#a native english speaker/lived in an english-speaking country for a long time

[avinox]

I have like 300€ saved (no income) that I have to spend wisely on courses and learning and things like that, I believe my parents have decided they won't pay for anything, so I just have a roof under my head and that's about it, it's basically like being on my own except I live with a very toxic family that makes me want to die every day. I want to learn and do more before I can finally ask for a scholarship for my master's, but pretty much everything is over my budget. It's a losing game, I'm stuck, I can't get better, I can't get help, I can't leave.

[writingwithcolor]

Not all Second-Language Speakers are Made Equal.

@waltzshouldbewriting asked:

Hello! I’m writing a story that features a character who’s first language is not English. He’s East African, specifically from Nairobi, Kenya, and is pretty fluent in English but it’s not his primary language, and he grew up speaking Swahili first. I’m struggling to figure out if it’s appropriate or in character to show him forgetting English words or grammar. From what I’ve researched, English is commonly spoken in Nairobi, but it wouldn’t be what was most spoken in his home. For context, this is an action/superhero type story, so he (and other characters) are often getting tired, stressed, and emotional. He also speaks more than two languages, so it makes sense to me that it would be easier to get confused, especially in a language that wasn’t his first. But I’m worried about ending up into stereotypes or tropes. For additional context: I’m monolingual, I’ve tried to learn a second language and it’s hard. A lot of how I’m approaching this comes from my own challenges correctly speaking my own, first and only language.

Diversity in Second-Language English

You seem to have an underlying assumption that second language acquisition happens the same for everyone. 

The way your character speaks English depends on so many unknown factors: 

Where does your story take place? You mention other characters; are they also Kenyan, or are they all from different countries?

Assuming the setting is not Kenya, is English the dominant language of your setting? 

How long has your character lived in Kenya vs. where he is now? 

What are his parents’ occupations? 

What level of schooling did he reach in Nairobi before emigrating? 

What type of school(s) did he go to, public or private? Private is more likely than you think. 

Did his schooling follow the national curriculum structure or a British one? Depends on school type and time period. 

Does he have familiarity with Kenyan English, or only the British English taught in school? 

Is this a contemporary setting with internet and social media?

I bring up this list not with the expectation that you should have had all of this in your ask, but to show you that second language acquisition of English, postcolonial global English acquisition in particular, is complex. 

My wording is also intentional: the way your character speaks English. To me, exploring how his background affects what his English specifically looks like is far more culturally interesting to me than deciding whether it makes him Good or Bad at the language. 

L2 Acquisition and Fluency

But let’s talk about fluency anyway: how expressive the individual is in this language, and adherence to fundamental structural rules of the language.

Fun fact: Japanese is my first language. The language I’m more fluent in today? English. Don’t assume that an ESL individual will be less fluent in English compared to their L1 counterparts on the basis that 1) it’s their second language, or 2) they don’t speak English at home. 

There’s even a word for this—circumstantial bilingualism, where a second language is acquired by necessity due to an individual’s environment. The mechanisms of learning and outcomes are completely different. 

You said you tried learning a second language and it was hard. You cannot compare circumstantial bilingualism to a monolingual speaker’s attempts to electively learn a second language. 

Motivations?

I understand that your motivation for giving this character difficulties with English is your own personal experience. However, there are completely different social factors at play.

The judgments made towards a native speaker forgetting words or using grammar differently are rooted in ableism and classism (that the speaker must be poor, uneducated, or unintelligent). That alone is a hefty subject to cover. And I trust you to be able to cover that!

But on top of that, for a second language speaker, it’s racism and xenophobia, which often lend themselves to their own ableist or classist assumptions (that those of the speaker’s race/ethnicity must be collectively unintelligent, that they are uneducated or low class due to the occupations where they could find work, or conversely that they are snobby and isolationist and can't be bothered to learn a new language). Intersections, intersections.

If you want to explore your experiences in your writing, give a monolingual English speaker in your cast a learning disability or some other difficulty learning language, whatever you most relate with. And sure, multilingual folks can occasionally forget words like anyone else does, or think of a word in one language and take a second to come up with it in the other language. But do not assume that multilinguals, immigrants, or multiethnic individuals inherently struggle with English or with multiple languages just because you do.

~ Rina

[frvnkcastles]

Hello, I hope you are having a great day (English is not my first language, sorry) I've had this idea for a while now... frank x reader where she also doesn't have English as her first language but learned a lot from dating him. They are in a restaurant and she accidentally says the name of the order wrong and the waiter is very rude to her and this makes her very embarrassed and apologizing but Frank defends her and says it's okay... ❤️

THE BEST WORST THING ➵ F. CASTLE

Summary: You’re not a native English speaker and a waitress ridicules you for it, only for Frank to step in.

Warnings: Reader speaks English as a foreign language, hurt/comfort, language, feminine nicknames

Word count: 1.8k

Author’s note: The plot kinda got away from me at the beginning and I ended up giving more backstory than I meant to but I like how it turned out! Anyway, I’m sooooo here for Frank being head over heels for a foreign reader because I also don’t speak English as my first language and I have thought about this so many times before. I think Frank would be so supportive and fascinated and !!!!!! I love him so much. I hope you like this, anon and I’m sorry if you’ve gone through this before! You’re amazing <3

Not being a native speaker in English but living in New York was a great source of stress for you. You felt like you were in the belly of the beast, forced to learn under the circumstances, and you tried very hard to do exactly that. Still, you couldn’t hide your accent and there were situations where a mysterious word confused you or the pronunciation of another would make you nervous. It was a long journey to be on, but for the most part, people were nice about you trying to learn.

Nonetheless, when you met Frank, you were terrified. Even though you didn’t know him that well, only through brief encounters in the hallway that you shared, you had quickly put together him being an all-American kind of guy with a military background serving as proof of his loyalty to the country. And you were… not that. Well, you were trying to be a good citizen, but you couldn’t match his level, and that made you anxious around him.

But you were brought face to face with him, anyway. It was a particularly rainy day, with the sky opening up and releasing a hellish storm just as you were making it home. You were relieved to arrive at the front entrance of the apartment building, but you were soon slapped in the face with the disappointing truth — you had forgotten your keys at home.

Thankfully, you didn’t have to stand in the rain for long.

”Locked out?” his gruff voice startled you out of your thoughts, and flinching as his tall frame loomed over you, you turned to meet Frank. He was sopping wet, hair slicked back and his jacket drenched through, but he seemed more worried about you in your t-shirt and little skirt.

”Uh, yeah. Forgot keys at home”, you stammered out, standing aside as he whipped out his own set and unlocked the door for you. He graciously moved to give you space to walk in, and you snuck inside for shelter from the rain. He followed you, running his hand through his soaked hair before stepping into the elevator, and you did the same.

”Thank you”, you sent a smile his way before turning to stare at the elevator doors and twisting your sleeves uncomfortably. He made you so, so nervous, and he could tell, causing an amused smile to tug on his lips as he watched you avoid eye contact and tap your foot impatiently.

”Where you from, ma’am?” he broke the silence, and instinctively looking over to him, you found him narrowing his eyes at you, like he was trying to decipher an enigma. You felt the same way about him, like he was a complete mystery except for his Marine background, but that had been enough to make you wonder if he was a dangerous man.

