5 Things That I Hate (that no one else does)
Most people already know that made-up or misspelled baby names has long been a pet peeve of mine. If you know me really well, you know that my pet peeves don't end there.
Enjoy (or be annoyed by, either way) a glimpse into my mind and a few of the weird things that bother me that really shouldn't.
1. Ever notice that in movies about French people (or other European countries for that matter), American actors in American movies routinely have a fake English accent??
News flash: that doesn't make you sound more French. Unless they've lived in England for an extended period of time or have foreign parents- FRENCH PEOPLE HAVE FRENCH ACCENTS. I have known several gifted, fluent English speakers from France. I have never heard one of them say one word with a British accent. Because they have French accents.
There are 2 possible explanations: movie producers are dumb enough to think it makes the movie sound more authentically European, or movie producers are smart enough to think Americans are dumb enough to think it sounds more authentic that way.
Why does this bother me so deeply? Good question. I'm looking at you, Anne Hathaway in Les Misérables.
2. Let's get more controversial! I don't personally think this subject is controversial, but whenever you start talking about Israel and Palestine people get touchy.
I would like to discuss the history of the word 'Palestine.' This word is derived from the word 'Philistine.' According to the Bible, the Philistines were conquered/died out thousands of years before Christ was on the earth. Modern-day Palestinians are not associated with the Philistines.
After the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt against Roman rule around 135 A.D., the Romans renamed the province Palestina, intended to insult the Jews (basically naming their homeland after their historical enemy to spite them).
So I get annoyed when people refer to the Holy Land as Palestine (instead of Judea, etc.) when talking about Jesus' time. The Romans didn't reintroduce the name Palestine to the area until more than a century after his death. I KNOW I'M SUCH A NERD.
I've been triggered about this one ever since seeing the huge banner in Bethlehem (which is part of the West Bank) declaring "Jesus was a Palestinian." Not to mention their president, Abbas, has made that comment as well. If that nonsense was true, than it was pretty weird of Jesus to do all that Jewish stuff like celebrating Jewish holidays at the Jewish temple.
3. I should step away from politics for a moment. But my next pet peeve is probably the most controversial: I think it's reallllllllly weird when adults go to Disney World/Land alone- meaning without kids. I just don't get it.
I get that it could be magical for kids. But what is the appeal for adults? Overpriced food and overweight tourists? Waving to people who willingly wear character suits for a living? Long lines?
Personally, I went to Disney World at 12 and felt like I was already too old for it. In fairness, I'm pretty sure I was born cynical. It was fun to see once, but I don't have a desire to go back. Sign me up to see real castles in Europe instead.
Jim Gaffigan summed up my feelings pretty nicely.
4. I love studying other languages. I love speaking other languages. But there is a line.
That line, in my mind (and probably only my mind), is that it's insufferable to intentionally pronounce words in other languages while speaking English. Key word: intentionally.
For the record, I believe the opposite is true as well. I do not pronounce words, including my own name or the name of my own city, with an American accent while I am speaking French. Because it's weird.
Example: "I served my mission in Chee-lay" instead of our lovely American pronunciation "Chilly." Can you imagine how pretentious it would sound if I pronounced Paris like "Paree" when I talked about it? It's the same thing.
5. On a related note, sometimes people who have lived in other places do this thing where they pretend to forget their native language. *Cough Missionary Homecoming Talks Cough*.
Now, I have had moments where a foreign word comes to mind before an English word. It does happen when you've lived abroad for a while. BUT the English word always comes to mind a split second later. You don't just forget haha
Maybe this isn't true for everyone, but I've always had the feeling that people who make a big deal out of this are exaggerating and might be a bit attention-seeking.
Story time: we once knew a missionary who served for a few months in England before having to come back to the States for health reasons. He finished his mission in Wisconsin. Someone said 'movie theater' AND HE PRETENDED TO NOT KNOW WHAT IT MEANT because in England they say 'cinema.' The kid was from Provo. He also seemed to have developed an English accent in 3 months.
