Luna Tick
DP Veteran
- Joined
- Jan 31, 2010
- Messages
- 2,148
- Reaction score
- 867
- Location
- Nebraska
- Gender
- Female
- Political Leaning
- Undisclosed
I speak three languages: English (my native language), German (fluently as a 2nd language), and French (on a rudimentary level). I can tell you that it's hard to learn another language. It's not something that you accomplish in easily in 30 days, despite what some marketers of language courses may tell you. I feel for people new to the country who are struggling to get up and running with English, but are not always treated respectfully.
Hence, my question on whether it's important to be considerate toward people who aren't good at speaking English yet. Note: The poll is not about people who come to the US and never bother to learn English. It's about people who come here and commit to learning the language, but who have not yet reached proficiency. They may speak with a heavy accent, use bad grammar, use poor word choices, or lack the vocabulary to say what they mean. But they're trying.
By being considerate to them, I mean speaking slowly to help them understand or sticking to basic vocabulary, or defining a word for them if they say they don't understand it. It could mean speaking in their language if you happen to know it.
Hence, my question on whether it's important to be considerate toward people who aren't good at speaking English yet. Note: The poll is not about people who come to the US and never bother to learn English. It's about people who come here and commit to learning the language, but who have not yet reached proficiency. They may speak with a heavy accent, use bad grammar, use poor word choices, or lack the vocabulary to say what they mean. But they're trying.
By being considerate to them, I mean speaking slowly to help them understand or sticking to basic vocabulary, or defining a word for them if they say they don't understand it. It could mean speaking in their language if you happen to know it.