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#4346668 - 03/24/17 09:11 PM Re: Question for Non native English Speakers [Re: Jedi Master]  
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Ice Cold in Alex or Eating in ...
Originally Posted by Jedi Master
Yes, while I can do a decent Scottish accent there is no WAY I could actually talk like Nesbitt or Baxter in this thread. Understanding is one thing, communicating in kind is another!



The Jedi Master

While I can speak like them, it is not my dialect, and coming from a more middle class upbringing and about 20miles from Glasgow it does not come naturally smile

Here with all my step kids and their spouses I can understand most of what they say... except for one of them that comes from the next town, her dialect is so different I just look blank when she says anything I just do not understand her. My youngest grand daughter, the daughter of the afore mentioned daughter in law, she is almost 2 and she catches on quick, today she used English words to me and Dutch to everyone else, it caught me by surprise this morning while I was baby sitting her and her younger brother.


Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil
Sons of the hound come here and get flesh
Clan Cameron
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#4346675 - 03/24/17 09:28 PM Re: Question for Non native English Speakers [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
So Tagalog is the main language in the Philippines while Bisaya/Cebuano is more of a local dialect?

Tagalog (or Filipino) is the main language in the Philippines, yes. The terms change depending on who you talk to, but I prefer the term Tagalog as it is clearly the language. Filipino can either mean the language or a citizen of the Philippines.

As for dialects, there are many. Bisaya and Cebuano are roughly the same, with small differences here and there. There's Ilonggo, Waray, Hiligaynon, Ilocano, Karay-a, and so on. It's quite funny when you then transplant those people over here in the UK.... we converse by Tagalog initially, but when we figure out that the person speaks a common dialect, it's like meeting an old friend! Speaking English is fine, speaking Tagalog is better, but when we speak the same dialect, it's like talking to a cousin or something. I guess one aspect of that is because humor can be different also depending on the dialect spoken, and there are "funny terms" that is funny in the dialect but not in another language.

A few times over here, when meeting or passing by someone who looks Southeast Asian, one person will throw out the term "kabayan" which is Tagalog for "countryman" or "fellow countryman." If the other person is Filipino, then they'll respond appropriately... if the other person isn't (maybe Malaysian or Indonesian or something else), they'll give a blank stare at which point the first person just apologizes and carries on. I was walking down high street one time when some guys passed me and I heard him say "kabayan!" I looked back and he was looking at me, so I responded. Turns out they were living nearby but just moved into the area and wanted directions.


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#4346703 - 03/24/17 10:41 PM Re: Question for Non native English Speakers [Re: Jedi Master]  
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brasil
Originally Posted by Jedi Master
In my experience so far I find the culture most like the US (in that they are monolingual and don't bother with more than a passing attempt at another) is Japan.
Our company is global. I communicate with offices in France, Germany, UK, China, Malaysia, India, Japan, Taiwan, and Korea.

The office I have the most difficulty with is the Tokyo one. None of them are what I would consider fluent in English, and probably only half of them can make themselves understood.
Taiwan is not as bad, but it can be difficult to understand what they mean.

The European offices? No problem with English at all. Malaysia seems to do everything in English. China's offices do English and Chinese, but their English is great. Korea is mostly English.



The Jedi Master


Dude, chinese people surprise me, the ones i met in business were in one sentence oh hok, ki min oh chi, then turn to me and speak fluent portuguese with brazilian acent,if i didnt know i would think they were born here !!

#4346772 - 03/25/17 10:20 AM Re: Question for Non native English Speakers [Re: PanzerMeyer]  
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Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
I think one of the major things this thread has revealed is that since English is the universal language, native English speakers as a general rule tend to be less motivated to learn a second language. Why learn a second language when you can use English almost anywhere? .


There's also the fact that, even if you speak the local language adequately enough, once they determine that you're English they usually want to switch to English to speak to you. It can be a bit annoying and I've spoken to a couple of English people who have given up trying to speak other languages because everybody wants to speak English to them. I had a homeless guy approach me in Montpellier to ask for money, and even he spoke English. The ubiquity of the language is becoming quite startling and I definitely see the internet as being behind that. When I first started going abroad in the 80s English wasn't nearly as widely spoken among 'common' people.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

Last edited by Ant; 03/25/17 10:21 AM.
#4346777 - 03/25/17 10:54 AM Re: Question for Non native English Speakers [Re: Ant]  
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I use this method when I am trying to speak a foreign language.
If you speak slowly and loudly enough they will understand you. Lol



https://youtu.be/Y8gOjasxxO0






.

#4346781 - 03/25/17 11:51 AM Re: Question for Non native English Speakers [Re: Ant]  
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My experience with trying to talk Czech is that I will go to some restaurant, and in my best Czech will ask for what I want, and the waiter/waitress will ask me in English what drink I want with it.


