Language Barrier: does it really matter?

@ip5217 (1655)
Philippines
October 3, 2009 4:21pm CST
I know our conversation will be more spontaneous if we speak to someone who speaks the same language as we do. However, there will really come a time where you will have to interact to someone of different race and culture. I am just curious; does it bother you if you can barely understand what his message is? Does it bother you if it takes a long while for him to finish his statement using the English language?
1 person likes this
5 responses
@irene66 (1669)
• Philippines
5 Oct 09
Personally, it does matter. There's no meaningful communication if you can't really come to a common understanding of what is being talk about. I actually experience this when I was in China. Students wanted very much to talk to foreigners in English but when you go on with the conversation, they are off the topic. they just talk in English irrelevant to the conversation. It destroys the flow of communication. So, it is better to stop the conversation.
@Porcospino (31367)
• Denmark
4 Oct 09
Sometimes it is difficult for me to understand what people say if they don't speak much Danish or English, but it doesn't bother me at all. If I am patient I always understand the message in the end. Sometimes we have to be a bit creative, and in situations like that I have often used drawings or sign language to communicate. I love to talk to people from other countries, and I think it is really interesting. Of course is easier if we speak the same language, but I don't mind spending a bit more time on the conversation if it is neccesary, and I try to help the other person as much as I can, because I know what it feels like. When I was living in Italy I didn't speak much Italian in the beginning, but people were generally very nice to me, they spoke slowly, tried to use easy words, tought me new words etc, and that was a big help. I try to help other people the same way if it is difficult for them to communicate in Danish or English.
@ekimflow (121)
• United States
3 Oct 09
if it's in person you can sometimes figure out what the other persons trying to say by how they act.if it's written sometimes you can guess at what they are trying to say unless you have a translator on your computer that can change the text into your language.i had to try to transluate between redneck-to-spanish for a hearing impared person and was able to get the message across between them, even though the redneck didn't like the out come the hearing impared spanish person understood what was going on and told me that i did a good job and was glad that i was there to help out.
@Graceekwenx (3160)
• Philippines
4 Oct 09
It matters! I am pretty sure he is trying his best to express himself while i am trying my best to understand him! It takes so much effort!
3 Oct 09
I get frustrated yes because I so badly want to fully understand what that other person is saying. I try my best to pick up key words to make sense and find logic in our conversations. I know this feeling as if I were in that person's shoes. I speak a bit of French, Spanish, Portuguese and German. However, there are days when nothing works in my head and if I converse with anyone on any of these languages, I know I must sound illogical, inept in the language. But, I am grateful that they do not laugh at my mistakes and even still continue to speak with me in that language, expanding more by asking further if this is what I mean, giving examples, etc. I appreciate all of this and I certainly am not bothered if it takes long for someone to make his point clear or finish his stateme. I think we need to give each other the courtesy of being patient and flexible.