Accent and grammar mistakes? Imperfect English carries the scars of colonization

[UTON Blockchain]

Speaking English with an accent? Grammar not perfect? Don’t be too hard on yourself—it’s not just a personal issue, but a product of globalization.

English became the world’s lingua franca not because it’s the most perfect language, but because of history—colonial expansion and economic dominance forced the world to accept it. Formerly colonized nations had to learn the language of their rulers, and their accents and expressions became lasting imprints of that history. Today, we spend time learning English, refining pronunciation, and correcting grammar just to communicate globally. But should these “imperfections” really be mocked?

And what about our native languages? Many are being marginalized, overshadowed by “standard” English. The so-called mistakes in pronunciation are not flaws but the cost of globalization—the traces of language adapting to history. Instead of obsessing over whether our English is perfect, perhaps we should ask: Why must the world be defined by just one language?

[Salahmu]

There is always an accent in English, though is sometimes challenging when you are outside your region away from people who speaks the same as you, the communication will become the problem because let say for instance you have a very slow accent and you are communicating with someone with a very fast speaking accent you may not understand clearly, even in Africa we have different accent based, so in most cases accent are use to reveal who you are because even if you have the same appearance with the person his accent will prove him or her a foreigner. Actually English is very important because Imagine how we could have been communicating with each other's when we don't share a common language, however English has not overshadowed any native language for those that has it but us that cannot speak one native language are the ones that has been overshadowed by English.

[DeathAngel]

English is the language of business, you get further in life if you can speak English but like OP says, don’t he too hard on yourself. Most English people don’t speak another language so you already have a gift most of them don’t.
A good grasp of English is important but perfection isn’t required.

[Ucy]

Ofcourse, English is not a perfect language, just like all other languages of the world. And it's often used incorrectly or in ways that are considered grammatically correct by standard English, but when listened to or read it's not really easy to digest. .

Besides, It's important to develop a signature language that identifies you, even for a language like English, rather than speaking or writing like other people who tend to cram a language and grammer they hear/read without really understanding their true meaning. And If you are not different, you run the risk of being controlled by the one who developed the language in that manner.

Everything you say in a language should really mean what you are trying to convey, represent or describe. But this is not usually the case with even the most "up to standard" English speakers. Alot of time their speeches are filled with inaccurate or inconsistent meanings, if you understand what the speakers or writers are trying to describe. I think what matter the most is conveying a message that people can understand no matter how knowledgeable they are in the language you use for them. But the standard speakers/writers seem to make things hard for others. What is the point reading or listening to a language you know but not understanding? I noticed that even the AI gives better reply when you query it in English every English speaker would understand rather than using the standard one.
 


I would say English is just a language people choose to use in order to thrive in a more globally useful and advanced system developed by their native speakers (English owners). People of other languages however still retain their own native languages while using English for intercommunication or to communicate amongst themselves.  So, ease of communication among groups of people who speak different languages, and to thrive in the system are two main reasons non-native English speakers speak English. Certain non-native speakers sort of impose the language on their families maybe to feel superior, to help them thrive in the system and be able to communicate with other ethnicities and races.  I wouldn't say the English owners imposed it them. Probably, if you don't want to speak English you are free but they would prioritize the use of the systems language for ease of communication between you, them and every other language speaker.
But I'm more interested in making the language I communicate with understandable than using "accurate grammar" that is Hard-to-understand. If a grammer(and even word) is "accurate" but does not make sense, i discard or don't use it

[Bitcoin Smith]

English still considered as some kind of knowledge rather just a medium for communication but we are in the era the language will not matter anymore cause in the near future we will have tools and gadgets that will to perfect real time translation of multiple language that will connect people from every corner of this world.

I am also from a country where British colony ruled for more than 2 decades and pushed from extremely rich community to starving one when they leave and now it's time to give it back.?

[Zlantann]

English is the language of business, you get further in life if you can speak English but like OP says, don’t he too hard on yourself. Most English people don’t speak another language so you already have a gift most of them don’t.
A good grasp of English is important but perfection isn’t required.

Most foreigners who own many multinational companies in my location a not fluent in English Language. Indians, Chinese, Philippines, and others are not good English speakers but they are skillful in business and technology. When I see parents who choose schools for their children just because of the grammar or accent that is promoted by these schools, I just laugh. The most important thing is to know the basic English language but children should be exposed to Science, technology, engineering, and mathematics.

