"You Can Barely Speak English"
#31
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 111
Originally posted by jambo_2004
We should probably think ourselves lucky that our first language is English. Was talking to a German woman in a Hotel lobby a few weeks ago and she was moaning about how no one here understands her (she had broken English, but it's fairly clear) and I replied "yeah I know what you mean, I'm from Scotland, get the same problem a lot" she then snapped back "Well I'm sorry but it's just not the same! At least you speak the same language as them!"
Germans
We should probably think ourselves lucky that our first language is English. Was talking to a German woman in a Hotel lobby a few weeks ago and she was moaning about how no one here understands her (she had broken English, but it's fairly clear) and I replied "yeah I know what you mean, I'm from Scotland, get the same problem a lot" she then snapped back "Well I'm sorry but it's just not the same! At least you speak the same language as them!"
Germans
Ola
Sweden
#32
Originally posted by occl
A girl I once talked to in a bar in Arkansas was very (VERY) impressed that I was from Sweden, and acted like she knew exactly where it was. She told me she had been there last summer skiing, I asked where in Sweden, and she mentioned a mountain that I've never heard about. I thought she was trying to say it in Swedish, so I kinda pretended that I knew what she was talking about.
2 minutes later a friend of her joins the conversation. "Hey this guy is from Sweden!!!" girl 1 says, girl 2 says "REALLY?!?! We have been there..!! How far from Geneva do you live?". I say "That's Switzerland", and they both look at each other and girl 1 says "Oh.. we were in Switzerland, weren't we?".
It's not very unusual that Americans mix up Sweden with Switzerland. Not very unusual at all actually (70% probability). But that they've actually been to Switzerland, i.e. travelled overseas to another country, and still mix it up with Sweden, is quite.. weird.
However, most Americans I've met have been quite young and maybe older (but not too old) educated people have a better picture of the world.
It should, however, be mentioned that I've also met British people that have no clue where Sweden is. This happened last time last weekend when a guy asked me if Sweden is south of Finland (Estonia).
I also met a Vietnamese-American who asked me if "British" is the native language in Sweden. Funny funny.
Cheers,
Ola
Sweden (now Isle of Wight, U.K.)
A girl I once talked to in a bar in Arkansas was very (VERY) impressed that I was from Sweden, and acted like she knew exactly where it was. She told me she had been there last summer skiing, I asked where in Sweden, and she mentioned a mountain that I've never heard about. I thought she was trying to say it in Swedish, so I kinda pretended that I knew what she was talking about.
2 minutes later a friend of her joins the conversation. "Hey this guy is from Sweden!!!" girl 1 says, girl 2 says "REALLY?!?! We have been there..!! How far from Geneva do you live?". I say "That's Switzerland", and they both look at each other and girl 1 says "Oh.. we were in Switzerland, weren't we?".
It's not very unusual that Americans mix up Sweden with Switzerland. Not very unusual at all actually (70% probability). But that they've actually been to Switzerland, i.e. travelled overseas to another country, and still mix it up with Sweden, is quite.. weird.
However, most Americans I've met have been quite young and maybe older (but not too old) educated people have a better picture of the world.
It should, however, be mentioned that I've also met British people that have no clue where Sweden is. This happened last time last weekend when a guy asked me if Sweden is south of Finland (Estonia).
I also met a Vietnamese-American who asked me if "British" is the native language in Sweden. Funny funny.
Cheers,
Ola
Sweden (now Isle of Wight, U.K.)
In Pittsbugh International Airport, I was asked by a girl (waitress) at TGI Fridays, what language I spoke....
#33
Forum Regular
Joined: May 2004
Posts: 111
Originally posted by ukemigrant
Is Estonia some suburb of Finland now ? I always thought they were separate countries...
In Pittsbugh International Airport, I was asked by a girl (waitress) at TGI Fridays, what language I spoke....
Is Estonia some suburb of Finland now ? I always thought they were separate countries...
In Pittsbugh International Airport, I was asked by a girl (waitress) at TGI Fridays, what language I spoke....
Ola
#34
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Sep 2002
Location: US
Posts: 300
Originally posted by ukemigrant
Is Estonia some suburb of Finland now ? I always thought they were separate countries...
