> Textbook English won't prepare a Japanese person for parts of America,
> either.

Textbook English won't prepare any foreigner for an part of the USA :-).
For most of the US textbook American MAy suffice.

Genuine conversation (repeated with slightly different words on numerous
occasions over two weeks).

Antipodean Tourist (aka me) speaking REALLY slowly and REALLY clearly.
"Do you sell Ice"

Random Sales-person
"Sell what?"

AT:  EYE-SSS! (closest phonetic like spelling I can think of)

RS: ACE????????

AT: EYE-SSS - you know, to make drinks cold

RS: Oh! You mean EYE-SSS. (sounds identical to what I thought I was saying).

Strangely, I , and the two others with me, had no trouble understanding
American (too much US TV perhaps) but yer average USer had vast trouble
understanding me. This even when I spoke very slowly and clearly - not,
James will tell you, my normal style.


        Russell McMahon

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