“What year did you graduate high school?”
Me. Feeling like this conversation is a bit pointless. “Umm… 2002…”
His face, doing the math…
“Yeah, O2.” — I was thinking of what was on my Year 12 jersey. It was definitely 02.
Top down whippin in the 02, 02
Top down whippin in the 02, 02
He gets interrupted, “Oh my god, are you… (they say a name I don’t recognise)?”
Him: “No, I get that a lot. People also say I look like… (another name I don’t know)”
The person who interrupted, “Oh… yeah, no you really look like (original name they said)“
Him: “Nah. I’m taller than him.”
Person: “Oh, you are? You seem the same height”
Him: “Nah, I’m just a Gold Coast local. See, I’ve got flip flops.”
For some reason, this made the person accept the fact of the matter and leave him alone.
He turns to me again, still smiling, “Do you listen to… (I forgot the name or genre — did he mention a name or a genre or a band?)“
Me: “No.” — Genuinely, no idea what the FUCK he was talking about.
Him: “Yeah. Nah. Me neither. It’s too noisy.” Still beaming so brightly like a golden retriever puppy.
Me, thinking to myself, What Gold Coast local uses the word “Flip. Flops.” — ?! This guy’s suss! And why does he look like he’s wearing makeup!? I mean, sure some guys do wear makeup, but why pair that with a basketball jersey and a casual pair of “thongs” (as the GOLD COAST LOCALS would say it)…?! Also, the accent ISN’T Gold Coast at all. Gold Coast locals know each other’s accents. It’s NOT that accent. He sounds “Aussie” enough — but NOT. Gold Coast. He’s suss.
…
Gold Coast accent is more neutral. Whether you went to a state school or a private school. Gold Coast accent is just a little bit “lazier”… there’s a blend of slightly American “twang” and slightly more British (if private schooled)… but a muted, lazier version of all of the above.
The other accent? I don’t know if it was like a blend of an imagination of an Australian accent. It wasn’t a genuine Gold Coast accent. There’s nothing distinctive about a Gold Coast accent, because Gold Coast has so many travellers from all walks of life. The locals themselves become exposed to many accents, even the “thicker” Australian accents — which means, the youth, are aware but not immediate adopters of any extreme of an accent.
Just to confuse things even further. If you did do “Speech and Drama” at school, on Gold Coast — then you are forced to learn the more formal, neutral Australian news presenter type of Australian accent. So you sound like a news robot at times. But casually, just colloquially, that accent doesn’t come out.
You’d probably have to hang around people who lived on Gold Coast for at least 10 years, throughout primary/middle/high-school, to really learn the local, local accent. They’re not eshays — if they are, they’re just playing. It’s not the “normal” neutral accent.
Two Gold Coast local girls could have an entire conversation sounding like Australians influenced by California girls’ accents just for the fun of it, and then turn around and talk to a stranger like an Australian news presenter as a neutral default the next minute.
Real, Gold Coast locals are very “adaptable” in the way they talk. Usually they do have family and cultural roots elsewhere. So there is a blend, a mix of many different accents. If they don’t, then it leans more British as a default.
…
I don’t know what I’m talking about, I have no references. LOL
Virgo Sun Pisces Moon 