In Pittsbugh International Airport, I was asked by a girl (waitress) at TGI Fridays, what language I spoke....
Is Estonia some suburb of Finland now ? I always thought they were separate countries...
In Pittsbugh International Airport, I was asked by a girl (waitress) at TGI Fridays, what language I spoke....
#35
Forum Regular
Joined: Jan 2004
Location: Leeds to Los Angeles
Posts: 287
American's are used to the Joan Collins School of English. If you don't speak TV friendly RP then you confuse everybody. I'm from Yorkshire, and I'm asked on a daily basis if I'm Scottish. I'm fine with that, it's when they ask if I'm from London I get really pissed.
Not half an hour ago, the girl in Coffee Bean asked if I wanted my coffee hot or iced. Hot, I said. Excuse me? Hot. Excuse me? Hot. Excuse me? HOT! Ohhh, you want it haaat!
Several years ago, on holiday in Chicago, I got into an argument with a bloke who refused to believe that the English spoke English as a first language...
- Where are you from?
- England.
- What language do they speak there?
- Errr, English.
- No, I mean what's the first language there?
Etc, etc, etc...
JAMES
Not half an hour ago, the girl in Coffee Bean asked if I wanted my coffee hot or iced. Hot, I said. Excuse me? Hot. Excuse me? Hot. Excuse me? HOT! Ohhh, you want it haaat!
Several years ago, on holiday in Chicago, I got into an argument with a bloke who refused to believe that the English spoke English as a first language...
- Where are you from?
- England.
- What language do they speak there?
- Errr, English.
- No, I mean what's the first language there?
Etc, etc, etc...
JAMES
#36
Originally posted by Dant3
<<snip>>
Several years ago, on holiday in Chicago, I got into an argument with a bloke who refused to believe that the English spoke English as a first language...
- Where are you from?
- England.
- What language do they speak there?
- Errr, English.
- No, I mean what's the first language there?
Etc, etc, etc...
JAMES
<<snip>>
Several years ago, on holiday in Chicago, I got into an argument with a bloke who refused to believe that the English spoke English as a first language...
- Where are you from?
- England.
- What language do they speak there?
- Errr, English.
- No, I mean what's the first language there?
Etc, etc, etc...
JAMES
The mind boggles
#37
BE Forum Addict
Joined: Dec 2003
Location: Waukee, Iowa
Posts: 1,583
Many English people speak very quickly, have an unusual accent, add emphasis and rythm to parts of their speech that Americans don't...I don't think it's surprising that many Americans have trouble understanding.
#38
Joined: Jun 2004
Posts: 3,649
I remember my wife's friends coming to visit us in Wales. They were under the impression that the cab driver we had was speaking Welsh, and I was responding in English. They basically said they've heard Enlish people speak, they've heard Scottish and Irish, but never Welsh people. They thought it sounded like a Russian grunting.
#39
Originally posted by CalgaryAMC
Many English people speak very quickly, have an unusual accent, add emphasis and rythm to parts of their speech that Americans don't...I don't think it's surprising that many Americans have trouble understanding.
Many English people speak very quickly, have an unusual accent, add emphasis and rythm to parts of their speech that Americans don't...I don't think it's surprising that many Americans have trouble understanding.
Why?
I put it down to the fact of the UK having so many Americans films and TV programs broadcast that the British are more accustomed to a variety of American accents than vice versa.
More than often not, Americans are exposed to British actors/characters speaking in a BBC type accent or worse still, dubbed into such an accent.
So, when an American encounters a live Brit with something othert than a BBC type accent, they're flummoxed, due to lack of exposure...
#40
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
I asumed that might be the case but it does not seem to be.
I wwas brought up in an outer London Borough and have a bog standard 'BBC'' ish SE accent.
Yet I am often assumed to be Australian, and this is mainly from an older, educated, audience and Boulder is relatively speaking an International environment.
We had a party last year and a friend of my Wife's brought her 2 grandsons, the older one who I guess was about 6 kept starring at me.
As they were leaving he asked me -"why do'nt you speak English"
From a 6 year old I can accept it, from 46 year olds, well I thought initially they were taking the piss.
I wwas brought up in an outer London Borough and have a bog standard 'BBC'' ish SE accent.
