• argh_another_usernameEnglish
    29·
    9 months ago

    The French is on point. I live in Quebec, I speak French all day, but it’s not my first language. When I was in Paris, I started speaking French, but they kept answering me in English.

    • Akasazh@feddit.nlEnglish
      6·
      9 months ago

      Paris

      That’s the problem right there. They tend to be subbing asinine whatever language you speak.

    • didnt_readit@lemm.eeEnglish
      4·
      9 months ago

      And of course they’ll complain about your French accent while speaking to you with an even worse English accent with no self awareness whatsoever.

      I’m speaking of Parisian assholes here of course, I’ve heard the rest of the country is actually quite pleasant (and also tend to dislike Parisians) but I haven’t visited yet, only Paris unfortunately.

    • DaMonsterKnees@lemmy.worldEnglish
      9·
      9 months ago

      Good point, and I imagine an Irish person would find that oversight par for the course, but I’m guilty too, so no shade. At least now we’re thinking about it. Small steps.

      • hitmyspot@aussie.zoneEnglish
        2·
        9 months ago

        Hey, at least there is a border marked, so not completely forgotten. I imagine it’s similar in other countries with more than one language. The main, high or common language vs the local language.

    • PhobosAnomaly@feddit.ukEnglish
      2·
      9 months ago

      Excuse my ignorance, but what is the status of Irish in Ireland?

      I only ask because my (perhaps erroneous) assumption was that Irish is a recognised language, but English is the most spoken language by a considerable margin - aggregated across all areas.

      I always assumed that it had the same status as Welsh in Wales and Gaelic in Scotland - but happy to be proven wrong!

      • hitmyspot@aussie.zoneEnglish
        5·
        9 months ago

        Irish officially the first language, constitutionally. English is an official language too.

        Irish is learned by all in school, but spoken as a first language by only a few. Most don’t retain the school learned Irish.

        I imagine it’s similar to the level of speaking in Wales and Scotland. However, I think the UK does not have an official language for any of her countries and English is the lingua franca. however, I could be corrected on that, as I recall being told that northern irlend recognizes English, Irish, scots gael and mandarin.

        The title doesn’t say spoken language, only uses possessive language. So, the less spoken, but constitutionally first language would apply.

  • Jumi@lemmy.worldEnglish
    7·
    9 months ago

    I’m a German native and understanding bad German is sometimes damn near impossible. It’s easier for me to understand bad English.

    • didnt_readit@lemm.eeEnglish
      1·
      9 months ago

      Yeah in my experience trying to learn some German if it’s not pronounced 100% perfectly Germans straight up don’t understand a word you’re saying. And of course as a native English speaker it’s literally impossible for me to make those sounds 100% perfectly. Gave up pretty quickly and just continued speaking English with all my German friends lol.

      I wonder what’s different with German that makes it so hard to understand when not spoken perfectly… I feel like I could absolutely butcher Spanish pronunciation when I was first learning and everyone understood me fine. And I can understand butchered English just fine as well. But mess up one vowel in German and it’s like you spoke Chinese or something haha.

      • Jumi@lemmy.worldEnglish
        3·
        9 months ago

        I hope you can understand what I’m trying to say but for me it feels like in German I’m not so much listening to each word but to the sounds someone makes and when grammar, pronunciation and/or accentuation are off it gets difficult. Kind of like linguistical muscle memory maybe?