Native English

xveer22

I'm curious.. for native English speakers, how do you think about it that many countries have to learn your language? And how is it for you to see all those grammar mistakes non-native-speakers make?

MaraDiaz

I'm just sorry American schools don't insist that children become fluent in another language by middle school. A few classes here and there don't cut it. Especially if they start in High School.

Grammar mistakes don't bother me much, my spanish grammar is atrocious, so I have no room to complain.

coliema

I took spanish in middle school and continued on in high school, 5 years of spanish total...and I still don't get the language.

Jain

I'm usually ashamed of myself for not being able to speak an other language. I can just about get by in German but thats it. As for grammer mistakes, they dont bother me

Polly758

I don't see why anybody HAS to learn any language if they aren't living in a country that speaks it.

However they say learning a 2nd language is great for your intelligence, plus it gives you more opportunities.

Grammar mistakes don't bother me. I have a Chinese friend and her English is... let's say it's improving... but we get on fine. Plus we have some good laughs over it sometimes.

_lizzie_

I'm a native speaker of both Spanish and English because I was taught by my parents to speak Spanish; the school systems don't require it. Just in that last sentence I made a grammar mistake even though I'm a native speaker. At least American English speakers are pretty lax on that sort of thing. No one really cares, and most people actually love helping language learners. My mom is a non-native English speaker with a terribly thick accent, and everyone is always very nice and helpful when she is having a hard time making herself understood. I think this is something unique to English though, because when people have awful Spanish grammar and accents, they kind of hurt my ears. Especially at school, where I know the people in my classes have studied it for 10 years. I am still polite but I switch to English if they speak that as well. For some reason, bad grammar/accents don't bother me as much in that language.

zyxst

I see less grammar mistakes from non-native English speakers than native English speakers.

tonightokayalright

English has a lot of nuances, but getting the general message across is pretty easy. Grammar isn't important for conversation, so I don't think it's important unless you're getting an education in English.

I applaud all efforts, because it's less likely that I'm going to learn a language that is as universally recognized as English.

Elle408

It might sound ignorant of me to say this, but having travelled a lot, knowing that everyone would speak at least to a basic English level was very comforting and convenient. I also think it makes sense that there be at least one common language (if it wasn't for English being the most common language then this could easily be another one) it helps with business links, tourism etc. It doesn't just help the English speaking countries, but when going to Turkey for instance, the locals were speaking English with German and French people, it makes things easier.

As for grammar from none native speakers, it wouldn't bother me in the slightest, I wouldn't have the right to be bothered unless my grammar in their language was perfect!

forgtmenot

I took spanish in middle school and continued on in high school, 5 years of spanish total...and I still don't get the language.

This, only I took it for 6 years total. I also took a class that was 6 weeks each of French, German, and Spanish. I still don't speak any language other than English fluently. It's unfortunate that here in the US they don't aim to teach children to be fluent in a language while in grade school. You really don't get very in-depth with it until college. I wish I could speak something other than English and I think it's awesome when anyone else can speak more than one language (perfectly or not).

SyntonicGarden

I'm curious.. for native English speakers, how do you think about it that many countries have to learn your language? And how is it for you to see all those grammar mistakes non-native-speakers make?

It bothers me when native speakers of English can't or choose not to master the grammar. Grammar mistakes from someone who's speaking a second language are almost admirable, because they're often not mistakes in the speaker's native language.

It's even more bothersome when the grammar is bastardized by native speakers of English in an attempt to sound educated. The key offender in this case is the misuse of "myself" when the speaker means "me."

If you can speak another language or at least make an attempt, it shows a bit of respect for another culture. As an American, I wish we'd reinforce English grammar and do a better job to teaching other languages to children when they're much younger.

kinmad4it

Mistakes by people who don't have English as their first language is normal, expected and certainly not something to frown at.

It's a ridiculously hard language to master. Take the "there" for example. We have there, they're and their. All sound the same but mean totally different things. Then take the word "nose" We have "pose" "rose" and then we get "lose" Very confusing to a non native English speaker.

xveer22

Hahaha, I never thought in a way about other languages as most of you do. I'm dutch, so in high school I had 3 years French, 5 years German and 8 years English (English even started in primary school)
In the way you look at things: wow, I'm awesome hahaha
(I don't understand a word French anymore, but I can speak German and fluently English)