eslHQ Home
User Name Password
Lost Password? | Join eslHQ.com, it's FREE!
View today's posts
Search Extras Help   

Poll: How well do you speak the local language?
Poll Options
How well do you speak the local language?

Reply
 
LinkBack Thread Tools Display Modes
  #41 (permalink)  
Old Jun 12th, 2008, 09:05 am
eslHQ Member
 
Join Date: May 19th, 2008
Posts: 2
espl is on a distinguished road
Default Re: How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

Hi
Having workred in several countries I have made the point of learning polite phrases(survival) menus and absolutley ordering the beer. The joke in Poland was I never remembered 8 beers if the crew were out and had to ask for 4 then another 4. Got a laugh.
But my German goes beyond that, perhaps I worried about some folks having no sense of humour.
Scouse
Reply With Quote
  #42 (permalink)  
Old Jun 18th, 2008, 03:40 am
eslHQ Member
 
Join Date: Nov 10th, 2006
Location: Bangkok
Posts: 2
antonya is on a distinguished road
Default Re: How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

I wonder how many people can actually speak (and write correctly), the language they're teaching (not 'their').
Reply With Quote
  #43 (permalink)  
Old Jul 10th, 2008, 07:29 am
mr.why
 
Join Date: Jul 10th, 2008
Location: India
Posts: 5
grouchomarxist is on a distinguished road
Default Re: How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

It can't get worse. Priding myself on my rapid reading skills I didn't realize (at one go) that the blessed question's premise was that you were or had to be rather, located somewhere other than your own country. I promptly hit the 'can have a 2 hr debate' option only to bite my nails later! c'est la vie!
Reply With Quote
  #44 (permalink)  
Old Nov 9th, 2008, 03:58 am
Deon
 
Join Date: Nov 8th, 2008
Location: Lampang, Thailand
Posts: 5
deon is on a distinguished road
Talking Poor English and Thai skills

I admit my English is flawed... *meek grin*
I am attempting to learn Thai but it is very difficult because I do not hear the 'tones' [being as I grew up in the US]. Sometimes- no matter how I say certain words, certain people will always correct me [and it sounds just like what I had just said ]
Reply With Quote
  #45 (permalink)  
Old Nov 11th, 2008, 10:37 pm
KcalKr
 
Join Date: Nov 10th, 2008
Posts: 3
kcalcontrol is on a distinguished road
Default Re: How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

I have been in Seoul almost 6 months , all I can speak out are "Hello, How much is it?, subway, train station this kind of word in Korean" I just found not easy to learn new a language
__________________
Want to Meet Friends from Korea ?
http://uhome.heyheyfriends.com
Korea Culture, Travel tips, Life in Seoul
http://korea.heyheyfriends.com
Reply With Quote
  #46 (permalink)  
Old Nov 16th, 2008, 05:44 pm
eslHQ Member
 
Join Date: Nov 16th, 2008
Posts: 1
karakok is on a distinguished road
Default Re: How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

IF you live in Turkey,this is a difficult question.People change local lang.while speakin.also add some words from other lang.esp English.so we cant decide which lang.we re speking?
Reply With Quote
  #47 (permalink)  
Old Jan 22nd, 2009, 06:03 am
eslHQ Zealot
 
Join Date: Dec 4th, 2007
Location: Waterford, Ireland
Posts: 71
tigerenglish1 is on a distinguished road
Default Re: How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

When I'm in a certain country, I always make sure that I learn a phrase or too. Natives really appreciate it if you take a time or two to learn their language.
Reply With Quote
  #48 (permalink)  
Old Mar 14th, 2009, 11:52 pm
eslHQ Member
 
Join Date: May 17th, 2008
Posts: 15
hawaiibadboy is on a distinguished road
Default Re: How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

Enough to survive.
Juuuuust enough

Last edited by Eric : Mar 15th, 2009 at 12:54 am. Reason: Removed self promotion link from post. Please put personal links in your signature.
Reply With Quote
  #49 (permalink)  
Old Mar 15th, 2009, 03:11 am
English-coach's Avatar
eslHQ Zealot
 
Join Date: Feb 25th, 2009
Location: In the South of Spain
Posts: 121
English-coach is on a distinguished road
Default Re: How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

I have been living in Spain for three years now. Some days I can only order a beer (brain fart much!) other days I can debate with a bank manager over the phone...it depends on the day.

