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TIP: APOLOGIZE FOR MY ENGLISH

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Meepzorp:

--- Quote from: okidoki on December 13, 2014, 01:20:26 pm ---Thank you very much, speaking is much easier than writing.
great Forum.
all the best from,

The Netherlands
Eric


--- End quote ---

Hi oki,

I feel the opposite way. For me, reading and writing a foreign language is easier than speaking it.

I am a third generation American of Italian descent. My grandparents emigrated here from Italy. I have always been fascinated with the Italian language. After English, it is the language I am most familiar with. I took 3 years of Italian language courses in high school. But I forgot most of it within a few years. Ironically, my interest in ancient coins has re-awakened my interest in the Italian language. And I am slowly re-learning it. But I still find it very difficult, if not completely impossible, to speak Italian. I really struggle with speaking it. Maybe it's just the way my brain is set up. I'm a "science and math guy", and I come from a science and engineering background. When I was in school, languages, including English (my native language), were always my weakest subjects.

That being said, I very rarely have trouble understanding Forum members in foreign countries who struggle with English. Maybe it is because I was a physics and engineering major in college. Most of the graduate students who assisted my college professors were from foreign countries, and many of them spoke "not so good English". But I had no trouble understanding them.

Additionally, most people in foreign countries are better at understanding English than most Americans are at understanding foreign languages. And I am a perfect example of this. I have a cousin who lives in Genoa, Italy. We communicate regularly. Her English is much better than my Italian. And I am the one who is the intellectual. :)

So, as Joe said, "Don't worry, be happy!!!"

Meepzorp

okidoki:
Hi Meepzorp,
We have a saying here " whit hands and feet you can come a long way" and were there i willingness even more.
Italians speak always with hands and expression.
That we love here in the Netherlands  +++
cheers,

Eric

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