I heard a classic spring joke the other day, and it reminded me of the importance of knowing the context to understand a joke. What is easily understandable to most Americans will get nothing but a questioning look from those unfamiliar with American history. So, I'm going to give you the "inside scoop" so you'll understand this joke, too.

First of all, there is a popular expression about spring that says "April showers bring May flowers", meaning that all the rain in April helps the flowers to bloom in May.

This expression led to the development of a joke that goes like this:

Question: If April showers bring May Flowers, then what do May Flowers bring?

Answer : Pilgrims

Are you laughing...or groaning..or wondering why it's supposed to be funny?

What you need to know is that some of the earliest settlers in America, those who founded Plymouth, Massachusetts in 1620, were known as Pilgrims. They were Puritan Christians who traveled here from England on a boat named the Mayflower. So, Mayflowers bring Pilgrims, or at least did at one time.

The problem with this joke is that it ignores the different stress patterns between the words May flower and Mayflower. When talking about the flowers that bloom in May, you use two words and the stress falls equally on the first word and the first syllable of the second word, so you say MAY FLOWer. When referring to the ship named Mayflower, it is all one word, and the stress falls on the first syllable, like this: MAYflower.

If you remember this little tip about the stress patterns, you can really impress your American friends with your knowledge of English when they tell you this joke.

I know you want to feel confident in your ability to communicate clearly, and you want to feel comfortable speaking English. But sometimes, your accented speech gets in the way.

I am Lisa Scott, a nationally certified speech pathologist who specializes in accent reduction training. I am passionate about working with you to remove communication barriers so that people hear YOU and not your accent. To receive my free guide, How to Speak English Like an American, or to learn more about my classes via Skype, visit http://www.losemyaccent.com.

[Edited by Administrator (admin) 2014-04-12]