You told him where you had moved from, earning a curious nod from him. ”Like the accent. Don’t let this city take it away from you”, he noted, and stunned by the compliment, you didn’t know what to say. You had no time, either, when the elevator doors opened with a ding, and he stepped out.

You went after him, unable to dodge him considering your apartments were across the same hallway, but a small smile was on your lips now. Only when you got to your door, you realized your keys were still inside and Frank couldn’t exactly let you in this time.

He seemed to come to the same conclusion, hesitating at his own doorstep. ”I have the landlord’s number. I, uh, could make some coffee while you wait”, he suggested softly, trying not to seem too menacing. He noticed you debating for a moment, but eventually, you agreed.

”Landlord?” you queried carefully, and chuckling, Frank nodded.

”Yeah, he’ll unlock the door for ya. He ain’t exactly fast, though, so you might get a lil bored sitting in the hallway waitin’ for him”, he explained, and a little embarrassed that you hadn’t put the pieces together, you made a sound.

”Alright. Well, you’re kind. Thank you, Frank”, you spoke, taking a shot in the dark — he had introduced himself once, but you had been so shaky sharing the same space with him that you couldn’t be sure you had memorized it correctly, at all. He didn’t correct you, though, so you took it as a success and stepped into his apartment.

He found a lot of excuses to bump into you after that. He helped you carry groceries inside and he fixed your leaking faucet, and in doing so, he taught you a lot of words you hadn’t had any clue about. He had a very specific way of speaking, you noticed, and you didn’t always understand his phrasing, but he encouraged you to ask. He didn’t do it to confuse you, it was just a habit, and one that you actually enjoyed. He had a nice voice and you liked listening to him even if he was lecturing you about keeping yourself safe in the city. In return, you taught him some words of your own language, and he was eager to understand your background better.

Through late nights teaching each other in your kitchen, you fell for him and he fell for you. Neither of you expected to find something so special in a neighbor, but the spark between you was impossible to deny or ignore, and so, he asked you out on a date, a real one. He was a little old-fashioned that way, wanting to take you to a fancy restaurant and spoil you, even though he had already made an impression on you. But you liked the idea, so you agreed.

On the night of the date, you felt a ball of nerves in your gut. The restaurant was, indeed, fancy, almost too much. You felt like a fish out of water — you were dressed the part, sure, and Frank had praised the way you looked with his eyes constantly scanning you over and over again. But as soon as the menu was put in front of you and you took a look at all the options, your heart sank. You weren’t sure you understood any of the intricate details on every order, and panic slowly reared its head in your chest as you tried to find anything you could actually pronounce.

”What’s this one?” you asked Frank repeatedly, your voice just a hushed whisper to avoid anyone realizing how clueless you were. Frank didn’t mind, though, and he made sure to clarify everything as thoroughly as you needed, his hand holding yours over the table as he described the options for you.

With his help, you found a meal you liked, and when the waitress arrived to take your order, you hyped yourself up to say it out loud. And when you did… it didn’t go so well.

As your misspoken words hung in the air, the waitress’ smile dropped and annoyance dawned on her face. You didn’t even fully realize you had said anything wrong, until she made a point out of it.

”This is America. Shouldn’t you know how to at least speak the language? I have no idea what you just said”, she scoffed, rolling her eyes at you. You blushed furiously and wished the ground would swallow you whole, shrinking in your seat as the shame flooded you.

”I—I’m sorry”, you began, not sure what else to do except apologize for your incompetence, but Frank cut in quickly.

”Don’t apologize, sweetheart. You did good and I know exactly what you meant”, he rasped, giving you an affirming nod before turning to the waitress with a scowl. ”You ain’t gotta be so rude, for Christ’s sake. The lady’s tryin’, can’t you tell? Have some goddamn respect for the effort”, he continued, not bothering to hide his frustration as he glared at the waitress. You smiled faintly, feeling comforted by Frank standing up for you, and it almost made up for the embarrassment itching inside you.

The waitress turned on her heel and left the table, and as soon as she was gone, Frank was reaching for you, a concerned look in his eyes. ”You okay, darlin’?” he asked, all his anger gone — or at least, in hiding. He was gentle with you, and you appreciated it, but it didn’t stop a tear from slipping from the corner of your eye.

”Just a little embarrassed”, you admitted, wiping your eyes and sniffling. You didn’t want to cause a scene, but you suspected the waitress had already done that, and you were too scared to look around you in case you’d find judging stares everywhere.

”Hey, hey, hey. You got nothin’ to be embarrassed ’bout. It’s fuckin’ hard to learn a new language. The fact that you’re doin’ this well is real impressive, sweetheart. Everyone makes mistakes and that waitress is a piece of work for bein’ so hard on ya”, he insisted, trying to catch your gaze but you struggled to look at him.

”I guess. Thank you, Frank”, you sighed, but despite your gratitude, he could tell it bothered you — which meant it still bothered him, too. He thought you were so admirable for trying, and he absolutely adored your accent, and he hated the idea of anyone attempting to put you down for not knowing everything perfectly.

The waitress returned with your plates, and you felt uneasy, but stayed silent. ”Can I get you anything else?” she asked, and without skipping a beat, Frank piped up.

”Yeah. A goddamn apology”, he nodded towards you, and with a defeated nod, the waitress turned to you. She apologized, and you weren’t entirely sure she meant it, but it was something. And what really mattered was that Frank defended you to the end.

When she left once again, Frank squeezed your hand. ”I’m sorry that happened, darlin’. You’re tryin’ hard and I see it. I think you’re doin’ a fantastic job, yeah?” he frowned, and feeling a little better by his encouragement, you gave him a smile.

”Well, I’ve learned a lot from you”, you reminded, making him snort.

”Yeah, bunch o’ swear words, huh?” he smirked, his eyes full of something warm and soft as he looked at you. He got you to giggle, so he considered his job done.

”We can still make this a damn good date, sweetheart. Whaddya say?” he asked, wanting you to walk out of the restaurant with a smile, and you didn’t doubt that you would.

”I trust you, Frank”, you promised, meaning every word.

He was right — it was a great date even, especially when he finally kissed you at the end of it, after having daydreamed about tasting your lips for weeks. And the next day? He went right back to that restaurant and made a complaint to the manager, determined to shield you from any further bad experiences.

[onskepa]

Can we get a sully kids x romanian human reader? She speaks english too but her nationality is romanian. In romanian language you pronounce every single letter.

For example

Biscuit - BISKIT (in english)

Biscuit - BIS + CU + IT (romanian)

And they are so dumbfounded about why she pronounces every letter and why no accent.

Hellooooooooo darling~!! Okie so for this I did had to use a lot of google and romanian youtube videos to understand how it sounds. So, hopefully I am closely to being accurate as I can. Lemme know if this is to your satisfaction! Enjoy!

---------------------

Simplu

When you learn a new language, and can now speak fluently, you would feel pretty damn proud. To speak it so well and hold a conversation with a native speaker feels very rewarding and opens a new path of possibilities. And that is how the sully kids felt when they were learning how to speak english. While basic, each of them had their own level of learning it. Kiri and lo’ak were super quick to pick it up, tuk is still learning while neteyam is getting there. 

