casual' banter-humor is lost as well. They ask if you want an automatic call back should wait be too long but I was already through so I asked 'John green' to send me verification e mail while I'm on the line and they start rammbling off what I think were my e mail but this one made Charlie browns teacher sound the proper speaker. Finally frustration took over and i dropped the call. My bad. 2 minutes later another rep named Juanita calls back. Perfect, clear speaker who did not sound like she had a mouth full of marbles, and %95 sure she was a she. Resolution to initial questions within minutes. Just sort of pot luck sometimes as to who you get. May be rude or just self preservation but when all else fails with call center reps, just hang up

[Gandalf]

I think phone conversations are just the worst as I don't like talking on the phone anyway. I think it is inappropriate to to be calling someone up in the evening too just to ask some silly grammar question too. At least do it in the daytime or preferably in class or during my office hours when I am readily available to anyone. I was in my car and was driving back quite content after my kebab experience, I didn't need that conversation and I don't think it was terribly important. It's only cool to call outside of working hours for some kind of emergency and to inform me of non attendance for the next morning or something like that. I got a text message on monday morning from someone at 6:55am telling me they were sick and needed to go to hospital! Didn't they stop and think that I might be sleeping? It seems that some people really do think that the sun revolves around them.

It's the mid term exams next week, I might call that person up at 5am and remind them to attend.

[ono]

Deaf People?

[Mattyhitman]

Is it English you teach Miles?

Seems ironic if thats the case.......

Oi, young man. If you are referring to any typos in my OP that is because I haven't checked it. If you are referring to the impossible to comprehend person, then I take no responsibility for her prior education.

And 'thats' should really have one of these snazzy little things ''''''!

I'm only teasing you, I am in a good mood today as I had a kebab. And so I shall thus insert another cheesy smiley.

not referring to typo's, just thought if it were english you were teaching then.........

What was the kebab made of then?

Nah, I've only taught these students 7 times so far and only teach them a total of 16 times in a semester. Actually only 13 times when you factor in mid and final tests and an initial introduction lesson. So basically whatever there has been from before that is totally beyond my reach. I refuse to take responsibility for this hundred mile an hour elvish chit chat.

The kebab was great. I drove down to the military base and found this new place. It was a bit pricey, but basically a chicken kebab on skewers cooked on hot charcoal and cooked right in front of me. Absolutely delicious. It also came with thick naan bread which was very nice. They were impressed by the fact that I sounded English, I guess they only get military and Korean customers.

Carnt beat a good kebab

[Gandalf]

Deaf People?

Yes, they have a hard time of it too. This girl was quite possibly deaf all things considered. No comprehension skills and blathering all kinds of weird sounds.

Quite possibly stone cold deaf.

[Scrap]

Pardon

[ono]

Pardon

What?

[Howlin Mad Missy]

just ask them to slow down & either lie and say the line is very poor and you can't hear them properly or just say they're talking very quickly and they're hard to understand. Simples.

[boozeboxer]

Whenever a telemarketer calls the house, I always respond by "he/she just passed away."