How come English speakers are incomprehensible to others?

[topt]

1 hour ago, Moonlover said:

 

Oh really?

 

capitalized

 

/ˈkapədlˌīzd/

adjective

1.

(of a word or letter) written as a capital letter or in capital letters.

"a capitalized title"

2.

(of a company or financial institution) provided with capital.

"operating highly leveraged, thinly capitalized firms is incredibly risky"

 

https://dictionary.cambridge.org/dictionary/english/capitalize

 

 

Like children.......

Both of you are probably well aware that American English tends to use a z in many words like this whereas more traditional British spelling uses an s........

from your link above @Moonlover

Quote

capitalize

verb

 (UK usually capitalise)

 

[scottiejohn]

2 hours ago, Liverpool Lou said:

If you say so...but it isn't.   BTW, "mister" should be capitalised when using it as an honorific.

BTW I don't think the poster was being in any way "honorific" mister!

From the OED!
"mister" noun variant form of Mr, often used humorously. informal a form of address to a man."

 

PS; Please note the lack of "Capitalisation" in the word "mister" from the Oxford English Dictionary (OED)!

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 6, 2023 by scottiejohn
PS added.

[Moonlover]

19 minutes ago, topt said:

Like children.......

Both of you are probably well aware that American English tends to use a z in many words like this whereas more traditional British spelling uses an s........

from your link above @Moonlover

So there was nothing wrong with my sentence then. Thanks for that. 

[vangrop]

If English speake

42 minutes ago, Moonlover said:

So there was nothing wrong with my sentence then. Thanks for that. 

Wow if English speaking people already disagree on the spelling, what should it be with the spoken language. Hence my very necessary OP

[radiochaser]

16 hours ago, rwill said:

There are a lot of Filipino english teachers in public schools here.  They can have quite an accent.  So that may be some of the reason for it.

 

I sometimes feel Thai's purposefully don't understand me when I am speaking Thai.  I know my Thai is not the greatest and I mess up tones.  But I think sometimes it is because when I speak thai they are listening for english and just hear gibberish.

My Thai language is limited, but enough to live in Thailand, if I were to do so.   Several comments made by Thai's when I speak Thai, some more than once, your Thai is very good, you are the first falang speaking Thai that I can understand, you speak Thai very well.   

As to Thai's speaking English.   A family friend who used to be a senior official in the Thai government who had to travel to other countries, needed to speak English with people who did not have English as a first language..   He does, sort of.   He attended an English language class where, I think, if I recall correctly, he only needed to listen to English spoken, but was not required speak it back.   His English is very difficult to understand, not only because of poor pronunciation, but very poor grammar as well. 

On the opposite end of the scale of a Thai speaking English, was a young woman I spoke with briefly at Chulalongkorn University, when I was taking a Thai language refresher course.  After speaking with her for 5 minutes, I asked her, which of the southern states did you live in America, as she spoke with a slight southern accent I could not place, and I thought she was an American citizen.   She told me she was Thai, grew up in Thailand and had never been outside of Thailand.   But, you speak with a southern accent I responded.  She tells me, oh, my English teacher is from Arkansas (a U.S. of A. state).   He teaches English here at Chula.   

[DrJoy]

On 12/5/2023 at 3:30 PM, spidermike007 said:

Some Brits have very strong accents.

Certainly Affirmative, my Good Sir

[SAFETY FIRST]

On 12/5/2023 at 2:50 PM, vangrop said:

Can anyone explain

Us Aussies have our own lingo. 

 

https://vt.tiktok.com/ZSLc5rnR5/

 

 

https://www.facebook.com/reel/871023454540302?s=yWDuG2&fs=e&mibextid=Nif5oz

 

 

 

[vangrop]

6 minutes ago, SAFETY FIRST said:

Us Aussies have our own lingo. 

What do you mean, you cannot talk classic Oxford English. I understand you are living on an island. In parentheses, were it not the convicts who populated this island, if indeed I understand the poor English. You know it is probably an educaton issue

[SAFETY FIRST]

12 minutes ago, vangrop said:

understand the poor English. You know it is probably an educaton issue

We understand each other, that's all that matters. 

 

And, yes, I agree, we are highly educated 👍

 

 

Edited December 6, 2023 by SAFETY FIRST

[MangoKorat]

15 hours ago, alex8912 said:

I bet 99% of a people in England know exactly what a sidewalk is.

We do, what I'me referring to is the confusion it cause to non native English speakers.

[stupidfarang]

On 12/5/2023 at 2:50 PM, vangrop said:

I was not born in a country whose native language is English. At school we were taught classic English. Unfortunately here in Thailand I experienced that it is impossible to have a fluent conversation with a native English speaking individu. Is it their accent, their speedness, their dialect, their level of education, their idioms I would like to understand. On the contrary when conversating with any other European people I understand despite our sometimes ridicoulous accents. Can anyone explain

Out of interest what country are you from? For example I am from New Zealand, have no trouble understanding other english speakers from other countrys

[jacko45k]

16 hours ago, alex8912 said:

I bet 99% of a people in England know exactly what a sidewalk is.

Yes, but the USA guys cannot grasp what a 'pavement' is for, whereas the word sidewalk tells them it is for them to walk on. Brits don't need to be told  such obvious things. 

[neeray]

On 12/5/2023 at 3:44 AM, pub2022 said:

How come english native speakers do not know how to properly use it's/its and there/their?

These are one of the most common mistakes in written English. I am Canadian and participate on a forum that consists mainly of other Canadians. I see your examples multiple times daily, and many others. It always behooves me. To/too, here/hear are a couple more examples. I often wonder if it's poor education, fast keyboarding or what. 

