Question for Head-Fiers who are not native English speakers

[viator122]

Head-Fi is a very international community and, like most internet communication, we communicate using the English language.

I have noticed that most of our non-native English speakers here on Head-Fi speak (well, type) English very well and don't seem to have a problem communicating. I imagine this is because, as I understand it, in many parts of Europe and Asia, English is taught as a second language in schools from a very early age.

My question is, how difficult is it for you to communicate here on Head-Fi? Although Head-Fi is better than some other forums, there are still many grammar/spelling mistakes here. How does this affect your improvement in English?

I'm not sure how much other languages use slang, but English sure uses a lot and it changes very often. How much of our slang speech do you understand? Do you find that English speakers use more slang than your native language?

Thanks in advance for the input, I've been wondering about this for a while.

 

[enzoferrari650]

My first language was mandirin. I moved to the US when I was 7 and have not gone back since. I still speak fluent mandirin as well as fluent english. So I guess this doesn't really help with your question

You say there are lots of grammar and spelling errors on these forums, but since this is a forum, proper grammar is not always used, not because we can't type with proper grammar and spelling, but the fact that we don't seem to care much about that problem since this is not part of school. But maybe this just applies to me and other teenagers who like to take a break from the school mindset.

edit: heh, after I read my own post, I realized I had a nice run-on sentence there. I give myself a pat on the back.

 

[fogia.4]

I lived a few years in the US when I was a kid, learned english that way. I mostly just keep watching movies and series in english and I listen to mostly english vocals music, I guess it helps. I try to read english books as well as lots of various stuff online. Slang isnt really a problem, apart from the really unknown slag I think I've covered the whole spectrum while in High School. It kind of comes automatically really, english is an easy language, very logical imho, but there are some things that are much easier to say in french

 

[viator122]

I never said the people here can't write with correct grammar, I just said that there are a lot of mistakes.

 

[Teerawit]

I'm from Thailand, and my first language was Thai, but I moved to the USA when I was 3 and grew up here. I guess I don't count

I learned English just like everyone else did here, and I always have had above-average grammar skills, and I try to use proper grammar. I'm quick to notice here when people type "your" when they should be using "you're"

 

[labrat]

Deleted.

 

[Genetic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by viator122 My question is, how difficult is it for you to communicate here on Head-Fi? Although Head-Fi is better than some other forums, there are still many grammar/spelling mistakes here. How does this affect your improvement in English?

Excellente question. En effet il n'est pas sans importance de considérer que les faiblesses grammaticales observées ont un impact considérable sur mon habileté à améliorier mon .....oups....

O.K. if my English is so bad it is in big part a consequence of what I read here....

Amicalement

 

[fogia.4]

lol, that was funny

 

[bangraman]

Quote:

Originally Posted by viator122 My question is, how difficult is it for you to communicate here on Head-Fi?

Notto berry difficuluto.

Quote:

Although Head-Fi is better than some other forums, there are still many grammar/spelling mistakes here. How does this affect your improvement in English?

I habu paafekuto Engurish.

 

[Lisa]

Quote:

Originally Posted by viator122 . I have noticed that most of our non-native English speakers here on Head-Fi speak (well, type) English very well and don't seem to have a problem communicating. I imagine this is because, as I understand it, in many parts of Europe and Asia, English is taught as a second language in schools from a very early age.

I was tought from the age of 12. It really helped that I watched a soap on the BBC every weekday from the age of 13 or 14. English became one of my best subjects. But improved a lot after a year on head-fi. Now I need to find some way to get better than head-fi language. I guess reading books might do that??

Quote:

My question is, how difficult is it for you to communicate here on Head-Fi? Although Head-Fi is better than some other forums, there are still many grammar/spelling mistakes here. How does this affect your improvement in English?

It's pretty easy now. English has become my second language, I don't need to think in Dutch and translate it first anymore like I do with German and French. (Or attempt to.)
I do have some minor problems with spelling and grammar that's wrong. Things like "I should of done that" The first time I saw that I needed to think a bit and hear in in my head as if it was spoken.
And I'd like to take this oppertunity to say this.
It's "should HAVE, could HAVE, would HAVE" !!!
(Sorry had to get that out of my system. Or is it internet slang I missed?)

Quote:

I'm not sure how much other languages use slang, but English sure uses a lot and it changes very often. How much of our slang speech do you understand? Do you find that English speakers use more slang than your native language?

Because I learned a lot of English from TV and movies slang is not much of a problem. But still, sometimes I just don't understand what is said. And I also find that I miss subtleties (sp?). Especially in flamewars.

 

[The Actual]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Teerawit I'm quick to notice here when people type "your" when they should be using "you're"

Augh, I hate it when people do that. Although I frequently correct myself on it, and am sure that there are tons of mistakes that I don't catch in my own posts...sigh.


Viator122, thanks for starting this thread. I find it very interesting.

 

[Genetic]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lisa I was tought from the age of 12. It really helped that I watched a soap on the BBC every weekday from the age of 13 or 14. English became one of my best subjects. But improved a lot after a year on head-fi. Now I need to find some way to get better than head-fi language.

Go back to the BBC archives....

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/blackadder/

The danger is that you will probably sound as a Scrypt from the past....

Amicalement

 

[DanG]

A more serious suggestion for you, Lisa, would be to try to hang around highly educated native English speakers in social settings. There really is no substitute. Reading books is good for vocabulary but spoken language is not exactly the same and can make you sound strange. The best solution is to read books and to try using new words in conversations with people who will understand them. If they're nice, they'll be happy to point out your errors -- gently.

 

[rauer]

Well, being a Finn, my native language is silence.

Here in Finland, we usually learn English from grade 3 on. I personally have "always" read a lot of English literature and don't find it very hard to understand the language here. However, what has been a slight surprise over the years, is difficulties in understanding the ideas and mentality behind the language. One would expect to gain a better understanding of people from other countries having discussed with them and after reading their posts for a while. Unfortunately the opposite seems to be the case for me. I often find myself flabbergasted trying to understand how a certain member can post and think like he/she does in the year 2005. I'm not talking about the obvious trolling every forum has, but the basic view how some see ideas, people and 'isms.

 

[ls20]

all of my posts are first processed through babelfish