However, they are all in the level of holding simple conversations with the science guys. So every time they enter the labs, it's all english and they can't help but flex their vast knowledge of big words. To say, the sully kids were very confident and think they can understand the human language flawlessly. 

 “M-am întors din călătoria mea!”

Simplu, the name that comes along with a young woman who entered the human lab. Everyone welcomed her like an old friend. Apparently she was, often leaving the labs to risk her life for the sake of learning new things. Mostly about pandora wildlife. Often going out to follow herds or follow distinct animal behaviors to understand them better. 

And she was amazing. Introduced herself to the kids. And the sully children were liking her already, with her welcoming aura and contagious smile. They feel comfortable around Simplu, however there is just one problem. 

“Nu veți crede ce am reușit să învăț cu unele dintre animale” 

She speaks a language called “Romanian” 

But when she speaks english 

“Hello children, come along. There is so many things I would like to share with you” 

Her english is oddly clear yet has an interesting speech pattern compared to the other humans. 

“Umm…excuse me?” Kiri nervously touches the shoulder of the young woman. Turning around, Simplu looks up at her “da?”. 

“Da…? Im not da” kiri tells, feeling confused. Simplu shakes her head and waves her hand a bit, “oh I am so sorry, yes? Is there something you would like to say?” simplu tells with such patience. Her smile reaches Kiri, making her smile too. “If it is not so rude to ask but….” 

“Why do you talk so differently?” Tuk asks abruptly. Neteyam and lo’ak had to shush her. Kiri made a little hiss to warn Tuk, but simplu simply shrugged. “Sorry, its just….we have mastered the English language and can talk well like how I am. Yet, when you talk, from the fluent sounds of words, you sound it out. Every single letter, "Kiri explains. 

Putting down a cup simplu was drinking from, her full attention on the children. “Ah, so you are all curious why I sound different?” she asks, all of the kids nodded in unison. Grabbing a little ball of rubber, she begins to play with it. “Well, before Pandora, I lived in a country called Romania, a place on planet earth. Every country there speaks a different language. So, when you speak your native tongue for so long, it takes time to get accustomed to speaking a new language” she explains. 

“Oooohhh….the other science guys!” Tuk concludes. 

“Yes, correct tuk” Simplu praises, as a little reward she hands tuk a little piece of candy to which the child gladly accepts. 

“Yes, so when I speak as I do now, the sounds of the letters tend to be slightly different. I know there are plenty of fluent sounding words, but with my accent, I tend to sound out every letter. When I know I shouldn't but it happens” Simplu explains further. 

“So the language you tend to talk in. Is that your native language?” Neteyam asks. Nodding happily, simplu gives neteyam a little piece of candy too. 

“Indeed, often the names of a language are named after the place it is mostly spoken in. So, since I lived in Romania, my mother tongue is Romanian. Much like you all, you are na’vi, so you speak the na’vi language. Or, the Pandorian language. Though, it is not as unique sounding as calling it that”. 

“So, your language….how do you speak it?” lo’ak asks. Simplu gives him candy. 

“Salut prietene” Simplu says. 

“S-saoot…pree…prrrreeee….” 

The kids were trying their best to copy and learn the Romanian language. But its a lot harder to learn than it seems. 

“S-a-l-u-t p-r-i-e-t-e-n-e” simplu sounds out the word more slowly for the sully kids to catch on. But tuk sighs in frustration, “you make it sound so easy! And without your accent too!” she whines. 

Deciding to take a little break from their lesson, the sully kids huddle around simplu as she hands out more candy. “Well, I speak my language well. It is just like how you speak in yours, you dont hear an accent. Your voice becomes clear as day. It is used to speaking that way” simplu explains. 

“Your language makes the english language look easy” kiri comments. Her siblings agreeing with her. 

“Yes, there are many different types of languages to learn from. Some are easy, and some take a long time to grasp. But, since you have mastered one language, I have no doubts you will master the Romanian language” simplu encourages. 

Though, a little idea popped in kiri’s head. 

“Romania, you said you were from there. Can you tell us what it was like over there?” she asks. 

This sparked a new excitement for simplu. Clapping her hands in glee she replies, “well rațele mele mici, let's start with where it is….” 

Okie so this definitely was a little challenging. I hope I got the Romanian its down. Hope you all enjoyed this one! See ya!

--------

Simplu = Simple

 “M-am întors din călătoria mea!” = I have returned from my travel!

Nu veți crede ce am reușit să învăț cu unele dintre animale. = You will not believe what I managed to learn about with some of the animals.

Salut prietene = hello my friend

rațele mele mici = my little ducks

[ardri-na-bpiteog]

Long post that no one asked for:

Not to like, come to the defense of french people too much, but as someone who has interacted with a lot of them, I think that some of their reputation for rudeness/coldness comes from cultural differences, particularly compared to anglophone countries. There are certain things that French people do that can come across as rude to other people but in their cultural context are fairly normal.

Switching immediately to English when you try to speak French with them:

This is admittedly quite frustrating and can be a bit of a hit to your confidence while speaking French, but honestly most of the time when people do it they're genuinely trying to be helpful. Obviously there are going to be some people who are a bit pretentious about it and just don't want to listen to you "butcher" the language, but usually people are trying to be nice by doing it. Or if they're working and they see you're struggling so they decide to switch to English because they think it will be the most efficient way to communicate. Even if someone is normally willing to help you with the language, if they have other tables to serve or there's a queue behind you, they might assume English will be more efficient.

Correcting your French grammar or pronunciation unprompted:

This can be something that's really annoying and a bit jarring because it can feel a little bit patronizing but honestly it's just something French people do. Usually, again, they see at as constructive because they're helping you correct your mistakes. But admittedly a lot of the time people who aren't French don't see it that way.

It did help me get more used to it when I learned that they do it to other French people too. Correcting grammar is a bit more socially acceptable in France. It's obviously not something everyone does all the time, but it's not reserved for non-native French speakers.

Being generally rude or unhelpful when you approach them:

This is one that I see mentioned a lot and it is often, not always, but often down to one thing:

You didn't say "bonjour".

In France, it is generally considered rude to start an interaction with a stranger without saying bonjour. You say bonjour when you enter a small shop, you say it when you approach an employee, you say it when you walk into a restaurant, and you say it if you walk up to a stranger on the street to ask for directions. If you don't, they will sometimes be rude to you because to them, you were rude first.

A phrase that I think everyone should learn before going to France as a tourist is: "Bonjour, excusez-moi de vous déranger..." (Hello, excuse me for bothering you...). This will typically be seen as more polite than going up to some stranger on the street and asking them a direct question without first saying hello.

You will obviously still occasionally run into assholes, even if you're polite, particularly in Paris. Even other French people don't really like Parisians, it's similar to the reputation that New Yorkers have for abruptness and coldness. But it's important to keep in mind that Paris is an incredibly dense, busy city. People who live there do not exist to help tourists and might be rushing off to work, plans, or trying to get home.

-----

That said, French people are generally less...warm than, say, North Americans, particularly service workers. But that's partly because they're not required to be and there are just different social norms. I've mostly found people to be quite polite and friendly though.