People who should pay attention to English are people who really need it to perform their work tasks. Proficiency level in interacting in the English language is not compulsory if it is not necessary in your profession. This is why I fully support the use of local languages for instructions in school because it saves time, and energy and facilitates easy understanding.          

[franky1]

english does not have one accent, not even within england
anyone commenting on accents is just a snob..

there is not even a singular way to say things. if you want to use the phone you can also use the dog and bone

just travel around england
listen to how someone from cornwall who sounds completely different to someone from manchester
listen to someone from liverpool compared to that of essex

if you want to speak like a pirate, live in cornwall/devon for a decade
if you want to sound like a posh snob, yes live in oxford for a decade
if you want to sound like sean connery, live up north for a decade

pot8o pot@o it doesnt really matter..
but lets get a couple rules straight..
it's s-con.. not s-cone
its al-you-min-e-um.. not al-oo-me-num

1F Y0U C4N R34D 7H15 7H3N Y0U 4R3 5M4R7 3N0U6H 70 83 8RI7I5H.. 1NN17 8LUD

[coolcoinz]

Reminds me of that situation when a Brit comes to a US bar and orders beer and they both speak English but can barely understand each other. For fun check how something as simple as "water" can be pronounced differently depending on where you live. Not to mention the fact that in England fries are called chips and chips are called crisps. It always cracks me up almost as much as when guys from the UK greet me with "oy"

That said, the weirdest English I know is the one people in South Africa use. There's no way to understand a guy speaking with that slang unless you're familiar with it.

[franky1]

Reminds me of that situation when a Brit comes to a US bar and orders beer and they both speak English but can barely understand each other. For fun check how something as simple as "water" can be pronounced differently depending on where you live. Not to mention the fact that in England fries are called chips and chips are called crisps. It always cracks me up almost as much as when guys from the UK greet me with "oy"

That said, the weirdest English I know is the one people in South Africa use. There's no way to understand a guy speaking with that slang unless you're familiar with it.

oi haw dare yew
awah wawer iz ba-er den yawz
awah chips iz ba-er den yaw fr-eyez

oi (aw-wee) is not just a greeting.. its like how 'hey' is also used when:
someone pokes you in the ribs 'hey stop that'
much the same as to get some douchbag at a distance attention, when they do something you dislike seeing 'hey you over there, dont grab that womans ass, she dont like it'

'oi..NOO!' [with a scorning/fight ready face like your about to rip them apart if they dont listen]

[uchegod-21]

Speaking English with an accent? Grammar not perfect? Don’t be too hard on yourself—it’s not just a personal issue, but a product of globalization.

English became the world’s lingua franca not because it’s the most perfect language, but because of history—colonial expansion and economic dominance forced the world to accept it. Formerly colonized nations had to learn the language of their rulers, and their accents and expressions became lasting imprints of that history. Today, we spend time learning English, refining pronunciation, and correcting grammar just to communicate globally. But should these “imperfections” really be mocked?

And what about our native languages? Many are being marginalized, overshadowed by “standard” English. The so-called mistakes in pronunciation are not flaws but the cost of globalization—the traces of language adapting to history. Instead of obsessing over whether our English is perfect, perhaps we should ask: Why must the world be defined by just one language?

Responding based on my forum experience. Some years ago when I was in lower ranks, there were some individuals who expected everyone's English to be very correct not considering people that English is not actually their first language. However there were people who actually stood for the ones that could not make perfect English and encouraged them to use an app called grammarly to improve their English. I was nearly cough in that web and tension until I decided that if I could make a post that anyone will understand, I am good to go. I don't actually need to be that English guru.
Even the forum members have come to realise this, they are very lenient with people whose first language is not English.

Even in the global context, the forum recognises this and that is why it has local boards.

[UNTO Chain]

I agree with this statement. I think that people who speak English as a second language shouldn't feel bad about themselves or their accent when they do make mistakes while speaking English. It's okay if you don't have perfect grammar because there are many different ways to say something in English and it doesn't matter which way you choose to use. We all come from different backgrounds and cultures, so why can't we accept each other for how we talk? If someone makes fun of your accent then maybe they're just jealous because they wish they could travel around the world like us!

[UNTO Chain]

I think that this is a very interesting topic. I agree with you when you say that there are many people who have been taught English as their second language and they speak it with an accent or make grammatical errors. However, if someone has learned another language other than his/her mother tongue then he/she will definitely face problems while speaking the new language fluently. It takes years to master any language perfectly. So, we shouldn't judge others for making mistakes in English.