I guess you could say he was ready to star in a movie about French people. ;)
Enjoy (or be annoyed by, either way) a glimpse into my mind and a few of the weird things that bother me that really shouldn't.
1. Ever notice that in movies about French people (or other European countries for that matter), American actors in American movies routinely have a fake English accent??
News flash: that doesn't make you sound more French. Unless they've lived in England for an extended period of time or have foreign parents- FRENCH PEOPLE HAVE FRENCH ACCENTS. I have known several gifted, fluent English speakers from France. I have never heard one of them say one word with a British accent. Because they have French accents.
There are 2 possible explanations: movie producers are dumb enough to think it makes the movie sound more authentically European, or movie producers are smart enough to think Americans are dumb enough to think it sounds more authentic that way.
Why does this bother me so deeply? Good question. I'm looking at you, Anne Hathaway in Les Misérables.
 |
| Go sell your teeth and stop pretending you're from England. |
2. Let's get more controversial! I don't personally think this subject is controversial, but whenever you start talking about Israel and Palestine people get touchy.
I would like to discuss the history of the word 'Palestine.' This word is derived from the word 'Philistine.' According to the Bible, the Philistines were conquered/died out thousands of years before Christ was on the earth. Modern-day Palestinians are not associated with the Philistines.
After the Jewish Bar Kokhba revolt against Roman rule around 135 A.D., the Romans renamed the province Palestina, intended to insult the Jews (basically naming their homeland after their historical enemy to spite them).
So I get annoyed when people refer to the Holy Land as Palestine (instead of Judea, etc.) when talking about Jesus' time. The Romans didn't reintroduce the name Palestine to the area until more than a century after his death. I KNOW I'M SUCH A NERD.
I've been triggered about this one ever since seeing the huge banner in Bethlehem (which is part of the West Bank) declaring "Jesus was a Palestinian." Not to mention their president, Abbas, has made that comment as well. If that nonsense was true, than it was pretty weird of Jesus to do all that Jewish stuff like celebrating Jewish holidays at the Jewish temple.
 |
| They even made t-shirts, I kid you not. |
3. I should step away from politics for a moment. But my next pet peeve is probably the most controversial: I think it's reallllllllly weird when adults go to Disney World/Land alone- meaning without kids. I just don't get it.
I get that it could be magical for kids. But what is the appeal for adults? Overpriced food and overweight tourists? Waving to people who willingly wear character suits for a living? Long lines?
Personally, I went to Disney World at 12 and felt like I was already too old for it. In fairness, I'm pretty sure I was born cynical. It was fun to see once, but I don't have a desire to go back. Sign me up to see real castles in Europe instead.
 |
| Look, it's not fake. |
Jim Gaffigan summed up my feelings pretty nicely.
That line, in my mind (and probably only my mind), is that it's insufferable to intentionally pronounce words in other languages while speaking English. Key word: intentionally.
For the record, I believe the opposite is true as well. I do not pronounce words, including my own name or the name of my own city, with an American accent while I am speaking French. Because it's weird.
Example: "I served my mission in Chee-lay" instead of our lovely American pronunciation "Chilly." Can you imagine how pretentious it would sound if I pronounced Paris like "Paree" when I talked about it? It's the same thing.
5. On a related note, sometimes people who have lived in other places do this thing where they pretend to forget their native language. *Cough Missionary Homecoming Talks Cough*.
Now, I have had moments where a foreign word comes to mind before an English word. It does happen when you've lived abroad for a while. BUT the English word always comes to mind a split second later. You don't just forget haha
Maybe this isn't true for everyone, but I've always had the feeling that people who make a big deal out of this are exaggerating and might be a bit attention-seeking.
Story time: we once knew a missionary who served for a few months in England before having to come back to the States for health reasons. He finished his mission in Wisconsin. Someone said 'movie theater' AND HE PRETENDED TO NOT KNOW WHAT IT MEANT because in England they say 'cinema.' The kid was from Provo. He also seemed to have developed an English accent in 3 months.
I guess you could say he was ready to star in a movie about French people. ;)
Haha, Rissy you are a crack-up! 😂 Love ya!
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