It's also important to remember that when you're in a foreign country, you might be the one the locals perceive as rude. I noted the "bonjour" issue above, but Americans especially are often seen as rude for their...elevated speaking volume. When you're in a tiny restaurant in a 200 year-old building, inches away from the next table, it's seen as a bit impolite to make the entire restaurant hear your conversation.

[a-hobit]

Since Luz and Hunter in your switched AU are born in 1600s colonial America and Luz clearly speaks Spanish in the AU (shown in a comic) and is Latina (specifically Dominican) in show cannon, is there any history stuff you’re adhering especially considering the differences between Spanish and English colonies in location and demographic or are you ✨going rogue?✨ Is Luz an indigenous-Spanish mix like many Latinos are today? How would she have gotten to mainland since a lot of Spanish claim was in the Caribbean or Florida and treatment of indigenous people by Europeans, specifically Spanish and British, was notoriously brutal? Sorry if I’m absolutely overthinking this. This is coming from a history nerd, so I’m just curious how that’s going to work considering the realities of racial divides in colonial settlements during 1600s America and the relatively small number of Spanish people that actually would’ve lived there by then. AGAIN SORRY IF I’M OVERTHINKING IT I’M JUST A NERD FEEL FREE TO JUST BE LIKE “NAH.”

OH btw, I noticed a comment in a comic that implied trans Hunter and just wanted to mention that there’s some super interesting accounts of LGBTQIA+ people from the time period if you’re interested. I know of a fan work about Caleb and Phillip where Caleb is trans that covers that extensively if you want a link.

I LOVE ASKS LIKE THIS ANON!! Because IM overthinking it but at least someone else is too! So there's a lot I can't answer due to spoilers -- and I actually will be explaining a fair bit because I just am so charmed at how we are so on the same wavelength here so if you don't want to not know literally anything even a little bit spoilery about Luz or Hunter before the comic comes out I would ignore this ask! -- but I will go into some of it!

Okay! So I tossed and turned on this exact issue for FUCKING MONTHS. Go rouge or loophole? How historically accurate did I want to go with this concept and how much of that accuracy am I sacrificing for just needing something to be a certain way? Do I want to be as accurate as possible or have a cohesive and interesting story?

The answer is a little bit of both! Im much more of an art history nerd than a straight up history nerd but I have my moments! I love the sociopolitical conundrum having a latina Dominican (ALSO half black! Love that about her but SO hard to write in!) girl in 1600s America because it can be as little or as highly complicated as you can get. I drew a lot of inspiration for a long few months pouring over what groups of people were where and when -- what languages they spoke -- wether the books that I could find could describe a day to day of these people rather than just political conflicts.

Footnote : There are certain Native American groups so fucking overlooked that they don't even have ONE BOOK of comprehensive (non war centered) history that isn't a four year old reading level. I looked for WEEKS. I tried everywhere and was even willing to start to buy reading material but it just doesn't exist? Especially around the original colonies????? HOW!! People around me started telling me I should write a book because of how much I was obsessing over it and trying to find any information but no books can be written on close to NONEXISTENT historical writings! OKAY BACK TO IT--

I looked out for the first sightings of Spanish in the west and where they were headed -- wether or not any Spanish broke away from the group to have children with the Native Americans in the area at the right time -- what the political state was between Britain and Spain -- did they occupy the same or around the same places close enough I could fudge it? Were they friendly toward each other? When were slaves from other countries brought to America? What languages would they have spoken and is there a good translator online? What kind of spanglish can come from Angola, Umbundu and Spanish speakers at the time? Or would it be spanglish with Portuguese because of who was controlling the slave trade at the time?

Tearing out my hair and a hundred more google searches later I decided it wasn't worth the misrepresentation of both languages to try and include either of them mixed together in that way in the whole comic-- just bits and pieces separate for my sanity -- although I WILL get some cultural things in there I promise!

Some things just can not stay historically accurate and one of those things is speech. That was the first thing -- so damn difficult to really pin it down properly in the older dialects so I just had to sadly put that away first. All of the languages written about will be mostly modern versions, English, Spanish, Portuguese, and others but while keeping in mind the time frame.

Next I obsessed about when and where exactly would culture mixing begin and if the people stayed in the same spots! Also unfortunate ( for this AU purpose only! )that most of the Spanish went down and not into the Americas but history will be what it is.

SO

I decided that what I was going to do is make it up a little using a lot of historical context available instead of switching up Luz's race in a serious way to make the accuracy better -- I was going to have things happen MUCH sooner. Like 2 or 3 generations sooner. The Native Americans and Spanish populate together in 1500 ish instead of 1700 or 1800. I GET THIS IS REALLY INACCURATE but it was so fucking impossible to do anything else without getting into things I didn't want to do. The British get there the same time as usual and start the colonies in the 1600s but the Spanish are already moving up into North America and have already spent a lot of time with the Native Americans there at the time. SO that means that Luz is able to have a Native Mexican/ Native American AND Spanish mix at the time of the AU start and be similar to how the population became around now -- my dad inspired this! He's got the same mix himself and I loved that I could pull from that. It's such an interesting genetic tree honestly -- there's a lot of seriously horrible things that happened do not get me wrong -- but the history is amazing.

Luz being half black however feels similarly difficult but it follows the same principles of things with everyone who is not British making things happen much earlier. Africans come to America ( Horrifically and brutally I want to make that very clear) and some in real life of course make their way out of that brutality and hide away from the British and the Spanish...with who? The mixed Natives and Spaniards. Couple of generations later and we have a beautiful mixed pot like the America we see today but hundreds of years early that allows me to keep my afro Latina!! Hunter eventually finds this group that has naturally traveled up into where the british are setting up their first settlements in Virginia and joins them for reasons I can not explain!

THANK YOU for letting me ramble about all this rich history it is incredible.

ALSO I love trans Hunter HC and I do a lot of it myself but in this comic Hunter is cisgender. ( BUT seriously if you wanna hc Hunter as trans in my story I would love it -- trans fem or masc because Hunter is one of the transest coded characters ever) Because both him and Luz are attracted to the same and opposite sex I will still be able to explore certain LGBTQIA+ issues as well!

(DISCLAIMER : Listen I completely understand if this switching around might feel tone deaf to some people but I do not intend to shy away from the brutality of the past or give it a nicer spin -- but this is not a comic focused on the nitty gritty details of the world that Luz and Hunter come from but a focus on the nastiness that comes from later in their lives in Gravesfeild and the witch trials. To have this happen and keep all characters relatively the same I had to do a lot of background but It is worth it to keep these characters with their integrity intact)

[pebblysand]

I have a question, how did you manage writing a long-fic in a different language? I'm not a native English speaker so I get a little self conscious with my english writing

hi anon! aw, thanks for this question. lots of hugs to you ❤️🫂.

i think generally, i'm not necessarily the right person to ask this to. i'm very lucky/privileged that i learnt english at a very young age (i was in international school in primary school), which tremendously helped. i'm not sure i'd be where i am with my english now, had i not learnt it from the age of 8/9 years old.

i started writing when i was 12/13. at the beginning, i wrote in french, but i quickly switched to english around 14/15. i think at the time, my english was good (much better than that of other kids my age) but i wasn't fluent. it was definitely hard(er) to write for me in english, but my main motivation was that my mother did not speak it, so i could write on the family computer without her being able to read what i was writing 😅. a very good reason to make an effort, haha!

