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How supportive are the native speakers? | ||
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 Language Learning Forum : Cultural Experiences in Foreign Languages |  | |
| Faraday Senior Member United States Joined 6118 days ago 129 posts - 256 votes  Speaks: German* | Message 9 of 43 23 March 2008 at 9:12am | IP Logged | ||
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The French and Spanish people I have interacted with have been very helpful and patient for the most part.
1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Alec Newbie United Kingdom Joined 6399 days ago 36 posts - 41 votes Speaks: English* Studies: Italian, Japanese | Message 10 of 43 01 May 2008 at 10:58pm | IP Logged | ||
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Japanese speakers are usually very nice and "Wow, your Japanese is so good". Almost all sober Japanese are patient with me and, as long as they understand me, don't correct me no matter how big of a mistake I make.
Drunk Japanese are another matter all together; whilst most are still patient, young drunk Japanese women seem to take a perverse pleasure in laughing or ridiculing me! I served some pickles to customers are my restaurant and upon presenting the dish, one woman burst out laughing loudly; "Your pronunciation is so strange!". There are other examples, but mostly it's just the alcohol giving them the courage to release their vent-up frustration at not being able to master English by going to English language school for an hour a week (-_-). I've had less contact with Italians but when I have, they've been quick to correct me. They don't correct me in a condescending or impatient way but more in a straight-forward teacher kind of way, which is really perfect for language learners! 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| Stawrberry Triglot Newbie Netherlands Joined 5947 days ago 16 posts - 20 votes Speaks: Dutch*, EnglishC2, Portuguese Studies: Latin, Modern Hebrew | Message 11 of 43 16 June 2009 at 5:20pm | IP Logged | ||
Gosh, this is so true. My mum is Portuguese and she NEVER corrects my mistakes, which I really hate. How can I improve my Portuguese if I don't know what I'm doing wrong? So frustrating... 3 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| cordelia0507 Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 5838 days ago 1473 posts - 2176 votes Speaks: Swedish* Studies: German, Russian | Message 12 of 43 16 June 2009 at 5:52pm | IP Logged | ||
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Strawberry - your mother probably just wants to speak with you uninterrupted without being a language teacher.
It's surprising though that she didn't take the opportunity to teach it to you properly when you were small. Why was that? 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| anytram Bilingual Tetraglot Groupie France Joined 5669 days ago 85 posts - 89 votes Speaks: German*, Polish*, French, English Studies: Japanese | Message 13 of 43 16 June 2009 at 5:58pm | IP Logged | ||
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My mother always spoke Polish with us, but that doesn't mean we speak (and write!) it perfectly. She always does correct me, though, just as most of our family does in a conversation. This might not be straight away, but after the content is discussed, but they do.
Most people around me in France don't correct me anymore, even though I ask them to do so repeatedly. They sort of got used to my "style" and point out to me that I speak more correctly than many Frenchies my age. Which is nice, really, but I would like to learn the language as far as I can and not stop since I have not a lot of trouble in a casual conversation. >__<; Edited by anytram on 16 June 2009 at 6:01pm 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Stawrberry Triglot Newbie Netherlands Joined 5947 days ago 16 posts - 20 votes Speaks: Dutch*, EnglishC2, Portuguese Studies: Latin, Modern Hebrew | Message 14 of 43 16 June 2009 at 9:25pm | IP Logged | ||
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Cordelia0507 -
I understand that she wants to speak to me without being a language teacher, but she won't even correct small mistakes (e.g. wrong gender). We used to speak Portuguese at home until my brother and I went to elementary school. We invited (Dutch) friends over and therefore we had to talk in Dutch. Well we didn't have to, but I think it's just rude to talk in a language in front of people who don't speak that language. We started to talk more and more Dutch and now the most conversations are in Dutch. Of course I always address my mum in Portuguese, but she nearly always replies in Dutch and it's kinda discouraging after a while. =\ It sucks, 'cause I could have been raised bilingually. But there's nothing I can do about it now and someday I will speak it natively. :) I just have to be patient and put a lot of effort into my studies. 2 persons have voted this message useful | |||
| cordelia0507 Senior Member United Kingdom Joined 5838 days ago 1473 posts - 2176 votes Speaks: Swedish* Studies: German, Russian | Message 15 of 43 18 June 2009 at 12:11am | IP Logged | ||
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Strawberry and Anytram, what a mixed bag language situation!
I had something similar happening, but I was already in my teens, so I was too old and had too much attitude to take advantage. There is so much talk about people being raised truly bilingual when familiese move around or emigrate... But in reality there will always be a stronger language, I think, and sometimes it's quite shocking how little people speak of their parents language.. My step-mother really tried to teach my sister and I Japanese, but I usually ignored her and spoke pidgeon Swedish and English with her instead because I resented that she came into the family and tried to change the language of communication (she didn't really, but I had a bad attitude). I think the language of schooling is what really forms you. Also, the kid usually doesn't realise / appreciate that he actually is in an advantageous situation and can get another language "for free" with very little input. Not an easy choice for parents either -- could be a case of "damned if you do, damned if you don't...." 1 person has voted this message useful | |||
| Katie Diglot Senior Member Australia Joined 6718 days ago 495 posts - 599 votes Speaks: English*, Hungarian Studies: French, German | Message 16 of 43 18 June 2009 at 4:26am | IP Logged | ||
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My friends always say that the whole point at this stage is for me to be able to get my point across - so they don't always correct every little thing.
If I say something completely wrong, they'll correct me, or if I specifically ask them to, but I don't push them too much as I don't want them to think they have to 'teach' me instead of being my friends. On the other hand, if we're in a relaxed situation (not 10 things happening at once, as it usually is!) they're more than happy to take the time. Sometimes they even quiz me! 1 person has voted this message useful |
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