What is "bad" English?

[~SnowAngel~]

it kinda bugs me how so many people discredit their ability to communicate when they're perfectly understandable x-x. Even if all you can do is say a few key words in broken sentences, that's not really that bad :/
Reading English might be more challenging for some people, or wtv. But even native English speakers (like me~) don't get everything right all the time. Some ppl can't spell, have limited vocabulary, or make other mistakes :P

For this topic try answering:
why do people feel the need to say something like "sorry about my English" almost every time they write something?
When would they finally decide to stop saying that? XD
What do you think makes a person's English "bad", similar to what I described :o
What can you do to help people not think lightly of their language skills?

I mean.. probably some countries would not make this habit. If they have trouble speaking, they just say they don't know enough yet. Some might not even know how to say a phrase like that in the first place x-x

 

[Mizu-chan]

I just think people are uncertain about their abilities. c; They won't stop ever!

 

[unownHGSS]

I think most of it has to do with their confidence in their English speaking capabilities. I 'sort of' understand where they come from since I've been in pretty much the same situation as well. The reason why I said 'sort of' is because I've never needed to speak/type a lot of English besides English classes in school. You can make mistakes there since no one really minds it, you're learning it after all.
But depending on that persons actual English skill it's also possible that they say 'excuse my english' as a way of getting compliments
I do not mean this in a bad way as this is quite a common way to 'up' your confidence. I've seen this at school/other countries I've visited.

To take 2 questions at the same time (When would they finally decide to stop saying that? and What can you do to help people not think lightly of their language skills?) As I said before, I think it has to do with confidence so making said person feel at ease is probably the way to go.

The will to learn English depends on the person. If they don't see a need to learn it, they won't.

 

[WsE]

This is bad English:

 

[unownHGSS]

^ that cracked me up xD

 

[Ghost Kitty~]

why do people feel the need to say something like "sorry about my English" almost every time they write something?
Maybe they met certain grammar nazis/trolls which made them feel horrible about their ability to communicate? Low self esteem plays into that... classes might not actually help everyone though that depends if theyre trying or not...

When would they finally decide to stop saying that? XD
Maybe if they raise their self esteem enough without people to crush it? :/ Or they actually improve enough?

What do you think makes a person's English "bad", similar to what I described :o
If people keep commenting negatively on it? That probably leaves them with a negative impression on themselves... Or they might not be able to communicate properly with it...

What can you do to help people not think lightly of their language skills?
Maybe teach them properly in a way that grammar nazi dont? Its not about superiority as it is with them... Its about helping others get better~ Theres some joy in that no? x3 I suppose using more proper engrish around them :3

 

[Lord Zero]

To be honest i consider myself good enough to be pretty much understood... but i strive for a native level proficiency... you know, as a foreigner you express yourself using the structures you are familiar with in your own lenguage what may lead to an
awkard situation where while being able to speak and be understood you stand out by your weird choice of words.

Another thing that disturbs me is that while im always pretty vocal about my ideas and whatsnot i fail to delived the
exhuberant, coherent, mouthwatering speeches that im able to pull in my native lenguage.

I think that my skills fail to show and many times i tend to look like an idiot. -_-u

Then again, the english lenguage its simple enough for most foreigners to use in a casual manner. Im grateful for that, i think that english has posed itself as a international trade lenguage just like latin was centuries ago. Werent for that we wouldnt be able to chat like this.

 

[hkwh01]

sry for my english,im from hong kong ,because not fluent english may make native english speakers feel annoying or even angry, obviously, a part of people in the world very care about it

 

[Will98]

[MENTION=2736]WsE[/MENTION] ; I will not talk about the people in my English class then. :P

 

[Ghost Kitty~]

Lol yeah... even in amurrica there are quite a few who dont have purrfect engrish~

 

[~SnowAngel~]

:OOOO there's a [MENTION=36246]Lord Zero[/MENTION]; here XD I use to think zero was a girl a few years ago~ so I played games with him in it XD


I think that because there's so many accents in america, ppl just don't care much about a person's speaking skills. There are ppl who might make fun, but it usually depends on where you go~ I mean, teasing vs just for fun I mean :3
People might take racist words and use them as jokes with each other or wtv. I think it's just slowly breaking down the power of what they used to mean and all. There's even foreign people that would make fun of themselves, they're the most enjoyable XD
soo yea~ just know it makes ppl happen when we have these small differences. :P

 

[Lord Zero]

^ Thats america for you, i guess. It is a country built by inmigrants after all. Mmm... then again it doesnt help that i look
more mexican than european even when my dad is french.

