Why do people lie about being fluent? (General discussion) Language Learning Forum

Why do people lie about being fluent?
Tags: Fake Reviews \| Fluency
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Mae
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Message 81 of 88

30 April 2011 at 4:06pm | IP Logged

portunhol wrote:

We should be prepared to back up any claim we make.

I totally agree!!!

Edited by Mae on 30 April 2011 at 4:07pm
2 persons have voted this message useful

Bao
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Message 82 of 88

30 April 2011 at 5:10pm | IP Logged

portunhol wrote:

That said, who makes you more curious, the guy who says he's a cage fighter or the guy who says that he took a few self-defense classes when he was 12? Are you more curious to taste the food of someone who claims to be a gourmet chef or that of a woman who says she spent some quality time in the kitchen with her grandmother?

Depends on the context. During the first years of my secondary school, there was a girl in my class who told ... well, stories, rather than lies. Meaning, she told those stories as if they were true, but they were obviously her own fantasy. It wasn't particularly amusing or anything, just a person who couldn't keep her own fantasies to herself. It was really awkward and nobody of us knew how to interact with her.
When I meet people who claim they have wonderful skills, I often feel like with that person. I wearily think "Do you actually believe what you say is true? Do you want to show off? Do you want me to ask you to prove yourself? Do you feel the wish to be admired by me? Do you feel the need to earn my respect? Why, if you obviously want to show off your skills, don't you have the balls to do so without me telling you to do so?"
It doesn't make me curious. It makes me feel tired.
3 persons have voted this message useful

Naomi Chambers
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thepolyglotexperienc
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Message 83 of 88

01 May 2011 at 1:38am | IP Logged

szastprast wrote:

The woman in question didn't lie. She just read about or even
completed a course by Michel Thomas.

Michel Thomas method
Learn without books, drills, or memorization
Speak with confidence in just minutes

She took a couple classes at a community college, and earned a B.
1 person has voted this message useful

Naomi Chambers
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thepolyglotexperienc
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Message 84 of 88

01 May 2011 at 1:39am | IP Logged

kmart wrote:

Naomi Chambers wrote:

There is noting in my post implying an
obsession.
This is a simple question about why people lie about fluency. The topic does not even
have to center around the individual i have in mind. It seems the respondents are more
obsessed with this than I am.

Well, I'd have to disagree, there's a definite obsession coming through from your
posts...

Naomi Chambers wrote:

It is clear to me that she is lying.

Naomi Chambers wrote:

she did not even earn an A in Beginning Spanish.
She is not close to fluency. With her abilities, I would say she is at least 2 years
away from fluency.

Naomi Chambers wrote:

The woman who lied about being fluent in Spanish also boasts
about how intelligent she is.

Naomi Chambers wrote:

This person is an American, who took Spanish 101 and could not
ace it. Now, she is claiming to be fluent.

Naomi Chambers wrote:

I know this person is lying. She has a low self-esteem and is
doing it for attention.

And on your blog

Naomi Chambers wrote:

Lets take the case of Ms. Jane Doe.

Naomi Chambers wrote:

Anyone who says that they are fluent after a few semesters of
community college education is a liar.

Naomi Chambers wrote:

Liar, liar, pants on fire.

Naomi Chambers wrote:

Insecure liars say they are fluent when they are not. Attention
whores say they are fluent when they clearly are not fluent.

Whew! Chill out. Maybe take an anger management class...
;-)

That is what people like about my writing, I engage them.
2 persons have voted this message useful

leosmith
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Message 85 of 88

01 May 2011 at 3:20am | IP Logged

Naomi Chambers wrote:

That is what people like about my writing, I engage them.

I'd hate to see what happens when you marry them.
15 persons have voted this message useful

Solfrid Cristin
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Message 86 of 88

01 May 2011 at 9:34pm | IP Logged

leosmith wrote:

Naomi Chambers wrote:

That is what people like about my writing, I engage them.

I'd hate to see what happens when you marry them.

My husband sometimes says " I'll rather hurt my best friend, than refrain from making a funny remark". I now see that he is not alone with this line of thinking.

I hope leo and the people who voted for his comment are really proud of themselves.

Edited by Solfrid Cristin on 02 May 2011 at 9:53am
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kmart
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Message 87 of 88

02 May 2011 at 1:19pm | IP Logged

Solfrid Cristin wrote:

leosmith wrote:

Naomi Chambers wrote:

That is what people like about my writing, I engage them.

I'd hate to see what happens when you marry them.

My husband sometimes says " I'll rather hurt my best friend, than refrain from making a funny remark". I now see that he is not alone with this line of thinking.

Awww, c'mon, it was funny. Very Oscar Wilde. Who, by the way, was reputed to be a very kind person. And aren't we glad that he didn't refrain from his funny remarks...
4 persons have voted this message useful

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