How to make sounds mocking English speakers!

[Emoni]

Ok, this might sound weird, but it is something I always wondered.

Most of us know when someone is mocking another language. You'll see some idiot standing around and then make some off-comment about Chinese people and say they speak like, "Ching chong chong ching ching" or the like. Same situation with Japanese; there usually exists a stereotypical and prejudiced sound or noise string that people use when mocking or speaking of how another language sounds to them when they don't understand.

... but what about English? Specifically, what does it sound like when Japanese do this sort of mock-imitation for English? I don't think I've ever heard it, but I'm certain it must exist! Has anyone heard something similar to what I am speaking of? I've wondered this for years now.

 

[bakaKanadajin]

I think since English is regarded as a 'world language' it doesn't carry with it that negative back-water, colloquial, foreign 'don't they speak funny?' kind of vibe. I'm not saying that other languages do but within the context of say, 'people wanting to make fun of a language' I think the first criteria is that it's worth mocking. If I stepped back and thought about it for a moment..

If there was a language above English that the current empirical country spoke, was widely taught around the world, was the standard for doing business, that everyone wanted to learn, and via which a lot of popular media was created and distributed, even if I didn't know that language it sure wouldn't seem 'foreign', it'd be kind of different.

If I wanted to mock it, I'd probably.. say what few words I knew in a really stupid way, basic stuff, but in a mocking way, sounding stupid on purpose.

 

[Emoni]

Makes sense, but I figure there must be some sense of that mocking that exists somewhere or in some form through pronunciation. It is likely hard to find (or at least notice) for the reasons you stated.

 

[Nall-ohki]

There exists certain speech patterns which are mockeries of common gaijin mistakes - using "watashi wa" at the beginning of every sentence for instance. I've also heard mockeries of the American southern drawl in Japanese (which I will admit, is atrocious-sounding in some novice speakers).

It sounds like what you're looking for is a singsong that matches English cadence, though, which I can think of no examples for.

 

[undrentide]

This thread reminds me of an episode from "Le petit Nicolas" by Sempé-Goscinny.
Nicolas is a boy, pupil at an elementary school in France.
One day, the class have a new pupil called George, who is apparently from an English speaking country. Nicola and his fellow class mates decided to call him Djodjo (as his name sounds like Dgeorges to their French ears.)
Djodjo cannot speak much French, but he speaks - "oinshouinshouin".

So this last bit is, I assume, how English language may sound to French speaking people who do not understand English.
But I do not know if people in France would make this sounds to mock English language...

 

[Mycernius]

There is mocking of english within english speakers, usually focusing on the persons accent. If you were a brummie for example (a person from Birmingham, UK) you might get get someone going Yam, yam, or yow, yow; Geordies (Newcastle-on-Tyne) get why-eye man; and Scots getting the Jings, crivins and hoots mon. I know Canadians get stick from Americans for the Canadian "Aye" accent.
This guys goes through various english accents in the uk
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-5172229871342720513

 

[Glenski]

If there is any mocking, it's about their own lack of utility for the language.

"I have a pen"
"Fine, thank you"
"OK!" followed by a thumbs up sign

or the latest...
"Yes, we can!"

Usually, the Japanese just look quizzically at each other, after a deer-in-the-headlights look at the English speaker, and say, "de nani?".

 

[MeAndroo]

The most common mocking voice for English speakers I've heard is one that's based around the mis-pronunciation of Japanese. I've only encountered this amongst children, but you can pronounce a word fine and they will mock you. Also, if you ask them the word for, say, apple in English, they may just say rin-GO in a way obviously intended to impersonate a non-native Japanese speaker.

I also get the random "appuru priizu!" with laughter and running away to follow.

Other than that, yes, I have heard the "yes, we can" sentence like 15 times a day.