As I have mentioned previously, Malaysia was a part of the British Empire until about 50 years ago. The English spoken here is very British, quite different from how we speak in the US. I have found myself using words like "rubbish" and "car park" instead of "trash" and "garage." Language peculiarities are another facet of living here that I find ever so amusing.
Over the years having lived in so many places I have developed an accent-less speech pattern to be more easily understood and it is not until I get more comfortable with my surroundings that I naturally start using southern idioms like "fixing to ..." and "eating supper." What I really miss is the easy toggle between "you" and "y'all". I have not figured out yet how English speaking people not native southerners communicate an individual "you" or a plural "you". It is a conundrum I've tried to solve for years, alas unsuccessfully. My great-nephew, James Renfroe, who has lived most of his life in Seattle but went to Valdosta State University until he graduated last year told me before he left south Georgia he was going to take "y'all" back with him to Seattle and teach his buddies there how to use it. I am planning to be back in Georgia in the fall and one of the many pleasures will be freely communicating.
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