[jacko45k]

Just now, neeray said:

These are one of the most common mistakes in written English. I am Canadian and participate on a forum that consists mainly of other Canadians. I see your examples multiple times daily, and many others. It always behooves me. To/too, here/hear are a couple more examples. I often wonder if it's poor education, fast keyboarding or what. 

Auto correction and mobile phone use I expect..... I had an old fashioned English teacher who had  ways of telling us that there contains here, suggesting a place, their has heir suggesting the owners.....

[neeray]

22 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Auto correction and mobile phone use I expect..... I had an old fashioned English teacher who had  ways of telling us that there contains here, suggesting a place, their has heir suggesting the owners.....

My auto correction on either my phone (iPhone/ IOS) or desktop (Microsoft) works immaculately well, even underlining the words that we speak of. Of course, I could just ignore it, which is what I suspect is happening. A speedy finish is probably also a culprit.

[sirineou]

On 12/5/2023 at 2:50 PM, vangrop said:

I was not born in a country whose native language is English. At school we were taught classic English. Unfortunately here in Thailand I experienced that it is impossible to have a fluent conversation with a native English speaking individu. Is it their accent, their speedness, their dialect, their level of education, their idioms I would like to understand. On the contrary when conversating with any other European people I understand despite our sometimes ridicoulous accents. Can anyone explain

You really need to ask this? The answer should be obvious to anyone with half a brain. 

IMO this is a troll OP designed to get the dogs howling. 

[BritManToo]

I don't have any problems understanding other Brits, be they Scots, scousers, etc.

But I have no wish to interact with any other nationalities as they're too hard to understand and I can't be bothered.

[KhunLA]

I need subtitles when watching non Yank movies.   Or I'll miss a lot.  If I watch the trailer, and can't understand the strong UK, Irish or Aussie accent, then I'll give it a pass, as no desire to read a movie.

[alex8912]

3 hours ago, jacko45k said:

Yes, but the USA guys cannot grasp what a 'pavement' is for, whereas the word sidewalk tells them it is for them to walk on. Brits don't need to be told  such obvious things. 

Pavement is what a street is made of. Example: My street is getting paved today with new pavement. Not the walk way next to it. Next.... let's talk about tarmac being at airports only.  

[KhunLA]

2 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Pavement is what a street is made of. Example: My street is getting paved today with new pavement. Not the walk way next to it. Next.... let's talk about tarmac being at airports only.  

Location dependent.  As TH, paved streets are walkway, now pavements.  As walkways are store fronts & restaurants.

[VocalNeal]

Just now, alex8912 said:

Pavement is what a street is made of. Example: My street is getting paved today with new pavement. Not the walk way next to it. Next.... let's talk about tarmac being at airports only.  

 

I believe the footpaths were paved long before the streets. 🤔

 

But yes it must be difficult. The Germans speak German, the French speak French, the Swedes speak Swedish

and the Americans speak...er English 

[hotandsticky]

5 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Pavement is what a street is made of. Example: My street is getting paved today with new pavement. Not the walk way next to it. Next.... let's talk about tarmac being at airports only.  

 

 

You're American ?

[hotandsticky]

2 hours ago, neeray said:

 . A speedy finish is probably also a culprit.

 

 

...I bet you have heard that a few times....................................

[jacko45k]

8 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Pavement is what a street is made of. Example: My street is getting paved today with new pavement. Not the walk way next to it. Next.... let's talk about tarmac being at airports only.  

Here's another one.....Brits will say glasses or specs.... Americans will say eyeglasses, because they need to be told where to wear them. Brits know already. 

[VocalNeal]

On 12/6/2023 at 8:16 AM, EVENKEEL said:

Always fun to mimic some words like "water" the Brits say waher. A bawhl of waher. ahahahaa 

 

I find it amusing that people from Appalachia, according to the video above in this thread, are celebrated for their use of Elizabethan English and yet we are supposed to ridicule people from,say, Suffolk. Or as you point out from sowf London.

 

 

Edited December 7, 2023 by VocalNeal

[alex8912]

6 minutes ago, hotandsticky said:

 

 

You're American ?

Don't forget about Canadians and the rest of the world that understand American English. 

[alex8912]

3 minutes ago, jacko45k said:

Here's another one.....Brits will say glasses or specs.... Americans will say eyeglasses, because they need to be told where to wear them. Brits know already. 

You are getting this from the British comic guy who is about as funny as a piece of tarmac. I mean that guy is lame. The large majority of Americans I know use simply " glasses " and also use " trash"  only. His boring vid is posted in this thread. Oh don't forget horse back riding!! 

[couchpotato]

5 minutes ago, alex8912 said:

Don't forget about Canadians and the rest of the world that understand American English. 

"a'

[alex8912]

17 minutes ago, VocalNeal said:

 

I believe the footpaths were paved long before the streets. 🤔

 

But yes it must be difficult. The Germans speak German, the French speak French, the Swedes speak Swedish

and the Americans speak...er English 

I'd say American English. There are different types of French too. I've never met a Brit who could come up with a few NEW English phrases / words / slang that the VAST MAJORITY of fluent English speakers use that originated in England.   All new English words/ slang that have been used for decades come from American English/America including Canada of course. This is for better or for worse ( spare me the vid of Black slang lol).  I just never wanted to speak the same English as my father or grandfather but some Brits want to speak the same as their grand daddy's!! Oh there is one term that the Brits MAY have invented " Brexit" but I could be wrong on that. 

[alex8912]

12 minutes ago, couchpotato said:

"a'

That's funny I thought it was " ay" but I never wrote it out before.