In the preview for Margaret Cho's new "Cho Show," you get to see her mother, and hear her speak, and I was struck by how dead on Margaret's impressions of her are. Sure, she's exaggerating for effect, but the accent and cadence were uncannily similar.
And that's when I realized that most of the women I know (myself included) have a similar ability to mimic Mom perfectly. My mom isn't thrilled when I do it (I don't sound like that!!), but she, in turn, did a great imitation of my Grandma.
So, Feministers -- how about you? Do you ever mimic your moms? And guys, do you do Dad impressions?
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Oh dear, my mother is *extremely* hurt when my brother and sisters and I even gently imitate her accent. She spoke English long before she moved to the U.S. (and spoke and read it at quite an advanced/sophisticated level, I might add), and considers it a huge insult to suggest that she speaks it other than perfectly." I've tried to point out that even people who move to other countries when they are 12 or 13 will retain a bit of an accent, but she doesn't see it in those terms.
If my mother ever saw Cho's impression of Cho's mom, she'd probably spontaneously combust. She'd ring us all to let us know what she thought of children who mock their parents' accents, and we wouldn't hear the end of it for a week.
Yes, I have many voices that I use to imitate my mother (when she's angry, when she's driving and trying not to get lost, when she's happy about something, etc.). The most she'll say is "YOu little brat!" Which is of course just fodder for my imitative machine. Mostly, she just laughs. In fact, that's how I know if I've done it well.
Oy, if I should imitate my mudder, I should clear mayn schedule, because de rest uff de day vill be filled vith complainink and kvetsching and "vun day, vhen I'm dead and gone, you'll be sorry you treated your poooooor old mameleh, who isn't long for dis vorld, dis vay. And vun day, I hope you haff children who treat you just like you treat me."
She only brings out the Yiddish accent when she's guilting me.
My mother and her sisters love to do what they call a 'mum face.' It is a disappointed, closed mouth, frown that they claim my grandmother does.
I found that the voice I do to imitate my boyfriend is exactly the same as the one my mom does to imitate my father.