I´d like to know.
2007-05-18 12:11:23 · 15 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
Laugh? No. And, it all depends on the person.
If the person is a foreigner who makes some mistakes in English, well, my hat off to him. So many Americans do not even try to learn a second language, so I feel very open and kind towards foreigners who have taken the time and effort to learn English. Reason?: from my own experience I know how difficult it is to learn another language, and in fact very few second-language learners approach native-like ability.
Oppositely, Americans who don´t speak or write English well really get my goat. Laugh? No, it´s more like cry. Of course I can´t know all the circumstances, but I think that in many cases it is just due to pure laziness on their part. Especially when public education is free and many places offer a junior-college education at low cost.
My opinion. Thanks for asking.
2007-05-18 14:12:16 · answer #1 · answered by Carlos Esteban 4 · 4⤊ 0⤋
If they are foreign, absolutely not. I've been taking Italian for the past three years, and would hate it if an Italian made fun of me based on my limited knowledge of the language and my frequent errors (which I'm working on). I love speaking to foreigners and hearing their mistakes here and there. They seem to use "the" a bit too much, I've noticed, but whatever. I have no problem with it.
However, I do have a problem with native English speakers who refuse to speak proper English. I'm sure every American/Briton/Australian/etc. has encountered native speakers who speak and spell atrociously, even though English is their native language, and probably the only language they'll ever be fluent in (at least here in America).
Those people I have problems with. Regular foreigners are awesome.
2007-05-18 12:32:13 · answer #2 · answered by Anonymous · 4⤊ 0⤋
Yes we do! And we laugh at ourselves when we do it also. Since we were small children, we have been trained to spell and speak pefectly, so it's natural to expect perfection, and identify it immediately when it's not right.
Some people may not like this, and it can be unfair. It is NEVER considered appropriate, but I'm being honest about what we do.
HOWEVER, we usually don't judge people because of it. Just because someone does not spell or speak perfectly, we don't assume they are not intelligent or uneducated, because like I said, we do it ourselves! I believe all people make mistakes when writing and speaking their native languages.
2007-05-18 12:28:14 · answer #3 · answered by Mimii 5 · 2⤊ 0⤋
Most Americans (depending on what part of the country you are in) wouldn't laugh, but they will definitely correct you. The only time I would laugh, would be if the words confused were funny. It's hard learning a new language and most people understand that.
2007-05-18 17:48:02 · answer #4 · answered by Anonymous · 3⤊ 0⤋
One of my friends told me that some times ago he was traveling in USA. He doesn't speak english well (we are brazilians) and at the Hotel he wanted to ask for orange juice with ice. He didn't know at that time the word ice, but he knew the words 'on the rocks', used when someone drinks whisky with ice. So he asked for orange juice on the rocks. The servant laughted out loud, end brought him the drink. My friend didn't feel insulted. He told me the story and laghted too.
2007-05-18 12:38:51 · answer #5 · answered by Falco 7 · 3⤊ 0⤋
My father was an English major ... so my poor English has been 'corrected' since I was a child ... now I find myself doing it, so, I see it as more of a curse
but I will say this ... language is truly a gift, and an amazing art form ... and I think we sell ourselves short, and we only serve to make ourselves look uneducated ... when we use language and grammar poorly
2007-05-18 12:25:03 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 2⤊ 0⤋
I am not American, so I have an accent when I speak English. No one ever did except one. I guess there are "bad" people everywhere, so we should not generalize; more, I would say they are really nice and patient.
2007-05-18 12:18:07 · answer #7 · answered by Esmeralda 4 · 3⤊ 0⤋
Nope. They're trying a second language, and doing a hell of a lot better than I could.
2007-05-18 12:46:21 · answer #8 · answered by Andy J 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
I don't laugh. Sometimes I think its quaint, though. I have friends who are foreign, so its no big deal, except when they accidently say something completely wrong. I'd never make fun of them though.
2007-05-18 12:20:05 · answer #9 · answered by mushuflare 3 · 2⤊ 0⤋
no it's rude and mean to laugh at someone who is trying to learn a second language
2007-05-18 16:52:12 · answer #10 · answered by Paloma R 1 · 2⤊ 0⤋