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Another one bites the dust...

 Language Learning Forum : General discussion Post Reply
12 messages over 2 pages: 1
mrwarper
Diglot
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Spain
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1493 posts - 2500 votes 
Speaks: Spanish*, EnglishC2
Studies: German, Russian, Japanese

 
 Message 9 of 12
14 May 2011 at 11:47am | IP Logged 
About Spaniards being friendly, and outgoing, etc. I'd say that same thing about pretty much any foreign student I've met but still it's no help if -as many of you have said- they keep hanging out with their compatriots, and doing little effort to practice their XYZ.

OTOH when I first went to the UK I wasn't very outgoing and I managed to improve my English quite a good deal. First, I avoided other Spaniards like the plague, and second, I took every opportunity to practice and polish my English. Why? Because I were there to learn, and everything else came after that.

I think most people are clear about their priorities in such a trip only in theory. When they actually get 'there' they suddenly feel much shier and unprotected and all kinds of silly things -it's not like they parachute in the middle of the jungle or anything, is it?- and they back away from the immersion plan. Some others -like me, or those girls, apparently- keep going.

@Cainntear, just now? I'd say it's more of an endemic/chronic thing... :)

@Alex86 I didn't even say 'thick', just 'noticeable' :)
As you'll probably know, it's way easier to pass for a native speaker of <whatever else> than one of your target language. And more often than not, people think that if you have an accent, it implies that you are probably not really so proficient (regardless of their own accent). BTW, you said English kept flowing. How good was theirs?

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Alexander86
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United Kingdom
alanguagediary.blogs
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Speaks: English*, Spanish, German, Catalan
Studies: Swedish

 
 Message 10 of 12
14 May 2011 at 6:13pm | IP Logged 
Their English was fine, if a little on the "I HHHave" etc... I just posted this because I
thought it illustrated a few points about the vagaries of language learning =) I guess
next time I should strike up a conversation when the Spaniards are not in Bikinis and
when I havenĀ“t just swum 1km :p Thanks for all the replies though =)
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mrwarper
Diglot
Winner TAC 2012
Senior Member
Spain
forum_posts.asp?TID=Registered users can see my Skype Name
Joined 5227 days ago

1493 posts - 2500 votes 
Speaks: Spanish*, EnglishC2
Studies: German, Russian, Japanese

 
 Message 11 of 12
14 May 2011 at 7:41pm | IP Logged 
OK, so you were tired and you went with the flow (English, that is), but what's with the bikinis? :)
(BTW they are not allowed in local swimming pools here unless it is a 'recreational' day - nice)
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Alexander86
Tetraglot
Senior Member
United Kingdom
alanguagediary.blogs
Joined 4982 days ago

224 posts - 323 votes 
Speaks: English*, Spanish, German, Catalan
Studies: Swedish

 
 Message 12 of 12
14 May 2011 at 8:29pm | IP Logged 
You can wear what you like! Obviously you have to wear at least something... But it's not
like in Spain where you must use flip flops to the pool etc. Different cultures,
interesting =)


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