What are some of the challenges that occur when translating one language into another?

Question

How would you alter your speech if you were speaking with someone who only had an elementary knowledge of your language? How have you (or will you) overcome any language barriers?

Answer 1

Because a literal translation might now make any sense.

Good luck!!!

Answer 2

The biggest problem is that some languages do not translate well. This is due to limited vocabularies,limited alphabets, or mechanics etc that are not present in English. Most problems when dealing with a non English speaker can be dealt with by using examples, pictures,gestures etc in combination with simple worlds and phrases. Sometimes is also useful to write what you are saying so the person has time to think about what is being said.

Answer 3

One of the greatest challenges is syntax or the structuring of the sentence. In a basic sentence, there is a subject and a predicate.

It is largely the subject/predicate agreement that tends to vary among languages.

For example, in some languages you can say, "blue sky" and in others, it is "sky blue".

There are other elements that also come to mind:
articles ("a", "an", "the");
possesive/item owner;
tenses (past, present, future, -perfect).

Answer 4

I would say the major difference that I have seen would be the Pronunciation how words or how persons pronounce words, Many people because of their upbringing have a tendency to pronounce words different that others.

Answer 5

I'm not really sure, but speaking slowly and with as few irregular verbs/foreign nouns as possible.

(unless, of course, that foreign noun happens to come from that person's native language)