You'll never become a NATIVE English speaker
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You'll never become a NATIVE English speaker
No matter how hard you try, the years in the UK or Ireland, the effort in your accent, or the AI applications you might use to fake it
There is a language wall, made of accents, cultural references and seemingly illogical phrasal verbs and idioms, that we cannot jump
But IT DOESN'T MATTER.
90% of your interactions are probably with other non-native speakers. As long as you understand each other, you're good.
More on this: https://europeanperspective.news/neither-british-nor-american-how-europeans-speak-their-own-flavour-of-english/
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You'll never become a NATIVE English speaker
No matter how hard you try, the years in the UK or Ireland, the effort in your accent, or the AI applications you might use to fake it
There is a language wall, made of accents, cultural references and seemingly illogical phrasal verbs and idioms, that we cannot jump
But IT DOESN'T MATTER.
90% of your interactions are probably with other non-native speakers. As long as you understand each other, you're good.
More on this: https://europeanperspective.news/neither-british-nor-american-how-europeans-speak-their-own-flavour-of-english/
@rafa_font Interesting thread and thoughts and article. Thanks for sharing. Some interesting insights and reminders here too for English-speakers in non-English-language countries who have similar challenges, e.g. as regards accent.
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@rafa_font Interesting thread and thoughts and article. Thanks for sharing. Some interesting insights and reminders here too for English-speakers in non-English-language countries who have similar challenges, e.g. as regards accent.
@CiaraNi Good point, native speakers certainly have to adapt too in a context of a majority of non-natives
One anecdote from Jose Emilio Labra that didn't make the article was: some times in international research conferences the non-natives communicate in (their) English, and the natives are the ones left out because they don't manage to tune in, or understand. Or as academics might say, "renegotiate" the interaction.
I guess in Denmark you might have had similar experiences?
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@CiaraNi Good point, native speakers certainly have to adapt too in a context of a majority of non-natives
One anecdote from Jose Emilio Labra that didn't make the article was: some times in international research conferences the non-natives communicate in (their) English, and the natives are the ones left out because they don't manage to tune in, or understand. Or as academics might say, "renegotiate" the interaction.
I guess in Denmark you might have had similar experiences?
@rafa_font 'non-natives communicate in (their) English, and the natives are the ones left out because they don't manage to tune in or understand'
Interesting. I'm reminded of gatherings with refugees who have different first languages and Danish as a 2nd, 3rd or 4th language. Some don't speak English so Danish is the common language. After a Dane has shared information, some refugees would ask me to repeat it because it was easier to understand my imperfect accented Danish than a Dane's Danish.
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@rafa_font 'non-natives communicate in (their) English, and the natives are the ones left out because they don't manage to tune in or understand'
Interesting. I'm reminded of gatherings with refugees who have different first languages and Danish as a 2nd, 3rd or 4th language. Some don't speak English so Danish is the common language. After a Dane has shared information, some refugees would ask me to repeat it because it was easier to understand my imperfect accented Danish than a Dane's Danish.
@CiaraNi @rafa_font I remember an interesting article pointing out this as one of the reasons for Brexit. British politicians felt often misunderstood and misunderstand others in Brussels, despite the aparent advantage of being the native speakers of the língua franca. But as most were monolinguals in English, it was hard for them to see past the error of the non native and also used a nuance that wouldn't get to the non native either.
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@CiaraNi @rafa_font I remember an interesting article pointing out this as one of the reasons for Brexit. British politicians felt often misunderstood and misunderstand others in Brussels, despite the aparent advantage of being the native speakers of the língua franca. But as most were monolinguals in English, it was hard for them to see past the error of the non native and also used a nuance that wouldn't get to the non native either.
@bossito @rafa_font Interesting.
'Hard for them to see past the error of the non native and also used a nuance that wouldn't get to the non native either.'
That sounds plausible, and like an unfortunate source of misunderstandings that have had serious social and political consequences.
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@bossito @rafa_font Interesting.
'Hard for them to see past the error of the non native and also used a nuance that wouldn't get to the non native either.'
That sounds plausible, and like an unfortunate source of misunderstandings that have had serious social and political consequences.
@CiaraNi @bossito @rafa_font
Intuitively it makes sense. Also, having learned another language also brings an understanding of this being a difficult task —I recall interactions with people who’ve never had to learn a second language and they had no idea how difficult it was. (And thus continued to speak fast and in complicated sentences).
