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Language barrier: learning English

24/11/2014

1 Comment

 
Article: Say what you mean: understanding EnglishYou wouldn't get arrested but...
When I moved to Chicago, I counted my lucky stars that I didn't have to learn a new language. I had enough on my plate: I was moving house for the fourth time in three years, moving away from family across the Atlantic, with a toddler and a new born in tow. I love learning about other cultures, but I am pretty crap at languages.

However, I very quickly learnt that I was learning a new language. You can't go to the supermarket (grocery store) and pick up a trolley (cart), and ask for aubergines, courgettes and nappies (eggplant, zucchini and diapers). People look at your blankly. And why wouldn't they? You are not speaking American.

So what about when people come to the UK, and have to navigate the subtleties and subtext of English? Here are some guidelines. This table has been doing the rounds on the internet. I can't claim to have written it, although I wish I had. The source has become untraceable, but bravo to the author.


Article: Understanding what the British actually mean when they say....
Anything to add? Drop us a line below.
1 Comment
Akari Minami link
8/11/2024 03:28:30 pm

Great take on how regional differences in English can cause confusion. A humorous yet insightful reminder of how language shapes our interactions!

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