[Reatim]

Speaking English with an accent? Grammar not perfect? Don’t be too hard on yourself—it’s not just a personal issue, but a product of globalization.

actually what’s funny is you will find non native english speakers speaking better english than the native speakers sometimes this is because english is often part of the educational curriculum and we really do study it and not just use it normally

anyway even if it’s not perfect we have made english adapt to our own culture and language as well which is why there are sometimes words or phrases in the english language that only makes sense under the context of a different country

[UNTO Chain]

I agree that speaking English with an accent or having imperfect grammar does not make someone less intelligent. I think it's important to remember that everyone has different backgrounds and experiences which can influence how they speak. It would be unfair for people who have been raised in countries where English isn't spoken as much to feel like their way of talking is inferior compared to those from other places around the globe. We need more acceptance when it comes down to this topic because there will always exist differences between individuals no matter what part of life you come from!

[UNTO Chain]

I think this article is trying to say that people who speak English with an accent or have imperfect grammar shouldn't feel bad about themselves. It's okay if you don't know how to use certain words properly as long as you're able to convey your message across clearly. I agree with the author because there are many different ways of speaking and writing in any language, including English. We all make mistakes sometimes when using a foreign language like English, which can be frustrating for both parties involved (the speaker/writer and listener/reader). However, instead of focusing on those errors made while communicating through another tongue, we should focus more on understanding what was said rather than criticizing someone else’s way of saying something.

[Gozie51]

Why must the world be defined by just one language?

You and I and more people are actually caught in that web. Web of unifying language yet with different interest and race. This is unfortunate but there is nothing anyone can do about it. I believe there are more people who are asking same question as you but they can't change the hands of time. You already traced the historical anticident that led to such language dominance as colonialization.

But like coincidence and for the purpose of understanding and less confusion, it seems the need for lesser language in the globe gives more effective communication. So it is easier to communicate with people who are not from your village whether they are dominant owners of English or are foreigners. In case you travel out of your country, you can also communicate effectively with the people you meet there because you already have that understanding of their language.

However, English is not the only global language, as we have Arabic, Mandarin, French etc depending on the location you go to.

[Hispo]

I am a not native speaker of English and I admit I sometimes can be quite rough on myself in terms of accent, pronunciation and grammatical errors I commit, specially when I try to communicate through voice chat with native speakers of English.
It is true one will never have such perception mastery of English, as a foreigner who learned English later in life, but being good enough to express ideas and communicate in a fluid manner should be enough for us to take advantage of the ongoing process of globalization and further open doors in front of us, for the sake of our careers and future.

I can easily say being able to speak English severely affected my life, in a positive way, of course.

[Yucky]

You know, I used to get pissed in secondary school when they introduced Oral English to us, and we were being flogged if we couldn't pronounce it well. It was so annoying. Indeed, it was watering down mother tongue as some of my classmates were beginning to do too much. But anyway, the advantage is that you can be able to communicate globally with that language and work internationally. You can speak and understand with a wide variety of people.

 It's still beautiful and funny how, even though we were trying to speak the colonial masters' language, mother tongue is still there, so no matter how we try, we still have an accent when speaking english even the British English speakers have accent.

[passwordnow]

No, the world isn't defined by just one language which you are saying is the English language. This blog[1] is made last month and it states that the first with the most language speakers globally isn't English but Chinese with a whopping 1.3B native speakers. And so, this doesn't include the speakers that have just learned the language and they keep coming because of how the economical influence and prowess of this country is showing.

[1] https://www.babbel.com/en/magazine/the-10-most-spoken-languages-in-the-world

And look, English is just third of it.



But I agree to your point that it's not all about the grammar and accent, what matters is like what we do here. As long as we're understanding each other and what we're expressing, we're all cool.

[Accardo]

Language doesn't matter, having something to offer the world is what leaders want from everyone. Being smart is beyond learning a certain language. President Macron was in the US and had to address the press in French. Trump said that's the best language in the world, and in my interpretation it's because of the service France has to offer the world. In recent times we must focus on solving problems than learning languages that isn't ours. Interpreters are always available to translate, hence, I wouldn't consider English a supreme language to climp the ladder of success, because some of the people that's invited in the oval office, are not English speakers.