obviously, at the time, the quality of what i was writing left a lot to be desired (lol), which was partially because i was so young, but also partially because i still made a lot of grammatical mistakes, etc. you talk about self-consciousness - i think that's so much easier to get over when you're young and fearless, and posting your (relatively) shit fics on the internet - much harder if you're starting out as an adult. i think this is the case for writing overall, but being young and a reckless teenager who doesn't give a fuck, helps so much with the anxiety. as an adult, you question yourself a lot more. so again, that was something i had going for me.

that said, i actually think writing in english did amazing things for my english in general. a little like reading: it extended my vocabulary, made me more familiar with the way english-language fiction was written, with punctuation, etc. in a couple of years, i went from being "good at a foreign language" to being pretty much fluent. this was also because concurrently, i was reading in english a lot, watching a lot of english-language media, etc. i don't think it was just the writing, but it definitely contributed. i'm not exactly sure how quickly my confidence improved, but i do remember that when i was sixteen, my english teacher assigned us to (basically) write fanfiction (i.e. continue a short story we'd read in class as a writing exercise) - she asked for a 1 pager and i gave her 10, which means that by then, i was already confident enough in my writing in english to produce that. i remember she really liked it, and said i wrote well (i suppose, again, for my age), so i think by that age, i was already comfortable enough to draft something good in english.

i think the other turning point was also when i moved to another english-speaking country. i moved to ireland when i was 19 and i think that really boosted my confidence and my english-writing tremendously too. i know this is an awfully privileged thing to say but honestly, the advantages you get from living in an english-speaking country in terms of writing as an ESL speaker are impossible to get another way. the way people speak in tv shows and media in general is actually rather sanitised and stilted. i'm sure even in your language, you probably see that too: the dialogue in films/tv is always more polished than the way real people talk. so based on media alone, it's very hard to write in english and replicate reality. and i think the issue is, even if you have english-speaking friends in your country, chances are you guys speak a sort of "international english" together, which IMO is a dialect in itself (the dialect that i personally speak), but it isn't really the way native people speak.

all of this to say that i am literally littered with various privileges and advantages that make it easier for me to write in english. i learnt it early, i learnt to write in it early and at an age where shame isn't really a concern, and i've been living in english-speaking countries for most of my adult life. all of these factors combined make it easier for me to write in english than it is for most ESL speakers.

having said that, i obviously still struggle sometimes. for example, i cannot choose the right preposition to save my LIFE 🤣. you cannot imagine the number of drafts i have where it's like: "is it look at his feet? look to his feet?" "is it: in Hogwarts? at Hogwarts?" etc. i also struggle with dialect. being in an irish environment but writing british english can be a bit confusing sometimes, and obviously within these countries, there are a lot of internal dialects, and that's not even mentioning the US, Canada, etc.

i think the advice i would still have is probably 1) to acknowledge that you will never be perfect/as good as a native speaker. i know this might sound discouraging at first glance, but actually, i find it quite freeing. because you don't have to be perfect. you don't have to be something you're not. because 2) you have a lot of other things to bring to the table. like, yes, your grammar might not always be perfect and your dialogue might be a bit off, but you also have a whole other culture and language, and vision of the world to bring to your writing. ultimately, that's invaluable too. the grammar and dialect stuff are both things that are super easily fixable by getting a beta if you can. also things like grammarly and other such tools can help tremendously. but your background and the richness of your experiences as someone who speaks multiple languages does massively more than compensate. it's not something you have to be ashamed of, it's something to be celebrated! it's something that will make your writing richer with a different vision of life, a world of metaphors, and a world of characters native english speakers would kill for.

and, also, remember that many accomplished writers (many of the Greats) wrote in their second languages. just off the top of my head: Jack Kerouac, one of the most celebrated american writers of the 20th century, spoke french as a first language, but wrote in english. samuel beckett was irish, but wrote in french. hell, there's a whole wikipedia page full of names here! you are definitely not alone!!

lastly, i think, be proud of yourself! be proud of what you've accomplished so far. celebrate your fics and your wins. you speak and write in two language: how amazing! you're not lacking, you're thriving. like, for my part, i'm insanely proud of having not only finished a 400,000 words fic, i did it in a foreign language! people forget that. i forget that sometimes. i try to remember that it's a fucking FEAT, even if my prepositions are always a bit off, haha! ❤️

and, i'm also linking this here below but myself and @venom0usbarbie recorded a podcast episode a while back about writing in ESL, that might be useful/helpful to you! ❤️

[sonicjustbecause]

In 1991, I and my friends took Sonic for a cat and later for a porcupine.

As you saw from my previous posts (if you read them), my English sucks. That's because not only I'm not a native English speaker. I don't live in a English speaking country. And I learned English by my own, mostly. This at least allows me to read and understand English, and after a while of listening understand half of spoken English (I never watched Sonic prime in my own language, except for few videos on YT).

Being said, in 1991 I was a monolingual child (like everybody around me) and I didn't understand the word 'hedgehog'. I saw this cute animal with triangle ears, a round face, large round eyes and tuxedo fur pattern and I and my friends (two fraternal twins, they were my friends since kindergarden) were confident Sonic was a cat. Short tail? What about the Japanese Bobtail and the Manx?

Calico/tortie and blue

A cat face shares about the same features of Sonic and Shadow's. Tall triangular ears, round face, a short muzzle, large almond-round eyes (If Shadow hadn't his frown, his eyes would be as round as Sonic's).

A hedgehog. Hedgehogs have more apart ears, like those of manuls, triangular faces, small eyes and a long nose. Sonic and Shadow have a long nose, but Amy has a short triangular nose like a cat.

Side view

They have flat faces and round forehead, like my first cat (who lived almost 20 years) and not the long, pointy face of a hedgehog. Shadow is also a tortie, a fur colour found virtually only on female cats, they are often black with red patches and might have a triangular white pacth on their chest, just like Shadow. Male torties are as rare as 1:3000 and most of the time sterile, unless they aren't chimeras (is the opposite of identical twins. Two fertilize eggs fuse togheter and generate a single being).

However their 'hedgehogness' is clearly visible when seen fully...

Long quills but still...

Anthro character usually are made cuter than their real counterparts. Sometimes the desired effect is a character who look soft. Both cartoon/anime human and anthro character tend to be based on cat or babies so they look cuter. It is called 'neoteny'

Now, why we ended to think Sonic was a porcupine, once we learned he wasn't a cat?

Bad translation, just bad translation that persists today:

My english vocaboulary didn't help, since ythe word 'hedgehog was translated with both 'riccio' (hedgehog in Italian) and 'porcospino/istrice'

The only thing porcupines have in common with Sonic and Shadow is the lenght of their quills.

Luckily they got right in Sonic Satam and AoStH (that is partly Italian). Sonic was correctly classified as 'riccio'

Uh, pre-Sonic generations?

[pinewoodpipit]

slàinte, mo ghràdh - Fic Meta

A meta post for my fluff fic, slàinte, mo ghràdh! I'll put the meta thoughts in after a cut, as usual.

