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Patlal
You ask too many questions



Registered: 10/09/10
Posts: 44,797
Loc: Ottawa
Last seen: 9 hours, 56 minutes
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Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone?
#22004423 - 07/27/15 01:00 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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As in Indians, Middle Eastern, African people?
In person I'm fine, but on the phone I can't understand shit. They talk and all I hear are sounds with a random word here and there... It's very annoying. I have a room for rent and I've had 4 calls, all from foreigners with heavy accents. I don't understand shit. I'm sure one of them could have been a great potential tenant, but I can't communicate with them. When they have small questions like "How much is the rent?" or "what's included" I can answer. When they start talking and explaining their situation or ask more complicated questions all I can hear is "bleelbliu bla bah bathroom blolohadda ma, cleaning, blaba blu....
I get that they have accents. I have one to. But at least I worked on it over the years. I'm understandable...
Does that kind of stuff annoy you?
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Edited by Patlal (07/27/15 01:00 PM)
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zappaisgod
horrid asshole


Registered: 02/11/04
Posts: 81,741
Loc: Fractallife's gym
Last seen: 7 years, 7 months
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Patlal]
#22004469 - 07/27/15 01:11 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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I do. I have trouble talking to them on the job as well. I fucking hate it and get very happy when I get to deal with a native English speaker
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SirShroomsAlott
Howdy



Registered: 05/15/14
Posts: 6,945
Loc: United States
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: zappaisgod]
#22004477 - 07/27/15 01:13 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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For some reason I can understand the spanish guy that works with me perfectly if we're in person, over the phone it's like talking to a wall, can't understand a damn thing he says.
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GoldenEye
...



Registered: 05/24/13
Posts: 4,340
Loc: Amsterdam
Last seen: 6 months, 19 days
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: SirShroomsAlott]
#22004485 - 07/27/15 01:16 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Phones are overrated anyway. I hate them. I think about 80% of our communication is non-verbal. Talking over the phone is useless.
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Adden

Registered: 06/04/03
Posts: 39,201
Loc:
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: SirShroomsAlott]
#22004501 - 07/27/15 01:21 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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I can't express my opinion without using racial slurs and stereotypes, and don't want to get banned.
Talking to foreigners is nails on a chalkboard. Learn English, fuck, making everyone else learn Spanish to understand your illegal ass, get the fuck outta here. Don't get me started on the habibs, Creoles, and pacific islanders. Bosnians and shit too, idiocy knows no color.
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Niffla



Registered: 06/09/08
Posts: 46,489
Loc: Texas
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Patlal]
#22004506 - 07/27/15 01:22 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Yes, absolutely. Last job I had, I had to routinely try to get shit done with people from the middle east via phone, and it was brutal. I usually failed miserably at deciphering what it was they just spent 10 minutes trying to tell me.
Obviously I'm not blaming them because their English is/was better than my Arabic (which is zero), but I usually wanted to do the following after talking to them over the phone:
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HAIL OUR NEW OTD KING
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ZePequeno

Registered: 07/26/15
Posts: 108
Last seen: 8 years, 5 months
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Patlal]
#22004510 - 07/27/15 01:25 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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I can't understand much of anything that comes out of outsourced customer service employees.
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zappaisgod
horrid asshole


Registered: 02/11/04
Posts: 81,741
Loc: Fractallife's gym
Last seen: 7 years, 7 months
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: SirShroomsAlott]
#22004518 - 07/27/15 01:28 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
SirShroomsAlott said: For some reason I can understand the spanish guy that works with me perfectly if we're in person, over the phone it's like talking to a wall, can't understand a damn thing he says.
I have the same problem with the Eastern Europeans and the Armenians.
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SirShroomsAlott
Howdy



Registered: 05/15/14
Posts: 6,945
Loc: United States
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: zappaisgod]
#22004532 - 07/27/15 01:32 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Same goes for Polish too, just got rid of that guy thank god because if I had to bare through another 30 second conversation that somehow turns into 20 minutes because he can't pronunciate or find the words he needs to explain shit to me I would of freaked out.
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zappaisgod
horrid asshole


Registered: 02/11/04
Posts: 81,741
Loc: Fractallife's gym
Last seen: 7 years, 7 months
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: SirShroomsAlott]
#22004539 - 07/27/15 01:34 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Not only can't they pronounce common words their vocabulary is shit. They use the wrong words all the time.
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Patlal
You ask too many questions



Registered: 10/09/10
Posts: 44,797
Loc: Ottawa
Last seen: 9 hours, 56 minutes
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: zappaisgod]
#22004561 - 07/27/15 01:39 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Some accets are easy though. A good Russian accecnt, ,French, Italians, German accents are easy to understand, but when it comes to Indian, Asian, Middle Eastern, I just can't understand shit.
And yes, outsourced customer service is the fucking worse. I'll pay that extra dollar on my bill so that the company can keep the customer service on the continent
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Nitrous Monkey
selftitled



Registered: 09/21/12
Posts: 3,150
Loc: USA
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Patlal]
#22004653 - 07/27/15 02:01 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Lol I was having trouble with my phone so I called a number a indian guy was trying to help but I literally said what 3 times and still couldn't understand what he was saying so I hung up
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Malcolm_Xtasy
Oh baby what Is you doin??



