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Context: I watched some Mandarin-TV show and apparantly there are kids with strict parents that would be disapppointed when the kid’s English language class scores are low…

So I feel so awkward just… being abroad and know English lol.

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I wonder how a foreigner visiting China would feel if I traveled there started speaking English to them? Do they instantly know I’m actually an American Citizen? Or would they get confused for a few seconds before I have to explain my situation to them?

  • FishFace@piefed.socialEnglish
    7·
    14 days ago

    What I found interesting is that this (for me) is so clearly modulated by exposure. So according to my brain:

    • Asian-background person speaking my native language with a native accent: completely normal
    • Asian-background person speaking German with a native accent: STRANGE! INTRIGUING! WOW!

    I mean it’s obviously not strange, and yet.

    Unrelated, but I also find it hilarious when you can identify a distinctive regional accent in someone’s foreign language. I once heard someone speaking German with an Irish accent, for example. It’s not even weird thinking about it, but it still sounded funny!