Intermediate
Speaking about Language Skills
Posted on: 24 Jan, 2010 12:48 AM GMT
One thing I've noticed about all language learners over the years that one of the first phrases they learn, as well as one of the phrases they remember for their entire life is:
I don't speak XYZ (well). OR I speak XYZ poorly.
In my case, it was Ich spreche kein Deutsch or Non parlo bene l'italiano. It's a shame we learn these phrases first, but I've noticed that to be generally the case for just about all the people I've met. Of course, one could write a whole thesis on why people choose a negative rather than a positive response, but I'll let the philosophers do that ...
The fact that you're here reading this post means that you speak and understand English reasonably well! (Yes, it does!) This blog post is going to focus on different ways of explaining in English how well you speak English - or any other language.
The Positive Approach (adjectives)
fluent
excellent
good
perfect
I speak fluent English.
Jane uses perfect English.
Tim's English is fluent.
You could also use the adverb forms of these adjectives:
Tim speaks English fluently.
Mary uses English perfectly.
etc.
The Negative Approach (adjectives)
bad
broken
poor
Andrew's English is poor.
He speaks broken English.
They use bad English pronunciation.
Once again, you could use adverbs instead (with the exception of 'broken'):
I speak English poorly.
She uses English badly.
Different Types of English
It's common to speak about these types of English (or other langauges):
Informal Forms of English
colloquial
idiomatic
non-standard
pidgin
Many learners have problems understanding colloquial English.
Idiomatic English expressions can be very difficult to learn.
People in that state speak non-standard English.
Many cultures have some form of pidgin English.
English Styles
business
spoken
written
academic
Spoken English is often quite different than written English.
Academic English is much more formal than idiomatic English.
Business English is used throughout the world between non-native speakers of English.
What You Do with English
These verbs are often used to express the type of interaction you have with the language:
Knowledge of English - Verbs
know
read
speak
understand
use
be fluent in
I know English very well.
She speaks English every day.
John is fluent in English.
Your Studies - Verbs
learn
study
improve
practice
master
They study English at school.
I try to spend 30 minutes every day learning English.
He's been improving his English these last few months
Common Phrases to Express Linguistic Capacity
a knowledge of
a command of
a mastery of
Tim has a command of French.
Peter has a little knowledge of Russian.
Janice has a complete mastery of Chinese.
Asking for Meaning
These two phrases are important when asking for the meaning of a specific word or a translation into another language:
What's 'XYZ' in ABC?
What does XYZ mean (in ABC)?
What's 'fish' in French?
What does 'arbeiten' mean in English?
Submitted by Jessicadold on 27 Jan, 2010 10:33 PM GMT
Nice thorough post. I am always shocked when people say, in fluent English with proper pronunciation, "I don't speak English." I think, "But you just did!"
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