-

The Fic's Title

The title, "slàinte, mo ghràdh", is Gaidhlig / Scottish Gaelic for "cheers, my love". I'm not a fluent Gaidhlig speaker but I am learning, and I'm really fond of it as a language. Gaidhlig is really incredibly important to our culture, especially because speaking our native Scottish languages was actually illegal here for a long time as part of an assimilation effort to "civilise" the Highlands. Very few people speak our languages here, now, but we're working hard to try and keep our languages alive. I thought this would be a nice way to include it.

-

Real Places

Lots of the places in this fic are real places in Edinburgh! The museum, of course, is real.

The hotel they stayed in is also real, and I even looked ahead of time to see what their rooms would look like.

The restaurant they went to get the cranachan is the Abbotsford Bar and Restaurant, since I'd read that their cranachan is good and gets recommended by Edinburgh locals. The main street is, of course, real, and the park they went to when it was snowing is The Meadows, the same place where the torch procession started.

The horse statues at the end are The Kelpies, giant horse head statues which light up at night and look incredible in the snow. They're bigger than you might think just from looking at pictures!

-

Foods Mentioned

Most food mentioned in this fic is real.

Rumbledethump is a real cabbage dish here, made with cabbage, potato, swede, and cheese, and you can get it in little pastries sometimes.

Cranachans are a real dessert here, and a very historical one, originally made to celebrate the autumn harvests :) they're great, although usually better when made at home rather than eaten at a restaurant.

Sticky toffee pudding is INCREDIBLE and one of the best things we've got. That sauce could heal any wounds. It's meant to come with hot sauce to drench the cake, and the ice cream melts into it. UGH I could die.

Curry stuffed naan is a real thing you can get at our Christmas markets in Edinburgh - curry is also pretty widely loved in the UK. Tikka Masala was invented here by a Bangladeshi-Scottish man, Ali Ahmed Aslam, back in the 1970s! Phall was also invented in Birmingham. The UK really likes curry.

Cock-a-leekie is a real soup here. It's just chicken and leek soup. Cullen skink is also a real meal here, and it's a thick haddock soup. Seafood and fish is very commonly eaten here, and salmon is especially good in Scotland. We do seafood right.

I disagree fundamentally with "British food sucks" jokes because honestly, I feel like people who say that haven't tried actual British food. British is not synonymous with English; Britain is a collection of several countries which includes England, and just using Scotland as an example, we have some really fantastic foods. It's sad to me to see it get written off when so much of Scottish culture has had to fight tooth and nail just to exist after centuries of assimilation efforts. Wales, Scotland, and Northern Ireland are all countries in our own right and our cultures - and tastes in food - exist independently from England.

-

Hogmanay

New Year is focused on a little more in this fic, and there's a reason for that - generally, New Year is a bigger holiday in Scotland than Christmas, and there's historical context for it. Christmas was actually made illegal here back in the 1600s, and as a result, Hogmanay (or New Year) became a large celebration in its own right. The Scots LOVE Hogmanay, and New Year celebrations in Edinburgh is a festival which lasts several days, including the torch procession (a LOT of our celebrations include fire), ceilidh, live music festivals, drinking pub nights, and fireworks etc.

The ban on Christmas was lifted about seventy years later, but Hogmanay was still a huge celebration, and it's an important part of our lives, now.

-

Clothes

The ugly sweaters mentioned in the fic are real.

The nicer ones are also real, and I really like them! Truly though, they're not warm enough to keep you cosy in the snow. You need a thick coat, winter boots, and probably also a hat/gloves/scarf for that. The cold here is no joke; even though the temperatures don't look that cold, Scotland is so humid and wet that it's really impossible to escape and it burrows deep. I know people who live through -20C Canadian winters with no problem but HATE wintering in Scotland because it's miserable, even if it's not that cold on paper.

-

Other

The reindeer plush is a reference to my freckle fic!

It's him, but reindeer flavoured.

[guess-ill-dye]

Can u tell us more about yourself?

Like not just your name, age and stuff like that

Tell us some random things about you that makes you yourself

Omg I love getting ask tysm anon <333!!!

Ok ammm idk let me seee

Okok

• I am Portuguese and angolan ( and I live in Portugal :] ) anddd my native language is Portuguese, so English is my second language, even tho I think I speak pretty good :>

• I want to be a doctor one day! I am split between obstetrics and psychiatry but I have quite some time, so no biggie

• Cats are my favourite animal! I love them they're so cute and one day I aspire to be the cool aunt with tons of cats and dogs (within the legal limit in my country [yes there is one, does your country have one? I wanna know haha])

• I am very short. For my age I am prettyyyyyy short so yeah. Sadly for me, my friends sometimes make joke about my height, but I find most of them funny too so they're not offensive ig :)

• I LOVE HARRY POTTER, I go to school every day ( I only don't in the summer bcs my parents don't let me ;[ ) with my Gryfindoor scarf, so yeah I love HARRY POTTAH ( also " No need to call me sir, professor." Was THE best burn)

• I have rlly curly hair ( since my mom is African and all that) and it's pretty ik but omg it takes soo much work 😭

• I only got into Tumblr bcs of Pinterest. I saw like dozens of posts from Tumblr and was like "THAT SO FUNNY!" so I migrated here and I love it tysm Tumblr, people like anon make this app so so so great <33333333333

• I am aroace! ( I think, I am still figuring myself out rn)

• I LOVE Taekwondo ( a cool Korean Martial art) and I would like to keep doing it for fun and ho to tournaments and stuff!!! ( rn I am doing tennis butt it's because my mom made me do it :[ )

• My favourite colour is blue! Or green! Idk rlly, I but those are definitely one of them!

• I am very shy irl :/, to the point that when I changed schools it literally took me 3 MONTHS to talk to someone ( funny because now I struggle to be a like fair amount of time with all of my friends/friend groups lol ) instead of reading. Which brings me to the point-

• I LOVE READING and I have always loved it, I read "The little prince" when I was 6, and I rlly have read 100s of book ( maybe idk ) since then, to the point I am struggling to find new good books rn 😭.

• I love studio ghibi movies, and I am sooo excited to see them all AAAA :33

• I am quite smart I think ( am I bragging? I don't mean to haha sorry)

• I apologise. A lot.

• I am rlly gullible 😭 I just trust people to much and sometimes I don't trust them at all???? Idk my brain is weird lol

• I AM WRITING A BOOK!!! I love writing, since I am a pretty imaginative person, and I also write a bit of poetry that I would definitely post here if it was in English, but I can only write decent things in Portuguese :( but if any Portuguese speakers and readers want to see some of my poetry just ask, I am quite proud of some of them :33

• I live drawing to!! I am having a complete block, so I am rlly frustrated 😭 but it'll pass eventually I think :D

I think that is it and WOW is this a long post, imma end it here!

Again TYSM ANON, I love getting this questions, if you wanna know something about me ( not in a creepy way please ) ask! I am an open book!

[dearlexies]

Hey guys, I finished the first chapter of "Party in Ipanema, baby" and to be honest I'm pretty anxious and excited bc it's the first long fic that i post after a long time writing mostly nothing, I will probably post tomorrow (I'm not sure yet)... But I just wanted to explain a few things about this universe. So pls If you've ever been interested in something I've written, I want you to read this.