I totally agree though, that if you experience learning a language as well, you can be more sympathetic to the students. It's not just "why don't you understand this!"...it turns into "maybe you are having an off day or I understand that its frustrating when you don't understand".

Sometimes I think my English is getting worse though...I hear so many mistakes teaching all the time, and now that I speak in Spanish daily, I sometimes think to myself. " Is that how you say it???" It is concerning sometimes but for the most part it is ok. I just try to read English books and talk to my friends and family in English. I call my visits home to Canada, a chance to boost my English. Maybe I could deduct my trips from my taxes then. Ha ha!

Cheers,
Diana
__________________
Providing a friendly face and helpful free resources on the internet for English Learners.
Reply With Quote
  #50 (permalink)  
Old Apr 5th, 2009, 05:35 am
eslHQ Zealot
 
Join Date: Apr 5th, 2009
Posts: 96
STCrowley is on a distinguished road
Default Re: How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

I speak fluent German. . . but with an accent. My wife is German, and we met when I was here studying German and refusing to speak English. That means she thinks it's strange when I insist on speaking English, but I don't want to 'lose' my English. When I have a lot of lower-level courses at work, and my whole conversations are "where are you from" and "what do you do" I begin to feel like I'm losing it. . . and I hate it.

But I agree with "Happy Camper" that language teachers should also be language learners. I think that learning the language of where you live is . . . well, I don't think I'd grant residence visas to people who didn't speak the language. But most of my colleagues fall into two categories: in Germany to learn German (and able to speak it pretty well) or Americans(and Austrailians) abroad with all the stereotypes that go with it.
Reply With Quote
  #51 (permalink)  
Old May 3rd, 2009, 05:04 am
eslHQ Member
 
Join Date: May 2nd, 2009
Posts: 2
Amerloquegirl is on a distinguished road
Default Re: How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

To follow up on the comments of Pix, I, too, try to have at least a basic understanding of the language native to the country I am visiting or habitating. At this time, I live in Paris and my French is extremely fluent, if accented. (I am American, BTW...) I also speak Italian, Spanish, Arabic, English (of course) and am in the process of learning Portuguese. Having a basic knowledge of multiple languages is an extremely useful thing as it enables one to navigate independently and with relative confidence wherever one goes. It is shocking to me that there are so many people who move to other countries withabsolutely no base in the language they will be speaking. The greater part of my students here are people who plan to move to an English-speaking country within a certain time-period and require a crash course in English. At the moment, my students are splti right down the middle between those requiring American English and those requiring British English, but I take my hat off to these students for putting forth the effort to get the best possible base before they depart.

And not to be critical, but the subject of this thread should actually read "How many people actually speak the language of the country 'they're' in?" To use the word "their" indicates ownership, wheras "they're" is the shortened form of they are. Sorry - I tend to be a bit maniacal about spelling! (I say this with a grin, as I often re-read my posts and messages and find to my disgust that I have typos all over the place!)

And to expound on the comments of those who wrote that they often have trouble finding words in their native languages once they speak other languages, I agree. Obviously i am a native English speaker, but after 4 years of speaking French on a daily basis, I often find myself unable to adequately express myself in English on certain subjects because there is just no English equivalent for the feeling I wish to express. I also have the bad habit of dropping into French when I am speaking to my American friends or English when I am speaking to French ones. The subsequent looks of confusion are quite funny, actually, but luckily people are used to my ditziness and just roll their eyes and remind me what language I am supposed to be speaking. On the flip side, for my French friends the conversations with me are helping them learn more and more English as a simple survival skill for holding conversations with their amerloque friend!
Reply With Quote
  #52 (permalink)  
Old May 4th, 2009, 12:50 am
teachingenglishmadeeasy's Avatar
eslHQ Addict
 
Join Date: Apr 22nd, 2009
Posts: 223
teachingenglishmadeeasy is on a distinguished road
Default Re: How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

I didn't vote because there wasn't a section for me.

I am in between ordering a beer and the philosophy debate. I am functional, but, cannot have long conversations.
__________________
Great Listening Lesson Plans
http://www.teachingenglishmadeeasy.com

Free Downloadable Resources
www.ralphsesljunction.com
Reply With Quote
  #53 (permalink)  
Old Jun 15th, 2009, 05:38 am
eslHQ Member
 
Join Date: Jun 9th, 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 3
DaveMidgley is on a distinguished road
Default Re: How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

I don't expect to see this sort of error on a TEFL site!

