Saigon accent

Of course, I didn't know all the Saigon accents, I just tried to act like a sensible person while wandering around those three blocks in Saigon. But a lot of things happened to me.

Oh my, back then I was most afraid of someone pointing at me and loudly declaring: "Don't think Hanoians are good". Oh my god, there was a girl with a really big braid, staring at a strange boy's face and shouting that. She followed her mother to sell bread at a huge cart. Well, I don't care how sophisticated she was. I just remember that she was quite pretty. To the point that I forgave her "crazy" way of speaking, which was deeply engraved in my immature mind that was overwhelmed by the "beauty" of the Saigon girl.

Her curved lips were probably famous all over the street. To the point that her mother had to scold her constantly for being too coquettish. Never mind, I was crazy about that style. To the point that her refusal "no" haunted me in my dreams. By now, you probably know how terrible I am. My face probably needs a mirror to show all the funny and silly expressions. Children are strange and scrutinized wherever they go. And what if you miss a girlfriend?

Then that kid wandered around the bread cart. Hiding from the adults to go buy bread. Not afraid of being caught. Just thinking about his girlfriend. He was a kid. Just wanted to play, wanted to see that mean girlfriend again. Until now, I still don’t understand myself. But that’s okay. Because that’s a memory.

From that incident, I learned a lot of Saigon accent. Luckily I was still a kid at that time, otherwise I would have been quite embarrassed when I grew up. Luckily, I looked up some books in the library that said Saigonese people have a hidden charm in their speech. Especially the girls. I don't know why, but every girl looks like a princess when every word comes out of those lovely lips. Really! I suddenly feel strangely fond of a Saigon girl.

Especially the moment my little friend handed me a huge loaf of bread with both hands, then looked up and said loudly when I took my first bite: "Is it delicious?" I can't forget it!

Later I realized that Saigon girls are like that and always have been like that. "Saigon girls are probably more prestigious than girls from my place", that's what I thought at that time. Every sentence she said was as sweet as sugar cane. But she always liked to find fault with me. Because she knew I was trying to imitate the Saigon accent to avoid feeling embarrassed.

I know that the Saigon accent is the "standard Southern accent". My grandmother, who was a revolutionary activist in Saigon, said: "If the Hanoi accent is considered the standard of the North, then the standard Southern accent is definitely Saigon". Even though Saigon is a place where people from all over live together, including many people from the North.

When I was wandering around Le Quang Sung Street in District 6, the betel and areca market looked really strange to the boy who occasionally came to Saigon, but what was even stranger was the effort of Northerners like me to integrate into the vibrant life here. I was so happy! Because I knew there were Northerners integrating into Saigon life. I felt a strange, loving feeling welling up inside me. The lady selling refreshments on the side of the road kept inviting me to sit down when she saw me looking around in confusion. Strangely, she spoke in a Northern accent even though she was clearly from the South. "Come in, son. Come in, son." The boy kept smiling. Because she thought about the feelings of her customers, she deliberately changed her voice to make the customer less embarrassed.

If you want to know how difficult it is to imitate a Saigon accent, you must visit the street next to Lang Cha Ca roundabout and Hoang Van Thu park in Tan Binh district. You can find anything you like in the North. There are so many people in Hanoi, everyone laughs and talks happily in a "broken" Saigon accent. The street names are also the names of places in the North such as Ba Vi, Long Bien, Do Son. They do business and trade using the same professions they brought from the North such as selling goods, trading, cutting hair, washing hair... And here, whatever accent you speak with... doesn't matter, why bother. Just buy and sell and that's it. Another strange thing is that here, even if you practice your Saigon accent to become a master, you will still be recognized immediately. So it's best to just speak with your hometown accent. It's okay.

The Saigon accent also leaves an impression on me not only when I'm happy. When I'm angry, it's also very strong. When I was a little late for a date with my friend, I was a little late but my face fell and she smiled an angelic smile, softly saying "so happy". I remember when going out drinking, men often use this phrase while "getting drunk", but in this situation, it has a completely different meaning. As a result, she insisted on going home while I had prepared everything from booking a restaurant to watching a movie. It's so hard, when I asked her to eat or drink anything, she said "I don't know anything, 'chồn', 'chòi'!". Oh my god, I'm not a local like her! I'm so angry. To the point that she even imitated "yes, yes" for everything as if she wanted to tease me. I know very well that Saigonese never use the word "yes" like people in the North. Whether happy, sad, or sulking, she just says "yes", depending on her facial expression.

Saigon. Been there so many times that I can't remember how many. What I remember most is the voice that is deep and high, like singing. Not too high or too low, not too clear or too strong. The Saigon accent, whether spoken loudly or softly, is always gentle and melodious, gently penetrating people's hearts without them knowing. Even the daily greetings are like that. Going to a sidewalk cafe, eating broken rice, or even just meeting strangers, somehow you will receive the greeting "so you're home". Like a sweet dessert of affection, right?

So if there is an article in which I, a Hanoian, speak with a Saigon accent, don’t be angry with me. And there are articles in which I speak with a Hanoi accent, but they are also very real feelings about Saigon from a Northerner…

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