Monday, February 06, 2006

A week of fun facts about Jane

b* is doing a "100 facts in 100 days" about herself series. There are not 100 interesting or fun facts about me (and even if there were, they would surely give my real identity away), but I'm intrigued enough by the idea to offer a shorter version here: 7 Fun Facts about Jane in 7 Days. Besides, it's a busy week and my brain is already mush, so at least I'll have something to blog about.

Fun fact #1: I don't know if this is an annoying habit or an endearing habit, but I pick up words and phrases and inflections from other people completely unconsciously, and just as unconsciously they work their way into my everyday speech. So, for instance, I'll start hanging out with someone, and let's say they have a stock phrase or a way of inflecting their words. Within 10-15 minutes, I will find myself--without even trying--speaking with the same inflections and using the same phrase. It's kind of freaky. And sometimes I wonder if people think I am making fun of them, because I can be so dead on.

5 comments:

BrightStar (B*) said...

oh! That's a cool fact!

I bet you do totally have 100 interesting things to share... and it's not like mine are so interesting!

ScienceWoman said...

Ooh me too. I pick up phrases in a jiffy. But I can't do an accent to save my life. Can't wait to see what the other six facts are.

Anonymous said...

Yo, Jane! I was tickled pink to read this post. I have the same oddity. Mr. Zuska says he knows when I am on the phone with my Iranian friend because my English takes on her accent and grammar.

On the positive side: this is how the English language grows and expands, people picking up usages and new phrases here and there and making them their own, passing them on to others.

I don't know what the accent mimicry does for us, though...maybe it's just a sign we are very attuned to others. I like to think so!

Jane said...

Zuska, maybe this means we are twins separated at birth! :)

b*, I've really been enjoying your 100 facts--they are very interesting!

Anonymous said...

I do this too, I can even mimic laughs which is kinda scary for me :)