½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

Menu
½ûÂþÌìÌÃ

Mastering the English language

Post new topic

Priscilla

Hi everyone,

It is widely agreed that speaking English is essential for a successful integration in England. Do you agree?

Where can one attend a language course in England?

Is it easy to communicate in a different language with English?

Thank you for sharing your experience.

Priscilla

Tabernsj

Absolutely.  It's essential to speak the language of the country you are living in. How would you make friends and network without being able to talk to anyone because you cannot speak the language.

keetty

For integration   very important   to  be multilingual

Kurrun

I am trilingual. This has been of great help.

findadnan

English language is important not only for living in England (Great Britain) but also if you plan to move to any such country where you don't speak the local language.
For Britain, it is best if you search for English learning centres online, just type in the area you live in, following what you need and the search engine will come up with the results.

Fred

One surprising problem for expats in England is regional accents and local slang.
Hello, how are you in English is commonly express as "Ey up, ars tha digglin" in Yorkshire.

That is just one example of many regional variations in English, something that makes life difficult for expats who spent all their time and effort perfecting the finer points of listening comprehension on nicely prepared recordings of people speaking beautiful English.

Next up is idioms. The English use idioms without the slightest thought but text books hardly touch them. This massive cock up is common to most ESL/EFL books.

Slang is essential, as expats will find out the first time a shopkeeper tells them their shopping will set them back ten quid.
A friend telling you a new car will cost a bomb isn't trying to arm himself for a future war, he's telling you it's expensive.

You'll get the hang of it, but be prepared for shocks and confusion.
Still, coppers can be helpful if you need directions to the quack's.

Cynic

Fred wrote:

.... You'll get the hang of it, but be prepared for shocks and confusion.
Still, coppers can be helpful if you need directions to the quack's.


Indeed, or even to the Fang Farriers. :)

bantoo.benny

Hi Priscilla,

Imagine a morning

you got up and people around you dont speak the same language!!!!!

Shocking............ i bet

So most important is BODY LANGUAGE

1- easiest way to learn Lingo is (making friends and thinking in that language)
2- Body Languages are traditional, and its great to adopt by the people... You have whole wide world to experience without words..... Just smile

I dont know why did i write that... I just did

cheers
Benny

americantobritain

I would say that English is the only way. While some people may have high school French or German, the English like most English speakers do not speak other languages.

If you need to meet people that speak your native language. Look up meetup.com to for groups.

ppereira

I learned american English in Guatemala however now I am learning British English. I belong to the BME network in Weston-super-Mare and we support people to learn not only the language but the culture. It is very important to know the invisible queue at the pub!

Saludos

Patty
[link moderated]

Fred

It is very important to know the invisible queue at the pub!


Cultural norms are commonly just as important as language skills.
I've never even considered the importance of the invisible queue because we just know how to do it, but a new arrival who fancies a pint could easily get a black eye instead if he went to the wrong pub and didn't 'line up' at the bar.

What line? - That invisible one all the locals can see.

Sounds weird, but it's absolutely true.

Nassergorsi

Hi
It is indeed. There are many schools and private institutes that teach English to non-native speakers. Expensive, but professional.
I would say that one should learn English to communicate because if you one doesn't know English, he or she might face problems at various places. For example, shopping, taxi (sometimes), asking an address, etc.

Articles to help you in your expat project in England

  • Work in Brighton
    Work in Brighton

    With over 275,000 people, Brighton is a popular destination among expats from all walks of life. Once you visit ...

  • Accommodation in London
    Accommodation in London

    With a surface area of 1,572km² and thirty districts to choose from, London has thousands of homes available ...

  • Dating in the UK
    Dating in the UK

    Dating in England is a blend of tradition and modernity, where meeting people in social settings and contemporary ...

  • Things to bring when moving to the United Kingdom
    Things to bring when moving to the United Kingdom

    Are you concerned about what you should bring during your relocation to the UK? Many expats don't give this a ...

  • Top things to do in London
    Top things to do in London

    No matter what your definition of fun is – get ready to feel active, inspired, and creative in London. ...

  • Making phone calls in the United Kingdom
    Making phone calls in the United Kingdom

    The very competitive United Kingdom communications market made of many telephone network operators, offering ...

  • How to meet people in the UK
    How to meet people in the UK

    Meeting new people in the UK as a newly arrived expat is easy. However, if this is your first experience living ...

  • Internet in The United Kingdom
    Internet in The United Kingdom

    The United Kingdom boasts excellent connectivity, with 66.1 million users and an internet penetration of 97.8%, ...

All of England's guide articles