Something that surprised me
By Judy Evans
@JudyEv (382240)
Rockingham, Australia
December 3, 2021 4:18am CST
I wrote about a Welsh love spoon that I have and it brought to mind a Welsh neighbour that we had for a while.
He was a very nice man with a lovely lilt to his voice. His wife was English and told me that English was not her husband’s native language. I found this rather surprising. I hadn’t thought about the Welsh and maybe some of the Irish, having English as a second language, not as a first.
Have you been surprised by someone speaking in a language that you didn’t expect?
12 people like this
12 responses
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
3 Dec 21
That happens a lot where I live. That's because of several corporations that for from other countries and a university that gets international students. Many people stay here once their done with whatever brought them here in the first place.
We have many from England but also from Belgium, Polish countries, Mexico and many others.
I often ask from whence they come when I hear their accents.
1 person likes this
@MarshaMusselman (38865)
• Midland, Michigan
8 Dec 21
@JudyEv yes and when they're from Poland I can share the few words I know.
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@JudyEv (382240)
• Rockingham, Australia
9 Dec 21
@MarshaMusselman They would like that. We had two couch-surfers come from an Eastern European country. I can't remember which one now but Vince learnt their national anthem and played it on the piano for them. One of them cried. 
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
4 Dec 21
Living in Florida, which is a tourist mecca for people from all over the world, I often hear many languages that I do not recognize. In your case, where you are surprised that English was not the first language, mine is the opposite. I am very surprised at how many people from around the world speak English as a second language. I knew English was taught in many places as a second language, but I never realized how prevalent it was throughout the entire world.
1 person likes this
@moffittjc (128837)
• Gainesville, Florida
6 Dec 21
@JudyEv It won't be long until Chinese is the "mandated" second language, when China takes over the world.
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@JudyEv (382240)
• Rockingham, Australia
7 Dec 21
@moffittjc That's too true to be funny maybe. 
I'd better start learning now and get a head start on everyone.
I'd better start learning now and get a head start on everyone.1 person likes this
@rebelann (117244)
• El Paso, Texas
3 Dec 21
Not often but I did meet a Japanese lady, a linguist, who spoke English perfectly. She was still a Japanese citizen according to my sibling although her husband and son were American. Most Japanese people raised in Japan with English as a 2nd or 3rd language have problems with our language
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382240)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 Dec 21
We had lunch with a couple a few days ago and the wife was Japanese. She was a little hard to understand although she had been in Australia for a very long time. They seem to reach a stage with their English and then never improve beyond that.
1 person likes this
@LadyDuck (502573)
• Italy
3 Dec 21
I remember a young woman who worked in Monte Carlo as teller at our Bank.
I noticed that French was not her native language, but I was surprised to know that she was from Romania. Her French was almost perfect, but she used some words that were not common in French.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222534)
• United States
3 Dec 21
No, I haven't; but I find the Scottish accent extremely pleasant. I could listen to it all day long.
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@JudyEv (382240)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Dec 21
@LindaOHio I think that is sad too. It's nice to hang on to your own accent.
1 person likes this
@LindaOHio (222534)
• United States
4 Dec 21
@JudyEv lol A Scottish MyLot member said that a lot of the Scots are trying to adapt an American accent. That's so sad!
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382240)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 Dec 21
No, I only speak English but have a smattering of French.
@DaddyEvil (174528)
• United States
3 Dec 21
Hmm... how would I find out they speak a different language? That isn't a topic that normally comes up when I'm talking with someone unless they have an accent I don't recognize.
1 person likes this
@DaddyEvil (174528)
• United States
3 Dec 21
@JudyEv I can do that with written subjects but am used to Americans who... uhm... get the usual idioms wrong. 
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@JudyEv (382240)
• Rockingham, Australia
3 Dec 21
I know Gaelic is spoken more and more in Ireland. Aboriginals here are being encouraged more and more to keep up their native languages. Some place names are now being posted with the aboriginal version. Mostly, they are extremely difficult to pronounce.
1 person likes this
@JudyEv (382240)
• Rockingham, Australia
4 Dec 21
With some people, you just want them to keep talking, don't you? 
@ihasaquestion (8273)
•
3 Dec 21
Perhaps he has learned English well or his wife has taught him so.
1 person likes this
@DocAndersen (54399)
• United States
3 Dec 21
i am always amazed, (as a person that struggles with learning new languages) how much better some non-native speakers speak.
makes me say "oh, English is your second language?"
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