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Language Barriers
Language Barriers

Learn English meaning of 'language barriers'

Date: Sep 04 2019

Themes: Friend, Travel

Grammar: Comparatives and Superlatives

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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Traveling can be an amazing adventure. It’s always fun to eat new kinds of food, see new places, and meet interesting people. Most people would agree that traveling is great. But some people get nervous about language barriers, and not being able to communicate often leaves everyone confused.

It is important when traveling to at least learn a couple phrases, so that you can convey your basic meaning to people from a different culture. You may not say everything perfectly right, but most people appreciate it when you at least make an attempt.

Brian is going to Paris next week. Find out more in today’s English lesson about trying to communicate in a different country.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Brian

Brian

Sara_R

Sara_R

Brian:  I’m going to Paris next week, and I’m really scared because I don’t speak French.

Sara_R:  You don’t speak French… and you’re going to Paris.

Brian:  I’ve been before, but really I was with a friend who translated for our group the whole time. And I’m so nervous about going without that friend. She was able to get all the nuances and subtleties of the language. When I was trying to say my phrases, I just saw confused looks on everyone’s faces.

Sara_R:  Well, maybe you can learn a little bit of French… enough to convey your basic meaning.

Brian:  I’m just afraid that when I talk the meaning will be lost, and they’ll be very confused about whatever I’m asking for.

Sara_R:  I heard that people appreciate it when you make the attempt, and that’s better than not trying at all.

Brian:  Yeah. I guess if I do it with a smile, they won’t be too angry at me.

Sara_R:  That’s true.

 

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Discussion

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Brian is scared because he is going to Paris soon and he doesn’t speak any French. He has been to Paris before, but he had a friend who was able to speak French really well, so Brian didn’t have to. He is worried that if he tries to communicate with other people, they will just give him confused looks.

Sara tells Brian he should at least try to learn a little bit of French before he goes to Paris. She heard that people appreciate it when you attempt to speak their language, even if you’re not very good.

How do you get past language barriers?

 

Comments

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leain

leain

China

If you don’t speak local language you need to pay the local tour guide to show you around :)

06:40 AM Oct 17 2019 |

leain

leain

China

If you don’t speak local language you need to pay the local tour guide to show you around :)

06:37 AM Oct 17 2019 |

dbimmy_

Philippines

Filipino is the official language in the Philippines. However, there are other dialects spoken by Filipinos (citizen of the Philippines) all around the country.


In my province in the Philippines, we speak in Visayan which is really different from Filipino (our officialy language). When I had go to Manila (the capital city of the Philippines) to study for college, I thought that it would be very difficult for me to communicate with the people because all of them speak in either Filipino or English and only quite a few understands Visayan.


However, before going to Manila, I already knew how to speak the Filipino language that’s why it was rather smooth and easy for me to converse with people. But of course, there are also some times wherein I find it hard to explain what I want to say because the meaning might be altered and there are also times when I don’t know what Filipino words are equivalent to the Visayan words that I am supposed to say.



Overall, during my stay in Manila, language was not really a barrier in my communication with my friends. But I suggest that you need to learn some basics of the language of the country/place that you are going to visit in order to avoid any miscommunication and trouble (if ever).

08:00 AM Oct 15 2015 |

ghost.w0506

Germany

absolutely agree with that saying….


but…some languages are quite difficult



so as German, Dutch but also Farsi or Tadjik

11:28 AM Sep 12 2015 |

studentcro

studentcro

Germany

At the beginner intro part…


Anyone sees what’s missing at bolded part of a sentence????


It is important when traveling to at least learn a couple phrases, so that you can convey your basic meaning to people from a different culture. 


In speech it’s called: REDUCTION and in this example it’s a TOTAL R. However when write one should put a preposition where it’s belong!!!



08:32 AM Sep 02 2015 |

La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

I’m trying to guess how would I be doing speaking to another language native speaker?!


I’m not going anywhere and I’m not intending to go to any foreign country in the near future. I’m just a language enthusiast. I like to learn foreign languages like French and Spanish.


Julito, thank you for the piece of information that the French don’t tolerate making mistakes speaking their language. I think I’m going to put off my inclination to speak to some native French till later :D :D


11:19 PM Aug 31 2015 |

s11211s

s11211s

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Imagine you are running out of words to say, and you can’t! It is painful when you are in a situation that you can’t convey your meaning while you can say every thing with your mother language!
In these situations I usually use every thing and every way to convey my meaning. It is difficult and so interesting!

07:38 PM Aug 31 2015 |

Djana

Djana

Algeria

I’ve not been abroad,yet :D but i’ll be (God Willings),I think if i go to an English speaking country,well i’ll make it,i mean,i guess my english is fine,so i can communicate with foreigners,without any difficulty.

07:02 PM Aug 31 2015 |

ScienceBoy

ScienceBoy

Turkey

I was in Russia last month. I spent 2 weeks there. I cannot speak Russian, all I know is to say “Hi” and “Thank You” in Russian. But language was not a barrier for me as I had a Russian friend with me. I would be lost without her I guess. Especially in Moscow. English doesn’t help much in Moscow. You should at least be able read even if you don’t undertand. But St.Petersburg was different. Almost everyone can speak English there. I saw more tourists than Russians. 


Ssaarraa

Iraq

I need to know who i get to chats rooms

06:04 PM Aug 31 2015 |

Ssaarraa

Iraq

Can anyone help me

06:03 PM Aug 31 2015 |

Ssaarraa

Iraq

Hi I’m sara

06:02 PM Aug 31 2015 |

julito1

julito1

Argentina

I have travelled to english spoken countries , as my mother tongue is spanish i could only communicate in english and this language is very tricky , one word mispronounced and the whole meaning of it is changed. You will see in their faces how confused they are and  in some cases they will ask you to repeat it :” come again” say it again, ohh my God, i have been studying so hard and still i can not communicate properly.  I have heard that  French people don´t  appreciate to hear foreigners to speak  bad French , i don´t know  if this is true, but in my country we will help a tourist if need be.

Gizem1318

Gizem1318

Turkey

If we live another country long terms, language can be obstacle for me because to communicate with people we must leran a little bit of country’s language.Iwant to take an education another country thanks to erasmus so I try to learn english:)

oguzzugo

oguzzugo

Turkey

I am going to Malta six months later and I really don’t know what I am going to do there ?


Because my English is not good.I want to improve my English.I guess it will be hard journey for me.:))

laafri3

laafri3

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

My husband is not iranian  ,,   Neither of us could speak each other’s language. we communicate in English ,,  We met, fell in love and got married!!! Language hasn’t been a barrier

NavidArash

NavidArash

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

Although the official language of Iran is Persian but other languages such as Azeri, Kurdish … are also widely spoken here but unfortunately I only can speak Persian.


My grandma was an “Azeri” speaker and lived in a small village, she didn’t know even a word of Persian, In the summertime we often traveled to my father home village and I liked it there as a kid, and it was more like as I traveled to a foreign country cos everyone spoke “Azeri” out there and I barely knew a word or two of the language (cause I was born and raised in the capital city). In spite of the language barriers, most villagers out there were friendly, kind, affectionate, and simple-hearted. 


My grandma was never short of stories to tell, and she told me stories at nights although I got no clue what the stories were about, they still put me to sleep, I never could communicate directly with her and she passed away, she had a heart of gold and the language barriers never stopped her from showing her affection for me.

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