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Many of my Thai friends can hold an English conversation, some are in relationships with an English speaking ( frang, farang or foreigner whichever is preferred ) so nothing particularly usual about that.

 

What strikes me within my circle of friends are many German, many French, a Swiss, and a couple of Greek. Without exception they can all speak English fluently, switching between their mother language and English.

 

But some of my English speaking friends, cannot hold a conversation in another language at all. My English boyfriend does understand and know enough Thai to engage in very basic conversation, but certainly would not be able to spend an evening out with friends speaking in Thai.

 

A friend of ours who is German, speaks perfect English, and can speak well in Thai. But he has lived in Thailand for a very long time and married to an American /Thai so that's understandable. My older sister, having lived in Japan for 12 years can speak Japanese although limited as it is very difficult language. She can also speak enough English to engage in a conversation, although her Japanese is stronger. Another friend married and living now with her husband in France can speak French to what level I'm unsure as I don't speak or understand French.

 

I was wondering, with the different nationalities on this board, who can speak another language fluently enough to engage in a conversation in a night out with friends, switching from one language to another at will.

 

( Not connected with this post, it has been mentioned my written English is too perfect maybe because I use Spell check plus )

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( Not connected with this post, it has been mentioned my written English is too perfect maybe because I use Spell check plus )

 

I'm techno challenged to the ultimate degree....BUT....I seem to recall that Gra ma....and spelling ....are 2 different issues.....

 

Spell check.....checks SPELLING

 

 

...Gra ma....is a totally different issue....

 

Just saying....

 

:stirthepo

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I think that you will find the reason why native English speakers tend not to learn another language is because the rest of the world all try and speak English. It is the international language, if a German, Italian and a Spaniard were to be in a meeting together they would communicate in English, as such that makes native English speakers lazy when it comes to learning another language.

 

Whilst not being fluent enough to hold down an in depth conversation in foreign languages I can exchange pleasantries in Arabic, Chinese, Dutch, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Spanish, Thai and Vietnamese, as a native English speaker I personally tend to find if I can speak the basics such as hello, thank you one more beer and fuck off the people in the host countries always try to converse in English.

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I think because English is essentially the lingua franca of the world, the English don't put as much emphasis in their education system on learning foreign languages as other countries do. Hence the generally poorer ability of Brits in speaking foreign languages compared to other counties.

[cross posted with Mekong]

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