First, this Fanfic will take place in Brazil. Originally the plan was to write in Portuguese, and post during the Interlagos GP week but I had some problems that prevented me from posting so, here we are, I had to translate from Portuguese to English all the first chapter. I changed expressions and jokes that would only make sense in my native language so that you English speakers could understand, but I didn't change the setting because that's important for the story and for me. I also changed the nationality of some divers making them Brazilians (like lewis who has citizenship) or gave them some context for living here (like Yuki, I used the fact that he is Japanese and Brazil has the largest Japanese population outside of Japan to make him the son of immigrants.)

I'll try to explain these things better during the story, and develop them better there.

The point is, with this fanfic I want to try to have fun writing in a context that is familiar to me. I grew up here, I speak the language, and I understand the situation we are living in at the moment. I also kind of want to make people see my country as something beyond the stereotypes of crime, poverty, theft etc.

I hope you enjoy it, it was really fun writing the first chapter.

PS: The Lewis and Max Halloween one-shot it's almost ready I decided at the last minute to give a plot instead of just smut, I'm also at the end of the one shot brocedes so maybe I'll post it this month?

[engin-program]

👨‍💼 Meet Oleksandr Afanasiev, a young leader and professional aiming to change the world for the better.

🌐🤝 Oleksandr is an experienced individual in the fields of youth politics and international relations. He was a legal adviser to a Ukrainian political party, dealing with legislation and regulatory documents. For a long period of time, he was responsible for external affairs in a Ukrainian youth political organization and served as a delegate to one of the largest European youth political organizations – the Youth of the European People’s Party (YEPP). Recently, Oleksandr was elected to the Board of YEPP as the only Ukrainian representative and now holds the position of Vice President.

🎓 Furthermore, he has a very strong educational background. Oleksandr has completed two degrees: a Master of Law from Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv and a Master of Public Policy and Administration from Kyiv School of Economics. He has successfully completed two certificate programs from Ukrainian Catholic University in European Studies and American Politics. Oleksandr has participated in numerous educational programs in Ukraine and abroad, including being a scholar at the European Forum Alpbach.

💫💪 Despite having a good level of English, Oleksandr is willing to constantly improve it. Therefore, he believes that ENGin is a great opportunity to advance his speaking skills by practicing the language with native speakers. Oleksandr believes that participating in the program is a great opportunity to tell people abroad about the horrible tragedy unfolding in Ukraine. He is convinced that it is the duty of every Ukrainian to convey accurate messages and narratives about what is happening in their country, what they are fighting for, and why it’s also important for people who live far away.

🌎✨ Ready to make a difference? We invite you to join ENGin as a volunteer and become a buddy for individuals like Oleksandr, who aspire to create positive changes in the world. 🌟

[dystopian-penguin]

thoughts on culture and social media that english-speakers might wanna read

THIS IS NOT A GUILT-TRIPPING POST IN ANY WAY, SHAPE, OR FORM. i am merely sharing a point of view for the sake of exchange, i promise! 😁😉

americans and even first world english speakers have absolutely no idea how it feels to be fully bilingual and engage in international social media

from time to time you will find yourself in an (actually somewhat serious) identity and cultural crisis that will legitimately start to affect your mental health without you even noticing. it creeps up on you and you dont realize just how uttely lost you truly are until something happens and you spend some hours heavily engaging into your own culture and language and then it just clicks. suddenly you feel lighter, your mind more at peace. and it sometimes it can go on for months, even years, without you realizing where that disconfort is coming from. feels like there is a mist surrounding you very soul but you have the hardest fucking time putting your finger on it.

now to the part it might anger some (arguably immature) people from tumblr:

i had some serious body dysmorphia (had surgery since then, thank god), and i consider myself somewhat NB. as in, some days i feel like the girliest diamond-simping disney-like princess and the others i am the grimmiest most charmingly roughish of victorian era urchins. most days are close to a middle ground, of course

im only sharing this tidbit to really drive home the point i am trying to make: feeling far removed and disconnected from your culture can be psychologically compared to being forced to present your body/gender in a way that makes you unconfortable for prolongued periods of time

in this post i will try to pinpoint and explain the actual core of the issue, where (i believe, from an university level of understanding of the subject) everything stems from.

again, i am not making this post to guilty trip anyone, for the love of god. to the contrary, i wish social media was still dominated by my culture (long live Orkut lol). it is comfortable. there is nothing wrong with being in your confort zone (with some small moderation), no matter what tumblr tries to tell you. the human race has been struggling for 30k+ years to improve comfort. hell, id love to have that privilege of cultural prevalence in social media, aint gonna be hypocritical about it

i just wish native english speakers, in special those from the USA, kept in mind our way of speaking, our sentence conatruction, even the choice of slang translation we use. none of that is truly 100% "unpoluted". a lot of times we are trying our hardest to get to a close aproximation of our native language "personality".

tumblr and especially twitter could be a little more patient with it. its is damn fucking hard to master the flick of the switch to another language, let alone needing to change your whole manner of speaking because someone, somewhere, think you might be offending someone else, somewhere else

english speakers are fortunate that their native language became the world's Lingua Franca in a way that was natural. not "forced" like french way back when, or mandarin most recently. english flows. english is easy. i freaking love english my dudes, i literally majored in english translation. but when you dont have the need to learn a second language, it becomes, THROUGH NO FAULT OF YOUR OWN, natural to assume some text on the internet is being written under the same cultural and socio-econonical optics as you were raised in. ESL has become so commonplace, even more so for the last 5~10 years, that its nearly impossible to tell what country that person might actually be from.

and therein lies the problem: assumption. different people do things in different ways. there are some that are better and healtier than others (including from, yes, "third world" countries) there are some that are boarding inhumane (including from, yes, "first world" countries). but the massive majority? its simply different. if it works for you and your family and your peers, then it works. simple as that.

but on social media you only have text. how many feuds have been sparked because of the lack of intonation in text? everyone and theirs grandma's parrot has a story of miscommunication when texting. but when you add in manner of speech and cultural traits to it, it becomes a complicated issue

and then we ESL speakers overcorrect. even subconsciously, we start to shape ourselves to the native-english culture (mostly american, for the obvious reason called "sheer numbers"). but its not our actual culture. dont get me wrong, the more you can incorporate different points of view in your life the better. fuck, god knows how badly we need this in the world right now. nothing wrong with implementing it in your daily life and even your own "personal culture" and ways. hell, just see my spotify to understand how much i love punk rock, an initially political/cultural movement that doesnt even apply to my history 😂

but as i said, we are somewhat forced to overcorrect. and THAT causes more anxiety and anguish than people can possibly imagine. youre ESL reading this and think its not that bad, it cant possibly affect you that much?

allow me to demonstrate:

i cannot possibly expect an american (you will understand why i singled you out in a sec) to understand why is it that brazilians bore no ill will towards germany after the 7x1 or why is it that this last world cup in specificthe fault was actually on the coach and what were his strategy errors, or why the fault was on the players in 2014, or even WHY the players bevahed so, etc etc etc etc. soccer football simply isnt your culture. i only know of Tom Brady's existence cause of Gisele. Michael Jordan? 98% Space Jam, 2% the Air Jordan murders way back when. I have only a vague idea who Babe Ruth is, and keeping score in baseball sounds legit worse than quantum physics.

