等等，我忘了换口音

等等，我忘了换口音

Recently, I found out that I swing both ways. Linguistically speaking, that is.

It was late on a Thursday night, and time was not on my side. I had deadlines looming, an almost-empty fridge, two kids screaming at the top of their lungs for dinner that should have been served to them an hour ago and a room full of toys that needed to be desperately kept away before bedtime. It was obviously one of 'those days'.

I was desperate. And then it hit me. I'd order some take-out from the new Sichuan noodle restaurant across the road, feed the kids and then maybe, as a thank you for the treat, they'd offer to tidy up while I work on those excel spreadsheets. I dialed like lightning speed, spoke as quickly as I could, and hung up without a flutter of an eyelid.

COLUMNIST'S PROFILE

Lena Gidwani is a resident of Guangzhou for 13 years, selfconfessed networker, magazine editor and an avid writer.

Lena Gidwani，网络工作者、杂志编辑、作家，在广州居住13年。

Twenty minutes later, the doorbell rang. I flung myself towards the door and opened with more gusto than I imagined I would. A stout man stood before me, an insulated red delivery bag in hand. He appeared a little stunned, then looked past me, his eyes darting from side to side, as if searching for someone else.

'Nihao', I said with a hint of annoyance. Who, or what, was this man looking for? I pointed to the bag in his hand and casually asked if he could please hand it over. After all, I needed it ifiwanted that toy room tidied up. He looked at me quizzically again, and then in a confident voice, asked ificould please ask the Chinese woman that called the restaurant to come to the door, as he had her food. I broke into a grin, as I realised the obvious.

I forgot my accent.

All of us possess the mental dexterity to write fluently in one or more languages, and yet, lo and behold, speak entirely different ones. Because, like it or not, many of us shift linguistic gears whenever we move from one country to another. It applies to accents too. Accents are not fixed. It changse over time as our needs change and as our sense of who we are changes and develops. Usually this happens naturally, and often unconsciously. To change your accent you have to really want to, deep down. This usually happens without much effort because you move to a new place, mix with different people, or develop new aspirations. In sociolinguistics, there's a theory called 'convergence' where a speaker moves towards the speech style of his or her interlocutor so as to reduce social distance. You know, so we can fit in without sticking out like a sore thumb?

It took me a moment to compose myself and ask again for my food, this time with my Chinese accent right on point.

And as we sat around our dining table with our wooden chopsticks, slurping away in utter happiness, I had to smile. It's a wonderful thing indeed, living abroad in a country that may never technically be home, yet is now mine in every convergent way possible.

最近，我发现自己可以自如地在两种语言中切换。

那时正值周四的深夜，时间紧迫。我急着赶工作任务，可是冰箱空空如也，两个孩子吵着要吃饭，还有一屋子玩具得收拾，真是闹心。

正要崩溃，突然灵光一闪，为何不订外卖给孩子们吃，也许，作为报答，他俩会乐意收拾下房间。我风驰电掣般拨号，一口气点完餐，然后眼不带眨地挂掉电话。

二十分钟后，门铃响了。我冲到门口，满腔热情地打开门。一位矮壮的小哥站在我面前，提着红色保温袋。他吃了一惊，眼神越过我，骨碌碌转着眼珠子，似乎在找人。

“你好。” 我有点不耐烦。他在找谁？我指指袋子，问他要外卖。他再次疑惑地看着我，问道，“可以叫打电话的中国女人来拿外卖吗？”我露齿一笑，明白了。

我忘了换成我的中国口音。

我们都有用多种语言流利书写或交谈的潜在能力。每当来到不同的国家或地区，很多人都能切换语言机制。口音并不是固定的，会自然地随着自身角色的变化而变化。社会语言学中的趋同理论表明，说话者会尽量与对话者保持语言方式的一致，以拉近社交关系。

我花了片刻镇静下来，再次问他要外卖，这次用的是地道的中国话。

我和孩子们围坐在餐桌边，欢快地将饭菜一扫而光。真是妙，虽然我不是中国人，但在心理上，中国已经是我的故乡。

Wait, I forgot my accent

Text by Lena Gidwani Translation by Emma Xu Photo by CFP