When I moved to Munich, Germany more than eight years ago, I quickly realized after an outing with my husband's friends and family that I wanted to learn the language. I wanted to answer questions without having a translator, understand jokes as they were told, or just feel comfortable when ordering dinner – normal situations that you take for granted in your own language.
Learning the language did not take place overnight. It took a lot of patience and, at many times, humor. Until I felt comfortable, I spoke English. It also didn't take long to realize just how hard I made it for my listeners. If I wanted to be understood, I saw in their faces that I needed to change how I communicated. That meant cutting out the slang and colloquialisms. Oops, I should have said…stop using slang and colloquialisms.
While many of my encounters with non-native English speakers proved that they had a solid command of the language, many did not. I learned that the ability to communicate with people who speak a limited amount of a language, whether it's English, German, Spanish, French and so on, is actually a skill that can be developed over time with practice. My husband and I are shining examples!
Whether you deal with non-native English speakers often or just on occasion, trust me, the tips from How
to Communicate with a Non Native English Speaker will help you communicate overall more effectively on a daily basis.