Registered: 04/04/12
Posts: 13,851
Loc:
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Nitrous Monkey]
#22004750 - 07/27/15 02:16 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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I had to call Amazon customer service which is outsourced to India I guess. I'm literally saying "excuse me?" every other sentence bc I can't understand a goddamn thing they're saying. At first I thought that my phone volume wasn't turned up high enough, but after making like 7 or 8 different calls I definitely noticed a consistent pattern.
-------------------- I'm stupid, Enlil is smart. I'm ugly, Enlil is beautiful. I'm a loser, Enlil is a winner. Someday, I hope to be like Enlil but secretly know I never will.
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Lophosaurus
suruasohpol


Registered: 08/09/07
Posts: 8,744
Loc: CA
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Malcolm_Xtasy]
#22004883 - 07/27/15 02:38 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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I can never understand workers at Chinese restaurants. After the third time of asking them to repeat I just say ok, then it turns out its not even a yes or no question. Most of the time I have to turn the conversation over to my wife. Is it really that hard to pick up a different accent? They could easily listen to tv or radio and try to impersonate what they hear.
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Lophosaurus
suruasohpol


Registered: 08/09/07
Posts: 8,744
Loc: CA
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Lophosaurus]
#22004897 - 07/27/15 02:39 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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If the world had one language that everyone knew we would never have this problem. I think its crazy that everyone speaks different languages and then we can't even communicate with most of the world.
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nicechrisman
Interdimensional space wizard



Registered: 11/07/03
Posts: 33,241
Last seen: 4 years, 6 months
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Patlal]
#22005152 - 07/27/15 03:35 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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I usually do pretty well. I grew up in one of the world's biggest melting pots, so I'm pretty used to interacting with people from other cultures and languages and stuff.
-------------------- "Cosmic Love is absolutelely ruthless and highly indifferent: it teaches its lessons whether you like/dislike them or not." John C. Lily
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drr

Registered: 05/20/09
Posts: 8,444
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Patlal]
#22007615 - 07/28/15 12:21 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Edited by drr (09/05/20 10:29 PM)
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Crystal G



Registered: 06/05/07
Posts: 19,584
Loc: outer space
Last seen: 8 months, 6 days
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: drr]
#22007621 - 07/28/15 12:24 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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There's a lot of Indonesians and Vietnamese where I work, and those are some really difficult accents to understand. I have to ask "What?" or have them repeat their statements several times a day often. FYI I grew up hearing accents all the time, so normally it's very easy for me to understand thick accent-English.
I noticed though, it's not actually their accent that's difficult to understand, more than it is the improper grammar that they are using. They often use nouns and commanding verbs right next to each other with no additional words interjected in between, so the meaning of their message gets lost in translation. It's not actually their accent that is difficult to hear and understand.
Edited by Crystal G (07/28/15 12:30 AM)
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Crystal G



Registered: 06/05/07
Posts: 19,584
Loc: outer space
Last seen: 8 months, 6 days
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Patlal]
#22007633 - 07/28/15 12:28 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
Patlal said: Some accets are easy though. A good Russian accecnt, ,French, Italians, German accents are easy to understand, but when it comes to Indian, Asian, Middle Eastern, I just can't understand shit.
You're such a typical Canadian for including French in that list.
A moderate French accent is relatively easy to understand, but a truly thick, heavy French accent is IMO the most difficult-to-understand. A heavy French accent speaker who is also drunk is the WORST!
Scaninavian accents like Norwegian or Swedish I always understood pretty well. And German and Belgian accents are pretty easy to understand. But goddamn heavy thick French accents sound like they are talking complete gibberish.
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Crystal G



Registered: 06/05/07
Posts: 19,584
Loc: outer space
Last seen: 8 months, 6 days
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Lophosaurus]
#22007646 - 07/28/15 12:35 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
Lophosaurus said: I can never understand workers at Chinese restaurants. After the third time of asking them to repeat I just say ok, then it turns out its not even a yes or no question. Most of the time I have to turn the conversation over to my wife. Is it really that hard to pick up a different accent? They could easily listen to tv or radio and try to impersonate what they hear.
Guess what, if you learned a different language you would find that almost every native speaker of that language would tell you that you have an American accent (or wherever country you are from).
It doesn't surprise me that Scandinavians are so easy to understand though, considering they learn English from like, grade school…
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Amanita86
OTD Keymaster


