Foreigners who ask "How many?" when wanting to know the price of a reastaurant bill, or item.
I almost can't contain my disgust when I hear it.
I almost can't contain my disgust when I hear it.
Cringefest - most cringeworthy common mistake
Can I ask why someone would be disgusted because a foreigner made a few grammatical mistakes when speaking English? Whenever I hear these mistakes, I find them mildly amusing actually, and when someone is horribly bad at English, it does get a bit tiring to try and deduce what he/she means, but I certainly don't get disgusted at them.
The thing that disgusts me is not the mistakes per se, but the incongruence of some mistakes. Mistakes that are very simple yet uttered by a person with an advanced level of English. Mistakes which are intentional, or that the speaker is too lazy to avoid, even if they are aware that they are wrong. For example, some people are too lazy to learn to say numbers correctly and just read out the numbers in a simplistic way, even though they are practically fluent (not so much in English as in other languages, but the same idea)...
Yeah, we have the right to butcher your English and there's nothing you can do about it.
1) When non natives use "much" after "too," thinking that that allows them to add more emphasis and intensity to the adjective: "it was too much fast."
2) Using "much" in place of "many" (non necessarily about pricing, just in general): "How much more kilometers to get there."
3) Tom asking a French question in an English forum.
4) Arabs pronouncing 'v' as they do 'f': "We're going to see a mofie."
5) Indians and Pakistanis not being able to make the distinction between and determinedly mixing the pronunciations of "w" and "v": "I vas wery wery disappointed."
The list goes on and on, but the last two kinda chap my hide
2) Using "much" in place of "many" (non necessarily about pricing, just in general): "How much more kilometers to get there."
3) Tom asking a French question in an English forum.
4) Arabs pronouncing 'v' as they do 'f': "We're going to see a mofie."
5) Indians and Pakistanis not being able to make the distinction between and determinedly mixing the pronunciations of "w" and "v": "I vas wery wery disappointed."
The list goes on and on, but the last two kinda chap my hide
<< Maybe because you're a moron. >>
You're the moron. Alles ist gesagt.
You're the moron. Alles ist gesagt.
"could of" instead of "could have".
eg. "I could of gone to the beach"
eg. "I could of gone to the beach"
«4) Arabs pronouncing 'v' as they do 'f': "We're going to see a mofie." »
The sounds "V" and "P" don't exist in Arabic.
In Japanese the sound "L" doesn't exist and the closest equivalent to the English "R" is still quite different from it.
In Spanish there is neither a "b" nor a "v" sound, but something in between.
Many nuances in vowel sounds in English don't exist in many other languages.
Etc.
Depending on what your native language is, there *are* some sounds in English that can be really difficult for you to learn.
The contrary is also true. Should I cringe every time a British friend of mine fails to pronounce the French "u" sound because it doesn't exist in English? Or when she doesn't prononce some R's because her native language is non-rhotic?
I have to agree with Blanc de Blanc: I don't see how one can get irritated over mistakes that are not intentional. If they are made, it's because it can't be helped without a lot of work and practice.
The sounds "V" and "P" don't exist in Arabic.
In Japanese the sound "L" doesn't exist and the closest equivalent to the English "R" is still quite different from it.
In Spanish there is neither a "b" nor a "v" sound, but something in between.
Many nuances in vowel sounds in English don't exist in many other languages.
Etc.
Depending on what your native language is, there *are* some sounds in English that can be really difficult for you to learn.
The contrary is also true. Should I cringe every time a British friend of mine fails to pronounce the French "u" sound because it doesn't exist in English? Or when she doesn't prononce some R's because her native language is non-rhotic?
I have to agree with Blanc de Blanc: I don't see how one can get irritated over mistakes that are not intentional. If they are made, it's because it can't be helped without a lot of work and practice.
mmm..i think one should never get disgusted at foreigners when they make mistakes ..and think they're ridiculous. Because a native english speaker will sure seem ridiculous trying to speak an other language
I don't understand the use of "disgust" as well. I feel "disgust" at genocide, for example, but not foreigners who mangle a word or two.
There is no way for me to know on first meeting a person whether they are simply lazy language learners, hearing impaired, or new to the language, so I just give them the benefit of the doubt most of the time.
As to the comment about the native English speaker who seems ridiculous trying to speak ANOTHER language: AARGH! I try very hard to sound native in every language I learn.
Go tell your comment to the polyglots who think it's okay to shoot for less than a native sound. There are a few prominent ones on the internet.
There is no way for me to know on first meeting a person whether they are simply lazy language learners, hearing impaired, or new to the language, so I just give them the benefit of the doubt most of the time.
As to the comment about the native English speaker who seems ridiculous trying to speak ANOTHER language: AARGH! I try very hard to sound native in every language I learn.
Go tell your comment to the polyglots who think it's okay to shoot for less than a native sound. There are a few prominent ones on the internet.
<<
Go tell your comment to the polyglots who think it's okay to shoot for less than a native sound. There are a few prominent ones on the internet. >>
I think you misunderstand them in that regard. Of course they set out trying to reach native like pronunciation just like everyone else. They just recoginse the fact that native like pronunciation is near impossible for most. It's realism, not laziness or anything.
Go tell your comment to the polyglots who think it's okay to shoot for less than a native sound. There are a few prominent ones on the internet. >>
I think you misunderstand them in that regard. Of course they set out trying to reach native like pronunciation just like everyone else. They just recoginse the fact that native like pronunciation is near impossible for most. It's realism, not laziness or anything.
I see your point, but I don't agree with basically saying it is "okay" to sound foreign. It is okay if one has hearing loss, impairment, or no native models.
I don't like "pitching" to everyone, by implying that those who DO acheive a native-sounding accent are freakazoids or exceptionally gifted. I think most people can sound a lot better than they do in a language, but they've given up. After all, if Mr. Big Number polyglot thinks it's okay to shoot for less than native, why should I?
I don't like "pitching" to everyone, by implying that those who DO acheive a native-sounding accent are freakazoids or exceptionally gifted. I think most people can sound a lot better than they do in a language, but they've given up. After all, if Mr. Big Number polyglot thinks it's okay to shoot for less than native, why should I?
<<After all, if Mr. Big Number polyglot thinks it's okay to shoot for less than native, why should I? >>
Exactly! Why should you? People give it up for a reason. It's just pointless.
Exactly! Why should you? People give it up for a reason. It's just pointless.