"They might look the same, but they don't taste the same."
#4346797 - 03/25/17 01:20 PM Re: Question for Non native English Speakers [Re: DM]  
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Originally Posted by DM
My experience with trying to talk Czech is that I will go to some restaurant, and in my best Czech will ask for what I want, and the waiter/waitress will ask me in English what drink I want with it.

And this happens in Prague? How interesting.


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4346819 - 03/25/17 03:05 PM Re: Question for Non native English Speakers [Re: DM]  
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Originally Posted by DM
My experience with trying to talk Czech is that I will go to some restaurant, and in my best Czech will ask for what I want, and the waiter/waitress will ask me in English what drink I want with it.

biggrin Oh I know that response so well here too

There are so few foreigners that speak Dutch that they do appreciate you trying to speak their language


Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil
Sons of the hound come here and get flesh
Clan Cameron
#4346821 - 03/25/17 03:16 PM Re: Question for Non native English Speakers [Re: Alicatt]  
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Originally Posted by Alicatt
Originally Posted by DM
My experience with trying to talk Czech is that I will go to some restaurant, and in my best Czech will ask for what I want, and the waiter/waitress will ask me in English what drink I want with it.

biggrin Oh I know that response so well here too

There are so few foreigners that speak Dutch that they do appreciate you trying to speak their language



I was in Aruba and Bonaire ( both islands are part of Holland) about 2 years ago and what's funny is that I heard English being spoken there much more than Dutch.


“Whoever fights monsters should see to it that in the process he does not become a monster. And if you gaze long enough into an abyss, the abyss will gaze back into you.”
#4346842 - 03/25/17 05:03 PM Re: Question for Non native English Speakers [Re: Ant]  
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Ice Cold in Alex or Eating in ...
Most people here and in Holland speak English as a second language, I have found very few that don't and most of them are about 80 years old.

My wife is fairly typical in that she has Dutch as her first language and French as a second, but more people have English as a second language and it seems to have overtaken French as a second language.

Now if you go to the Walloon region everyone speaks a version of French which is slightly different than the French from France, you will find quite a few also speak a little English but not as many as in the Flemish region, and you will find very, very, few Walloons that speak Dutch/Flemish ( or that will admit to it!)

I have seen it when we are in the Walloon region that if my wife uses Flemish then she gets blanked and also if she uses French she gets treated as a second class citizen, it doesn't happen everywhere but I have seen it happening often enough over the years. If I use English then I get smiles and help.


Chlanna nan con thigibh a so's gheibh sibh feoil
Sons of the hound come here and get flesh
Clan Cameron
#4346892 - 03/25/17 10:26 PM Re: Question for Non native English Speakers [Re: DM]  
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Originally Posted by DM
My experience with trying to talk Czech is that I will go to some restaurant, and in my best Czech will ask for what I want, and the waiter/waitress will ask me in English what drink I want with it.


Same with me smile
In the more major places, anyway. In smaller shops, or anywhere outside of Prague, and in any government offices, I speak bad Czech, and they either look at me confused, or reply in a rapid stream of complicated Czech.

To add a bit about how people learn English and get competent in conversation skills - there are English native speakers all over the place teaching English. It's a really common summer / Gap year job for Americans (and some Brits). It's pretty easy to find a native speaker, meet with them for an hour a week, and talk.

#4346916 - 03/26/17 01:33 AM Re: Question for Non native English Speakers [Re: Chucky]  
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I.E. Commiefornia ..S.B Count...
Originally Posted by Chucky
Originally Posted by PanzerMeyer
Wow. I think I understood about 25% of what that guy said in the video. Lol.


I recommend subtitles for Rab C Nesbitt yep



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#4347188 - 03/27/17 02:26 PM Re: Question for Non native English Speakers [Re: Ant]  
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I hear more English spoken when I go to Mexico than I do going to Miami. smile



The Jedi Master


The anteater is wearing the bagel because he's a reindeer princess. -- my 4 yr old daughter
#4348730 - 04/03/17 12:28 PM Re: Question for Non native English Speakers [Re: ADorante]  
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Originally Posted by ADorante
I got half-way decent in speaking english by trying to imitate Jello Biafra Spoken Word style and singing Iron Maiden songs biggrin


OMG, This weekend I went to a panel discussion and test screening for a documentary about Chicago record label WAXTRAX! and as I was walking into the theatre, I passed someone who looked like Jello Biafra. Sure enough, he was on the panel. That was crazy!

v6,
boNes



"Also, I would prefer a back seater over the extra gas any day. I would have 80 pounds of flesh to eat and a pair of glasses to start a fire." --F/A-18 Hornet pilot
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