Registered: 09/26/12
Posts: 89,464
Loc: hades
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Crystal G]
#22007658 - 07/28/15 12:40 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Holy shit, I read the title of this thread and saw who last posted in it and drew an immediate conclusion of how that last poster was going to respond...
I dont even need to read this shit anymore, I already know.. what a joke. Wake up already..
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Orange clock, pencil "They threw me off the hay truck about noon..."
*Mark 15:34  Gam zeh ya’avor...
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Crystal G



Registered: 06/05/07
Posts: 19,584
Loc: outer space
Last seen: 8 months, 6 days
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Amanita86]
#22007662 - 07/28/15 12:43 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Yes, just like how I can always tell when you are posting under the influence, drunkard…
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Amanita86
OTD Keymaster


Registered: 09/26/12
Posts: 89,464
Loc: hades
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Crystal G]
#22007670 - 07/28/15 12:46 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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You really want to throw the 'who's under the influence' stone?... I'll give you some time to think about that one Crystal..
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Orange clock, pencil "They threw me off the hay truck about noon..."
*Mark 15:34  Gam zeh ya’avor...
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Crystal G



Registered: 06/05/07
Posts: 19,584
Loc: outer space
Last seen: 8 months, 6 days
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Amanita86]
#22007675 - 07/28/15 12:49 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Word for word, and quote:
"How in the fock do you always know when Ive been drinking?"
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Amanita86
OTD Keymaster


Registered: 09/26/12
Posts: 89,464
Loc: hades
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Crystal G]
#22007687 - 07/28/15 12:54 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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You really want me to start quoting you? Again I'll give you a solid minute to think this one through,.
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Orange clock, pencil "They threw me off the hay truck about noon..."
*Mark 15:34  Gam zeh ya’avor...
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Amanita86
OTD Keymaster


Registered: 09/26/12
Posts: 89,464
Loc: hades
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Crystal G]
#22007692 - 07/28/15 12:55 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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....assuming you live long enough to make it to the climax of this conversation. Chances are I'm just wasting my time here.
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Orange clock, pencil "They threw me off the hay truck about noon..."
*Mark 15:34  Gam zeh ya’avor...
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1234go
Ban Lotto Champion


Registered: 07/08/09
Posts: 53,886
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Patlal]
#22007696 - 07/28/15 12:58 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Crystal G



Registered: 06/05/07
Posts: 19,584
Loc: outer space
Last seen: 8 months, 6 days
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: 1234go]
#22007707 - 07/28/15 01:02 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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We're talking about predictability in terms of posting styles and particular mind-frames. Please follow along.
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1234go
Ban Lotto Champion


Registered: 07/08/09
Posts: 53,886
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Crystal G]
#22007709 - 07/28/15 01:03 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Shroomslip
Architekt



Registered: 11/25/12
Posts: 23,651
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Patlal]
#22007714 - 07/28/15 01:04 AM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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I have trouble understanding people on the phone regardless of who they are. Throw a foreigner on the phone and you're going to get a thousand "huhs" and "say that again" from me.
Not really any better in person either. My doctor is a Pakistani dude with a thick as fuck accent. I mean he's one of those people who only have a very basic concept of English down. The grammatical/syntax errors he makes is on par with a 4 or 5 year old. I hate having to go see him, makes me feel like such a shitty person when I can't understand anything he's saying and have to have him repeat everything, usually multiple times over. 
Worse yet is working retail and having to deal with accents, they tend to get a lot stronger when someone is excited (angry). It's kinda hard to calm the situation down when you're having trouble understanding anything they're saying and have to keep asking them to repeat themselves. It only makes them angrier and the situation worse.
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With my face against the floor I can’t see who knocked me out of the way. I don’t want to get back up but I have to so it might as well be today. Nothing appeals to me no one feels like me, I’m too busy being calm to disappear. I’m in no shape to be alone contrary to the shit that you might hear. You can't wake up, this is not a dream. You're part of a machine, you are not a human being With your face all made up, living on a screen. Low on self esteem, so you run on gasoline
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Lophosaurus
suruasohpol


Registered: 08/09/07
Posts: 8,744
Loc: CA
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Re: Does anyone else have trouble talking to foreigners on the phone? [Re: Crystal G]
#22010286 - 07/28/15 03:18 PM (8 years, 6 months ago) |
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Quote:
Crystal G said:
Quote:
Lophosaurus said: I can never understand workers at Chinese restaurants. After the third time of asking them to repeat I just say ok, then it turns out its not even a yes or no question. Most of the time I have to turn the conversation over to my wife. Is it really that hard to pick up a different accent? They could easily listen to tv or radio and try to impersonate what they hear.
Guess what, if you learned a different language you would find that almost every native speaker of that language would tell you that you have an American accent (or wherever country you are from).
It doesn't surprise me that Scandinavians are so easy to understand though, considering they learn English from like, grade school…
If I learned a new language I would sound like an American until I got the basics down. Then I would start listening to their tv/radio shows and mimic the way they speak until I pick it up and can communicate with ease. Especially if I was working at a restaurant in a different country.
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