>>>That is understandable. I have no problems with "Canadian" English, but often turn on subtitles for "British" English.
>>
>>I think what you mean is you speak and understand Mirkin, but have some trouble with (actual, Queen's) English :)
>>
>>I was going to phonetically spell it "Merkin", but it turns out that means something entirely different ;)
>
>Over the years I spoke with lots of people speaking various kinds of english, and my mileage did vary a lot. They generally fall into three categories:
>
>1. understand right away without problems (any Newyorker, Californian, Canadian, most of East Coast, Texans, Newmexicans, Scots when they want to be understood, southern ladies, about half of the Brits, any German, Belgian, Norwegian, Russian or Dutch who learned it in school, about 20% of those from India, about 50% of Ozzies)
>
>2. takes up to an hour to get used to (the rest of Australians, what I heard of the Alabaman and such, the other half of the Brits, the Irish, the Scots in the other mood, rest of India, Kiwis, Italians and French) then it's easy. Though, sometimes there's an awkward moment when after an hour of conversation all of a sudden I don't know what I heard - can't recognize the words, what of their meaning
>
>3. unintelligible (some Brits, even in movies; some of my black neighbors in Virginia; a neighbor from Florida; some French; Jamaicans, many South Americans).
>
>This leaves out many countries - whole Africa too - with which I didn't have enough contact to establish a sample.

recently came across a video (either from strongloop or loopback - they are entwined IAC) on their JS backend technologies, made by a guy from probably indian (that country near pakistan) heritage - I had to stop a few times as his timing when speaking threw me off. Interesting tech BTW...