Have you ever felt embarrassed because you said something in English that you didn't mean? It's happened to me speaking German many times. Heading out into the sunshine, looking for my sunglasses, I still ask,
"Wo sind meine Sonnenbrillen?" as if I needed a second pair for a quick change. I routinely apologize for other people bumping into me and am confused when they say
"macht nichts." But perhaps the single most embarrassing situation was once flirting with a guy and saying,
"Ich könnte dich ja irgendwann mal ausnehmen." What I'd meant to say was that I'd enjoy taking him out sometime, maybe dancing. I felt like a total fool when I learnt I had told him I could
take him to the cleaners.
This month's magazine features a test that focusses precisely on the mistakes that can get you into trouble when speaking English in a British setting (see Spotlight 04/2008, Misunderstandings: Say what you mean). The good news is that you don't have to worry too much about most of the grammar issues beginners focus on. If you forget the third-person -s, or get mixed up about using the tenses, people will generally still understand you. The real troublemakers are little grammar markers and "false friends" that change the meaning of what you are saying entirely. And since each language uses such markers differently, the mistakes you make based on your native tongue will not be understood by someone who doesn't speak your language.
The situation gets even more complicated if you are speaking with other non-native speakers, who make mistakes based on their own languages. Penny Ur is one of the authors and teachers saying that we are therefore possibly developing what she calls a "World Standard English", a simplified variety that includes a broad vocabulary stripped of cultural references and idioms, with standardized grammar rules and clear pronunciation. So keep building your vocabulary, keep up your English conversation and practise the truly essential bits of grammar: those that help make English the best language for communicating internationally.
Our grammar exercises this week continue our focus on "Say what you mean". We look at some issues you need to watch out for when speaking to other international speakers of English on a holiday abroad. Make sure you don't feel like an April fool: Join us for some troubleshooting.
Anne Hodgson
jmdn. ausnehmen wie eine Weihnachtsgans
gekürzt, vereinfacht um
English für Germans