News for hackers. Stuff that matters.
Re:Native speakers are hard to understand in a lingua franca... by Kreotiko on Thursday May 20, 2021 @06:42PM (#27228361)
It doesn’t help that native English speakers are less inclined to learn another language and don’t get to understand the experience of being at the other end
Re:Native speakers are hard to understand in a lingua franca... by heurisko on Friday May 21, 2021 @02:36AM (#27231151)
There isn't the same motivation if you already speak the lingua franca.

My experience learning a foreign language as a native English speaker, is that people in the target country are sometimes puzzled as to why you want to learn it.

They also then have a strong preference to practice English with you instead, which is understandable, if not frustrating.

Re:Native speakers are hard to understand in a lingua franca... by angry_octet on Thursday May 20, 2021 @11:36PM (#27230194)
Less inclined, or with less incentive, and fewer opportunities? Whereas English is omnipresent. Finding good teachers is always tough in a monolingual environment. I'm reminded of visiting China in the 2000s, many Chinese languages, rarely foreign languages, but a hunger to learn English from native speakers.
Re:Native speakers are hard to understand in a lingua franca... by Kreotiko on Friday May 21, 2021 @09:43AM (#27233900)
I believe it to be a cultural thing. Sure, you don’t necessarily have the incentive to learn a language for work but the education system does not promote it either. I know a lot mainland European who speak languages other than English just out of interest for other cultures with no real use in their daily job.