 

[HatoriTakaya]

For me, bad English is when it is pretty obvious that you need help in whatever area you need to work on in language and communication. Personally for me, I have to restrain myself from speaking in a certain way so people can actually understand what I say. You could say I have bad English communication skills but in reality, I didn't use layman/plain/simple English to communicate just then so people just misunderstand what I say and just make up what they think I said. Instead of asking, "can you repeat what you say in simpler terms."

On the other hand, I'm pretty confident that I can write well enough for people to understand. Though in reality, languages in general is something I have to continually improve. Be it that I need to convert what I was about to say into something simpler or even express it in a way that the other person understand.

Although I do not accept shortened words or slang as a mean of communication in a workplace. It is annoying, period. It shows you have Bad Communication Skills, you're lazy and create an impression that you're really unprofessional in managing the balance between professional life and private life.

That's my thought about Bad English as a topic.

And... my Japanese is worse than my English. I didn't put enough effort in it so that much I'll admit.

 

[~SnowAngel~]

play cooking mama and you'll hear bad english XD
fail a dish and some asian person says "Don't wurry, mama. will. hep. you!"
youtube might have it :o idk which one it was tho~ it was for the ds.

 

[FinalPyre]

I think English is bad when the average person will have to read what you wrote more than once to understand it. People will use phrases like "sorry for my English" to avoid gunfire from over-zealous spelling/grammar enthusiasts, and to help make readers aware that if they said something that looks offensive, they probably didn't mean it that way (and also to encourage people who reply to be extra clear with their writing).

 

[renano]

Personally, there is no 'bad' English per se. What matters most is if you can communicate your thoughts or feelings across whether it's a shortened phrase or a few words stringed along somewhat blatantly.

Since there is no such thing as perfection and the fact that each person perceives how language is spoken or written differently... it is quite difficult to pinpoint whether a person's English is 'bad'.

I constantly speak broken English to my mother because it is easier for her to understand. It gets the message across in a few words and my mother can communicate better.

However, for me, that does not mean it is 'bad'. To other people it may be 'bad' because it sounds like I was speaking incoherent gibberish.

Nowadays though, it is recommended to at least have the basics. 'Bad' for the modern world would be poorly spelled words, mumbled spoken broken words, or just giving someone a headache with the chosen words that are not cohesive.

Still, these are my thoughts. In the end, we practice to improve even as we become older and language is a vast thing. Language barriers, bilingual, accents, etc. we all try our best to convey what we need and want in whatever way possible.

 

[FinalPyre]

@renano Yeah, I think that there is a pretty big difference between spoken and written English though. I too frequently speak in fragmentation because with the flow of a conversation it functions appropriately, but that is a lot more difficult to do with writing. People will tend to get lost a lot faster in writing than in speech. Also of course, some people will greatly vary in skill between writing and speaking skill, because with writing they have more thinking time, or perhaps with speech even if they mess up particles their intent is more obvious through intonation etc.

I guess all in all, I have spoken to a lot of people both online and in person whom I would say had poor English, mainly because they were difficult to understand (accents aside). But really, that just means they should write/speak English more often, if possible, and maybe let people know that they are learning so they can get a pointer here and there. :)

 

[renano]

Hmm... point taken.

You made some good observations.

There are those who can speak eloquently, but there are those who write proficiently. Sometimes, they can be both.

Like you mentioned, it is about practicing or learning along the way.

The situation and location does play a part like you also stated whether it is online or in a court room.

Sometimes, the tone is just as important as the words themselves.

 

[MoreDeath-11]

One word - Ebonics

 

[pumasrevenge]

I think the reason is most likely the school, if you're not an native English speaker. In school everything must be top-notch and every single mistake can make the grade worse. Ok, for me it's understandable that I don't have to write such an top-notch essay or something else in a forum, but somehow we (or at least in my case) get the feeling that it's just "shitty" in comparison with the things we have to write in school.
I don't mind it too, if I can decipher the meaning behind the sentences. The problem for me (since I'm still going to school) is just, that I shouldn't familiarize with it, since I want a good grade :D

 

[Ghost Kitty~]

Lol the ability to switch back to formal writing at will? xD Though i have put... wat and certain other things into essays before x3

 

[Selvaria Bles]

Bad english

........

 

[Mаru]

Well I am here for practice in english
But i never write something like a "sory fo mah bed englesh" in each of my posts
I think its make me looks like (or "as"?) a stupid
Just wrote my main regestration's point in signature
I can understand what wrote other, but i can make mistakess in myself writing
So
SORRY FOR MY BAD ENGLISH X)))))

 

[Second_Flight]

im still learning too.... lets study togetherr..

 

[Mаru]

im still learning too.... lets study togetherr..

Posts: 6,438

I think your english is much better than my ))

Can anyone tell me some english forums for my practice?
May it with PM if it prohibited to publishing