Dave
Reply With Quote
  #54 (permalink)  
Old Jun 15th, 2009, 04:55 pm
eslHQ superstar!
 
Join Date: Mar 27th, 2005
Location: Japan
Posts: 1,693
mesmark is on a distinguished road
Default Re: How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

Quote:
Quote DaveMidgley View Post
How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

I don't expect to see this sort of error on a TEFL site!
This is a site for teachers, not a site designed to teach. Here and other forums around the Net don't spend too much time policing their posts, but just try to get the information down.
Reply With Quote
  #55 (permalink)  
Old Jun 16th, 2009, 04:27 am
eslHQ Member
 
Join Date: Jun 9th, 2009
Location: UK
Posts: 3
DaveMidgley is on a distinguished road
Default Re: How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

Hmm. Interesting. From a teacher on a teachers' site I had expected an "ooops, you're quite right<g>" response, not an excuse.
So how does a teacher teach people to do something well if they don't care enough about their subject to do it well themselves.
Reply With Quote
  #56 (permalink)  
Old Jun 16th, 2009, 06:10 am
eslHQ superstar!
 
Join Date: Mar 27th, 2005
Location: Japan
Posts: 1,693
mesmark is on a distinguished road
Default Re: How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

Quote:
Quote DaveMidgley View Post
Hmm. Interesting. From a teacher on a teachers' site I had expected an "ooops, you're quite right<g>" response, not an excuse.
So how does a teacher teach people to do something well if they don't care enough about their subject to do it well themselves.
apologize for a typo?

I've seen coaches miss shots, drop passes. I've also seen pro baseball players swing the bat and miss the ball. I've seen teachers make mistakes. I have. Doesn't make any of us less competent. Careless, maybe. Human, most likely.

Also, many ESL sites have a lot of non-native speakers on their forums too. It's probably best to just join in the conversation. You don't need to correct it.

I'm sorry if you didn't get the response you were looking for, but maybe reread your comment and see if it was written to get the response you wanted.
Reply With Quote
  #57 (permalink)  
Old Jun 16th, 2009, 07:31 pm
teachingenglishmadeeasy's Avatar
eslHQ Addict
 
Join Date: Apr 22nd, 2009
Posts: 223
teachingenglishmadeeasy is on a distinguished road
Default Re: How many people actually speak the language of the country their in?

Okay, I am a bit embarrassed about this, but, I have lived in Korea for almost 5 years and am somewhat functional in the language. Basically, I know survival Korean (can ask how much, get around anywhere, ask for help, read, write, etc. etc. etc.).

Mind you, I am also fluent in English and Spanish. I learned enough Korean to get by. Now, I don't really want to learn it since I will be leaving in a year or two. Some see it as shameful. I do sometimes. But, this is what I have chosen.

I know I posted before, but I thought this was a more detailed response.
__________________
Great Listening Lesson Plans
http://www.teachingenglishmadeeasy.com

Free Downloadable Resources
www.ralphsesljunction.com
Reply With Quote
Reply


Currently Active Users Viewing This Thread: 10 (0 members and 10 guests)
 

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

vB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are On
Pingbacks are On
Refbacks are On

Similar Threads Replies
The people in my family 14
Country Mouse or City Mouse? 24
Learning the Local Language 4
What's the Difference??? 7
when they don't speak... 11

Find the Best TEFL, TESL, TESOL & CELTA Certification Courses - User Submitted Ratings & Reviews for Online, Distance & Abroad TEFL Courses. Over 3,500 reviews of 100+ TEFL schools!

Teach English in Thailand - Onsite and Combined TEFL certification courses in Phuket, Thailand.


Free ESL Flashcards


Similar Threads Replies
The people in my family 14
Country Mouse or City Mouse? 24
Learning the Local Language 4
What's the Difference??? 7
when they don't speak... 11


All times are GMT -5. The time now is 04:42 pm.

All materials from this website are for classroom-use only. Digital redistribution of materials, in part or in whole, is strictly forbidden!

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.6.8
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Search Engine Optimization by vBSEO 3.6.0 PL2