I asked an English colleague to find out what the exact title of a conference was – she rang the organisers. “It’s called ‘Giant Up Thinking for the Future,” she told me. What a stupid name, I thought to myself wondering how to work it in to the presentation I was preparing. Another colleague looked over my text for me and said, “Is that definitely the name of the conference?” “I know, it’s stupid, let’s double check with E.” “Yes,” she confirmed. “Are you sure,” said my smart colleague, “that it’s not ‘Joined Up Thinking for the Future?” E and I did feel foolish. Ah the perils of the Irish accent for the non-native. I do love the crisp delivery which my English colleague has; imagine, she finishes all her words. When we have crank callers, we ask her to take the calls because they all respect her crisp, clipped tones.
