Is your main language English?

Germany
February 1, 2016 5:35am CST
My main language isn't English and I never was good in english class. I'm shy when it comes to write because I'm afraid that people could misunderstood me. I often write long texts and going to delete them in the next moment.The most problems I have with the Grammar. It is so different as in German. Everything sounds wrong for me - even when it is right ... On myLot I try to overcome this fear - Maybe I can learn a little bit more english through interacting myself in this community. You are allowed to correct me - no not just allowed, I'd really like that you correct me. Is your main language English? If not, is it easy for you to write in English?
9 people like this
9 responses
@scheng1 (24650)
• Singapore
1 Feb 16
I have the same issue with grammar. My mother tongue is Mandarin (Chinese), and it has no grammar structure at all. i am better in writing than in speaking.
2 people like this
• Germany
1 Feb 16
By me it's just the opposite - German has to many rules of grammar and sometimes it is difficult for me to "forget" them ... I am better in writting than speaking as well but I think it is because I speak English really rarely.
@Bluedoll (16774)
• Canada
1 Feb 16
I found it interesting that both you @prettypothead and @scheng1 find it easier to write than speak your second lanquage. I can only manage with one lanquage and so I admire both of you. My French is terrible. I think English is forgiving? Mistakes do not ruin the meaning so one should feel comfortable making mistakes? We all make mistakes. The proper way to write you are nice is "you are nice" or "you're nice" I write your nice which is a mistake. Your hair, your computer, your avatar but you are _____ is the proper way. Everyone makes mistakes sometimes.
1 person likes this
@Bluedoll (16774)
• Canada
1 Feb 16
I'm shy when it comes to write because I'm afraid that people could misunderstood me. by @prettypothead could be I'm shy when it comes to writing because I'm afraid that people could misunderstand me. I'm shy when it comes to writing because I'm afraid people might not understand me. When it comes to writing I'm shy because my fear is people might not understand me. This is true for me too. There are so many variations of that thought and they would all be correct but the main thing for you to know is I understood everything in this post completely. When I don't understand something (Excellent English Writers too) I just ask. Most people respond well to a question.
1 person likes this
@boiboing (13153)
• Northampton, England
1 Feb 16
There are many non-native speakers here. Your challenge will be not to pick up bad habits.
1 person likes this
@yukimori (10143)
• United States
1 Feb 16
@MALUSE That's very true, and it doesn't help that there are actually elementary and high schools here where they are emphasizing the students' attempts to communicate over the students actually being able to convey their ideas in proper English. It's really quite ridiculous. I took an art history class several years ago where many of the students thought it was unfair that the instructor graded us on our grammar in our papers. Their reasoning was that it wasn't an English class, so grammar shouldn't matter as much as the content.
1 person likes this
@MALUSE (69409)
• Germany
1 Feb 16
@prettypothead It's very rare that English speaking people correct foreigners. They're usually overwhelmed that anyone speaks a foreign language at all. Of course, living with the world language No 1 makes people lazy. Besides, grammar is often not taught well in the countries where English is the main language. Some native speakers make grammatical mistakes that would give a German teacher of English heart attacks.
1 person likes this
• Germany
1 Feb 16
I agree with you. I often meet people from the UK or USA which do not know right grammar as well (more from Americans than British people - a lot of people who are from America said to me that american english is english for lazy people. It is difficult for me to say what is right and what isn't ...
@youless (112123)
• Guangzhou, China
2 Feb 16
Your English is pretty good. My main language is Chinese. English is a foreign language for me. Although I have studied it for a long time, but I don't think I can use it as well as I should.
@rosekiss (30380)
• Eugene, Oregon
1 Feb 16
English has always been my language as I was born in the USA. I have taken other languages when I was in school, but I don't remember anything that I learned since it was way to long ago. I think those that don't have english as their native langurage, do very well writing it. I have no problem at all figurring out what they are trying to say in their discussions and comments. Mylot is a good place for those that don't know english all the well, to really learn it, and that is a good thing.
1 person likes this
@rosekiss (30380)
• Eugene, Oregon
1 Feb 16
@prettypothead I took Spanish in the ninth grade, but since it was so long ago, I don't remember much of it. That is okay though, as I only want to speak English anyway.
• Germany
1 Feb 16
What languages did you learn? I had English and French (but only for a half year) in school - but the most of my English "skills" I have from Social Networks and books written in English. I use myLot only 1 day but feel super comfortable already! I'm sure that it is a super place to learn something and to meet nice people! My only problem is that I need a few minutes to find the words for an answer
1 person likes this
@yukimori (10143)
• United States
1 Feb 16
Yes, I'm a native speaker of American English. I've studied several different languages, and what I've found with all of them is that the more I practiced, the better I got at using them. myLot is a great place to practice your English. It's actually against the rules here to criticize others' English skills, so I think you'll find that it's a very inclusive and welcoming place. Because you've asked for help with corrections, may I point out that the names of languages are always capitalized in English? It's considered a proper noun. We also wouldn't capitalize the word grammar as it's been used. That would only be capitalized if it was at the start of a sentence or part of a title.
1 person likes this
• Germany
1 Feb 16
I'm sure that myLot is a good place to practice. How many different languages do you speak? Thank you really much. I often capitalize nouns because in Germany we capitalize each noun. I have issues to switch between different grammar.
@marlina (154165)
• Canada
1 Feb 16
My mother tongue is French and I have no difficulty with the English grammar. It is all a matter of doing it, the more you do, the better you get.
1 person likes this
• Germany
1 Feb 16
Do you speak both languages regularly? I agree with you. Since I use social networks my English became better.
@Porcospino (31366)
• Denmark
1 Feb 16
My mother tongue is Danish. I also speak English and Italian, I worked in Scotland in the past, and I learned Italian while I was living in Italy. I studied German and French at school. I used to be good at German, but today I find it hard to remember the grammar. I haven't spoken French for 20 years, and I have forgotten many of the words.
@JudyEv (326127)
• Rockingham, Australia
2 Feb 16
Your English is fine. There is very little wrong with it and if you keep writing here it can only get better. There are English speakers here whose grammar isn't perfect too. If by chance you are misunderstood people will understand and you can make yourself clear in a comment to them.
@trivia79 (7828)
• El Segundo, California
1 Feb 16
I live here in the Philippines. Our national and main language is Filipino. English language is second only. Though we are exposed to English language since we started schooling (nurse or kindergarten), many still have difficulties in expressing themselves in English language orally and some in written forms.