Am I the only one annoyed by poor English?

Question

I just don't understand why people go through the trouble to learn English to about 80% proficiency and decide that is enough and stop trying. For example, Filipinos that mix up genders ("he" and "she" is the same in Tagalog), and asians in general that don't use plural forms. I want to scream "you are almost there, please don't stop trying!!!" LOL

I mean, if I moved to another country I would care very much about speaking the language correctly. I remember my college Spanish teacher getting so mad at the students who didn't even TRY to lose their English accents... nobody wanted to soften their d's or roll their r's. Why bother learning the language at all if you don't want to do it correctly?

Am I just being riduculously anal about this or what?

I know learning other languages is difficult, but what I am talking about is when you reach a certain level of proficiency and don't fix the last few problems you have that can be really annoying to listeners. I'm not talking about the occassional grammar mistake which we all make. I mean like habitual errors in speech like saying "the house of" or "the food of" to show possessoin instead of learning to add an "s" like "Timmy's house" or "Johnny's food". If you have the time and brains to learn the vocabulary, and how to put a sentence together, why not just go all the way and fix little (but annoyingly frequent) nuances like plurality and possession?

Answer 1

you are being ridiculously anal about this...

having english as my second language i've learned that there are some things that can't be changed even if we want to
for example, the plural form you talk about we know it by heart when we're suppose to put words into plural form but it's just different when we start talking cause speaking a language is suppose to have one be one with the language and not think when you talk

i find it good enough when people understand me and i understand people
of course being in north america so mnay years i can speak english fluently now, but working in a retail store i'd say that as long as i can understand the english from another customer i'm fine with it, but there are some really annoying foreign customers that either have too much accent or mumbles a lot and they expect us to understand it...now that's not ok

Answer 2

Well, as a foreigner myself, I know it can be very difficult for some
people to learn the English language fluently, especially if you are an older person, by that I mean anyone over 20+, because unlike a child's brain that is a dry sponge absorbing everything, the older you are the more saturated that sponge becomes, the accent is harder to lose and its not because they are not trying, it's the best that they can do....What irks me is Americans that can't speak properly and spell correctly, what is their excuse? I mean I am a perfectionist also, and I speak three languages fluently and understand some of two other languages, and I am really anal about my spelling, like I said English is not my first language yet I, as a child tried very hard to learn it....it was easier for me than it was for my older sister and my parents...Give the people that at least try a E for effort....those that refuse to learn the language period ,are the ones that really think that we should understand them...so if they say he instead of she....at least they are trying....Have you noticed lately that everywhere you call...if you want English press 1 if you want Spanish press 2....isn't that great? That really gets my goat...hope this makes you feel better.
Merry Christmas.

Answer 3

No language in this world is stable. All languages change time to time and place to place. Even in a densely populated area, it has been marked that on an average every after about 12 km distance, the language changes in some way. And by this way, different language arrived in different geographical area of the world.

If we think of the same place, language changes time to time. American, Canadian and Australian English pattern, spelling, formation and accent are remarkable different from the original British English. Even the new British generation gets problem in understanding many books and documents which were written 200 or more years back. Many words, we are not using now and many words and applications we are using. Obviously, after 100 years, there would be a lot of changes in this pattern also. So, no language is a perfect or stable one; it is an ever changing subject.

The purpose of language is to express the ideas and every person has the right to express himself/herself in any language (decent) s/he wants. Language is not anyone's personal or national property. So, I think that except some serious lawful documents, we should be liberal in language issues and focus on what is tried to mean by a word or sentence rather than the spelling mistakes and language formats.

Finally, I am to remind that English is not the mother tongue for the whole world. So, it is unwise to expect 100% correct (!) English from everyone in this era of global village.

Answer 4

I agree. Learning another language is a serious job and nobody should willingly offend their listeners by speaking a half-broken mumbo jumbo that can lead nowhere in terms of communications. I know that, because my own mother tongue (French) is currently even more butchered than English is.

Now, I wonder. Are people like Dubya any help to improving the way English is perceived abroad, I submit?

Outsiders will never feel any incentive to learn a good English when presented with a poor official and administration speech, you know?

I say, let's start from within. I hold nothing against local accents and self-esteemed drawls and burrs. But let's keep it where that belongs: folklore. The remainder is good English. Those who taught me English were Okies, and yet they set themselves to teach me correct grammar, despite their awful reputation stateside in that respect.

Answer 5

Yes it sometimes makes me really angry! My native language is not English, but it´s a favourite language of mine. It seems that the languages all over the world, also in my country, Finland, are deteriorating! I blame the Internet, cell/mobile phones and the fact that people are so busy that they don´t seem to have time to think of what they speak. Young people (more mature ones too) use shortenings that make us, who are used to speaking English, or our native language as well as we can, quite confused. This is a worldwide problem, I´m sorry to say! As long as we are trying to speak our native languages as well as we can, and teach our children to speak their native language as it should be spoken, it´s OK. I´m very afraid, though, that soon we cannot keep track of our own language, as all languages change so fast nowadays. Interesting question, really! Happy Holidays to you from Finland!

Answer 6

Some people find the poor English quaint rather than annoying, but there are growing numbers of people that won't tolerate underpaid, poverty- stricken Hispanics and Asian refugees any more. They make fun of them and call them rude names behind their backs, then laugh when the victims pretend they didn't hear or understand the racial slurs just to avoid trouble.
When I first moved from NY to a deep-south state, the local kids picked on me for a long time for sounding like a Yankee. I had to turn it around and thank them for complimenting me, letting them know that they were the ones mangling the language.

Answer 7

No, not at all. I can, however, empathize with the imperfections spoken by those who use English as a second language. I cannot and will not EVER empathize with those who are at 80% proficiency with their first language. Improper grammar is at best a discourtesy to your fellow man and at worst a self-degrading atrocity; and I am merely discussing the slaughter of VERBAL language, don't even get me freaking started on the written word. (I'm looking right at a lot of you on this sight)

Answer 8

Hey! I'm filipino why insult? But anyway, I'm not that offended cuz I know you're not talking about me. Maybe you should note that since english wasn't their first language, give them a break as they are still learning? You know, it's not really for you to decide on how good of english they should speak.

Answer 9

I think it depend on occasion. If friendly chat, I don't mind the other person speaks badly. Furthermore, also depends on language, some languages have so many grammers, like french, just conjugation & spelling alone, can drive me crazy!

Answer 10

no,I seen your point and It annoees me two.