Am I supposed to be infinitely patient with people who don't speak english well?

Question

I don't see people in other countries being infinitely patient with people who speak english.
I wouldn't expect people in other countries (non english-speaking) to struggle to understand me, either.
Bottom line, if I repeatedly can't understand someone's english, what should I do?
I know that learning a 2nd language is hard for many people, but it took me years to get over 40 wpm typing, but I had to for my job.

Answer 1

English is a worldwide language. People are much more patient with people who speak English than people who don't. English is a hard language to learn, so it is wrong to say "learning a 2nd language is hard for many people"

I hate it when people are so rude to foreigners, so to answer your question, yes please be patient!

Answer 2

I'm not patient with people who can't speak English well. I'm not patient at all! If I make a phone call and their accent is so bad that I can't understand them, I hang up the phone and call again. Telmarketers are big on hiring people who can't talk proper English.

I know you can't discriminate in this country, but still,
'When in Rome, do as the Romans do" If they are going to live here and work here, I EXPECT them to learn the language!

Answer 3

Why don't you just ignore them?
Just accept the fact that there are other languages in the world and just like how you can't master another language, others can't master your language...and move on.

The internet is a global thing. The entire planet has turned into a global village so what do you expect. You are going to see people speaking other languages and some people do make an effort to try to speak English (as if it is above all the other languages or something). Just ignore them.

And don't be so harsh on them. There are plenty of "native" English speakers, people for whom English was the first language, and they can't spell for **** and they can't tell the difference between lay and lie even ifi their lives depended on it.

Answer 4

It can be frustrating can't it? But if you're on the phone with a support line and that's who you got, the only other alternative is to say you have to go, call back and hope you get someone who speaks better. There's no guarantee that's going to happen. I just call those support lines when I know I have ample time to be on hold and ample time to ask them to repeat what they said and I always am polite. It doesn't help to take out your frustrations on them. They must be pretty frustrated themselves. They're trying and they'll get better with time. Stop and try to imagine being in a country where English is not the main language and you are just learning their language and having to communicate. You would know you weren't doing that well and be thankful for the people who treated you nicely.

Answer 5

Yeah, you do. Or try, unless there is just one English word in a mess of whatever they happen to be speaking.I get aggravated too, but even though people hate Americans (we're rude, pushy materialistic, basically evil, blah blah etc...) I find we are also much kinder to people from other countries, probably because of our melting pot culture.

For some reason I am always the person that people ask things of, directions especially. I always try...but it can be a pain. Then again, it is pretty brave to come to an entirely new and strange country - you just have to help them out a little while they try to adjust.

Think of it as stockpiling karma for someday when you will be overseas somewhere.

Answer 6

if seriously an english speaking person cannot understand another person speaking english, then the person learning english has some serious work to do, then it's not your fault for not understanding
just say "sorry, i don't understand what you're saying."
english is my second language too and i started speaking it at age 12, i feel that if people are going to live in an english speaking country, then it is their duty to speak that language well enough that other people can understand what they're saying

but on the other hand, it's never common for foreigners to be speaking chinese in china, although the numbers are increasing but we don't expect it

Answer 7

You have done well, I would like to learn French. Bet a lot of people won't have any patience with me as I try and grasp the language.
My problem is with the kids who are either at school or have recently completed their education and still slaughter the English language.
There is no excuse for that as most of them really don't care about proper spelling or punctuation.
If I see a question from a person who is clearly from a non-English speaking country, I say nothing about their grammar and it saddens me when others do.

Answer 8

Can you imagine if every day of your work life someone stood over you impatiently waiting for you to type 40 wpm? How hard would that be? How stressed would you be knowing that others were looking over your shoulder, judging you by their standards and not your own. You are struggling to get it done---but no one seems to understand.

Now---put yourself in the position of trying to learn a second language so that you will "fit in" with those wonderful "Americans." The world looks to us as a beacon. They look to us as a land of opportunity. The look to us as a way to improve themselves.

I applaud anyone who tries to learn our language with all of its idiosyncracies. And with its double meanings and double entendre's. Can you imagine leaving all you knew behind? Your culture, perhaps your family? Your friends? And coming to a place where someone tries to give them unnecessary grief because they don't speak the language well? My but we are short sighted. At least they aren't DEMANDING that we provide translators in the educational system so their children can learn that 2 + 2 is 4....

Give them a break. Be more patient. YOU WILL BE BETTER FOR BEING PATIENT WITH THEM!

Answer 9

I am making a giant leap of faith here, and that is you are talking about telephone support when you call an 800 number and get routed to India.

If this is true, yes I lose my patience with them very quickly, mainly because these people are taking American jobs and it is not because they are good at it, it is because they are cheap. But when you realize that they are being paid for a service they are not capable of providing, it is actually very costly.

My policy is that when I encounter a company that uses English speaking people on for their phone support, I send a note to their management thanking them for doing this.

Answer 10

Yes. Yes you are supposed to have some patience. Think of it as an investment in the Bank of Karma when you go somewhere else. Besides, the non-native speakers' English will improve if they are allowed to practice speaking it a lot, without fear of ridicule.