Yet I am often assumed to be Australian, and this is mainly from an older, educated, audience and Boulder is relatively speaking an International environment.
We had a party last year and a friend of my Wife's brought her 2 grandsons, the older one who I guess was about 6 kept starring at me.
As they were leaving he asked me -"why do'nt you speak English"
From a 6 year old I can accept it, from 46 year olds, well I thought initially they were taking the piss.
#41
Originally posted by NC Penguin
Huh? I've never had a problem with anyone in the US (American or otherwise) when I reply that I'm from "the UK".
I would certainly never say I'm from England because it's bad enough that the American media contstantly refer to the UK or Britain as England in the news.
Huh? I've never had a problem with anyone in the US (American or otherwise) when I reply that I'm from "the UK".
I would certainly never say I'm from England because it's bad enough that the American media contstantly refer to the UK or Britain as England in the news.
#42
Account Closed
Joined: Mar 2004
Posts: 2
Originally posted by Pulaski
"England", "Britain", "the UK" - same difference to me, but them I was born in England and consider myself to be British - my passport says that I am a British citizen, so it was no great wrench to stop saying that I am from the UK.
"England", "Britain", "the UK" - same difference to me, but them I was born in England and consider myself to be British - my passport says that I am a British citizen, so it was no great wrench to stop saying that I am from the UK.
As is normal they asked me where I was from, UK is the obvious answer, after all just look at the drop down menus on the web, their code was "ENG" ohh dear.
PS I rarely use British, it seems to be a term that has lost its identity anyway.
#43
Originally posted by Dant3
American's are used to the Joan Collins School of English. If you don't speak TV friendly RP then you confuse everybody. I'm from Yorkshire, and I'm asked on a daily basis if I'm Scottish. I'm fine with that, it's when they ask if I'm from London I get really pissed.
Not half an hour ago, the girl in Coffee Bean asked if I wanted my coffee hot or iced. Hot, I said. Excuse me? Hot. Excuse me? Hot. Excuse me? HOT! Ohhh, you want it haaat!
Several years ago, on holiday in Chicago, I got into an argument with a bloke who refused to believe that the English spoke English as a first language...
- Where are you from?
- England.
- What language do they speak there?
- Errr, English.
- No, I mean what's the first language there?
Etc, etc, etc...
JAMES
American's are used to the Joan Collins School of English. If you don't speak TV friendly RP then you confuse everybody. I'm from Yorkshire, and I'm asked on a daily basis if I'm Scottish. I'm fine with that, it's when they ask if I'm from London I get really pissed.
Not half an hour ago, the girl in Coffee Bean asked if I wanted my coffee hot or iced. Hot, I said. Excuse me? Hot. Excuse me? Hot. Excuse me? HOT! Ohhh, you want it haaat!
Several years ago, on holiday in Chicago, I got into an argument with a bloke who refused to believe that the English spoke English as a first language...
- Where are you from?
- England.
- What language do they speak there?
- Errr, English.
- No, I mean what's the first language there?
Etc, etc, etc...
JAMES
There you go...aparently Brits still speak the same version of English that Shakespear was using.
Last edited by jambo_2004; Jul 22nd 2004 at 4:44 am.
#44
Originally posted by jambo_2004
When further discussing words like aluminium, I explained that I went by the version of English that the English invented. She replied that "well that was a long time ago when they never talked good english"
There you go...aparently Brits still speak the same version of English that Shakespear was using.
When further discussing words like aluminium, I explained that I went by the version of English that the English invented. She replied that "well that was a long time ago when they never talked good english"
There you go...aparently Brits still speak the same version of English that Shakespear was using.
"But soft, what light through yonder window creeps?
Tis the dawn, reflecting off the polished aluminum siding...."
Oh dear. Romeo and Juliet will never be the same....
#45
Originally posted by Pulaski
"England", "Britain", "the UK" - same difference to me, but them I was born in England and consider myself to be British - my passport says that I am a British citizen, so it was no great wrench to stop saying that I am from the UK.
"England", "Britain", "the UK" - same difference to me, but them I was born in England and consider myself to be British - my passport says that I am a British citizen, so it was no great wrench to stop saying that I am from the UK.
Odd thing on the wifes/kids US passports - their nationality is down as "United States of America" - I always though that was a country, not a nationality....