# Language

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language/139196
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [November 27, 2002, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language/139196 "2002-11-27T20:44:30Z")
**Posts on this page:** 3
**Page:** 1

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### Author: ![Dalphaengi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/db5fbb/32.png) [@Dalphaengi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dalphaengi)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2002, 8:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language/139196/1 "2002-11-27T20:44:30Z")

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As a kid, I noticed the different ways languages were mimicked by my friends and me. For example, Asian languages would be sing-songy, with lots of “-ings,” German would be gruff, harsh barking sounds. We knew no actual words for the most part, just sounds.

How do other languages mimic English? What is the “typical” sound of American English? Is there a recording of such a sound?

Thanks.

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### Author: ![Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/96bed5/32.png) [@Patty\_O\_Furniture](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Patty_O_Furniture)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2002, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language/139196/2 "2002-11-27T20:56:29Z")

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Recently discussed:

[What does English sound like to foreigners?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=143054)

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### Author: ![Geek\_Mecha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/ecae2f/32.png) [@Geek\_Mecha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Geek_Mecha)
#### Post date: [November 27, 2002, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/language/139196/3 "2002-11-27T20:57:31Z")

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[Another earlier thread: What does English sound like to a foreigner?](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=119772).