i cant expect you to answer the diference between bossa nova and samba, samba and axé, axé and pagode, pagode and samba, samba and tropicalia, tropicalia and bossa nova. and which group of people founded what, and why, and if it was for protest what they were protesting against. i cant expect you to know why the first election against bolsonaro in 2028 was worse than sophie's choice for the massive majority of us. and why the second in 2022 was another matter entirely. i cant expect you to know what the word "caiçara" means (or even that it exists!) and howcome its a different ethnicity than the ones simply 70km away, and a whole other ethnicity with the same word if used in another state

then why do all of us ESL people need to fully and nearly college-level understand the insane intricacies of american politics? why am i expected to view the mere fucking concept of police as evil incarnated, through the eyes of a country that has basically zero training of their force? why do i need to think and behave according to an apartheid-influenced race theory in my daily life, in my own country, when im not even from those ethinicities? why do i need to see gender pay gap and patriachism the exact same way, if the foundation of families (and labor law, lol) in my culture is nearly the opposite?

i belive, like, 90% of the people reading this by now will have clicked on what im getting at.

because for good or for worse, english is here to stay. no, chinese wont take over as Lingua Franca, not even in the bussiness world, and i could quite literally write a monography on the subject as to why. no, like, i actually can, i have an university degree in it. so yes international media is in english. that boat has sailed, that horse has been shot Inês agora é morta

ESL speakers obviously know that. we had to adapt to it.

but how much before "adapting" becomes "submissive"? well, i dont know the precise answer but id wage around 6~7 bus stops ago

so all i ask if that native english speakers consider that as well. we adapted, so can you. we are speaking your language, yes. we are engaging in your culture as well along with it.

but its almost 2023. isnt it time to realize that the culture of speaking english might not be only yours anymore? 😉😝

we try to stay away from everything that is widly known as offensive, obviously. most people know where The Line TM stands for most english speaking cultures. i hardly see a quid pro quo in this, but as i stated before, i dont expect people from other cultures to understand the intricacies of mine. everyone is subject to commiting a faux pas, everyone here is human ffs.

the issue is that i see native english speakers being actively but gently corrected on an honest mistake, aaaaaand then doubling down on it under the argument "this is english speaking media". or worse, an ESL person also commiting an honest mistake but then being canceled for all eternity because it didnt fit the english cultural optics.

social media is for all. english now is, like it or not, for all. we ESL folks dont mean to offend. and more: lot of faux pas are not even offensive to us at all in translation. and theres some english expressions that sound wrong to our ears but we let it slide

i think its high time we all come together to a middle ground yes? we are willing to learn, we have been for quiiiiiite a while. but maybe, juuuust maybe, not every different way of speaking in english and point of view should be considered "problematic" if it comes from a diferent cultural optic, hmmmm?

as for the culture-privation anguish i started this with? well, if you spend so much time trying to pretend to change your very principles for the sake of not being unjustly attacked by internet strangers, it will no doubt cause anxiety (to put it fucking mildly).

do a "going back home" session. take an afternoon to actively engage in music and media from your country. no social media involved. im willing to bet with the craziness thats our world, whatever language you speak shit is utterly chaos there as well. meditate on the messages of the lyrics and the plots of the series/movies/books and everything else in it. no need to go on a full monastery-like deep dive, or even to do it super frequently. it aint court-mandated therapy, relax.

but you may have gotten much more lost on that path away from your roots than you first realized. and stopping to find your way back, even if for a couple of hours, will do your mental health so much good.

as for the english speakers, just try to keep in mind the point of view i have exposed 😉

no need to agree, no need to change. hell, truthfully no need to even keep in mind if you dont want to, i suppose. but not everyone shares you issues, strenghts, and optics. not everyone has the same life story, or even history.

and remember: at the end of the day we are all the same species, sharing the same planet. we have more in common than you think 😉

[oliviab-scstudyabroad]

Welcome to English Camp! (Part I)

Hey guys! I apologize again for another late post; I’ve been extremely busy as usual! School has been taking up most of my time, as ORT is known for their course grades being heavily weighted on midterms and group projects. I haven’t had a single homework assignment here, but I do have tons of Zoom Meetings and study sessions with classmates. Last week, I had a parcial (miderm) for my Business Law class, and I got an 83%! I was proud of myself because not only is the class taught in Spanish, but it also discusses business law specifically in Uruguay. I also had a parcial for Uruguayan Economy and Society, and fingers crossed that that went well also! Although studying was tedious for that course, I enjoyed doing research and reading articles because it gives context for a lot of the conversations that my classmates have here. This weekend, I’m heading to Buenos Aires to blow off some steam and explore more of such a lively city.

A few weeks ago, I worked as a camp counselor for an English camp! I got the job because the academic coordinator at ORT forwarded an email from the academic coordinator of Escuela Integral, an elementary school that is affiliated with ORT because they’re both Jewish! At Escuela, the students are taught English and Hebrew, and Escuela is one of the only Jewish elementary schools left in the country. After an interview with the head camp counselor, I was hired! The camp lasted for three days, Wednesday to Friday, and it was in Atlántida, about an hour from Montevideo. At 8:00 a.m. on Wednesday, I arrived at Escuela with my things and met the other camp counselors. Two of them were Uruguayan, and one was American (from Boston). I also met the kids; they were fifth graders (10 years old), and they were already bouncing off the walls before we left, so I knew I was in for a long ride. We then boarded the bus and headed to Camp Floresta!

The site was your typical summer camp site. It was complete with a cabin with bunk beds, a bonfire area, and a soccer field. We got a tour of the site and the counselors explained the rules of the camp. The main rule was to only speak English. We then did several ice breaker challenges, including “Line Up”, where the students had to (in English) put themselves in order based on their birthday and name. It was pretty adorable because when they asked me for help, they would speak to me in Spanglish. For example, when I asked one kid what his birthday was, he said “eleven of Julio” (July 11th). Although their English was questionable, I was still impressed that we could carry little conversations and that they weren’t timid about speaking to a native speaker. They also played “Try to Stand Up” where they had to form pairs, intertwine their arms, and try to stand up together, and “Human Bingo”, where they had to get signatures from their classmates if they had done that activity on the Bingo Sheet. For example, if a student had gone on a plane before, they signed their name in that square.

After the icebreaker activities, we had lunch. I was asked to sit with the students so that they could practice their English, and it was hilarious to hear the types of conversations that 10-year-olds have. One kid named Jeronimo (love that name) told me that he has an 18-year-old girlfriend named Flavia. He had this mischievous grin on his face, and the girl next to me (Lisette) said that he met her across the street. I then realized that he was the one waving at people walking by the camp and asking them what their names were! Flavia must live in the neighborhood hahah. Most of them only spoke to me in Spanish in the beginning. A lot of them thought I was Uruguayan, and although that’s a big compliment to me, I assured them that I wasn’t and that I “only knew English”.

After lunch, the class was divided up into four groups, and each was assigned a color (green, yellow, red, and orange). The counselors then explained that throughout the camp, the students would receive tokens for things that they had done well, such as cleaning up after lunch or speaking in English. The team who had the most coins at the end of the camp would receive a prize! Each team then had to create a team flag and make up a song and dance to present to the class. I was in charge of helping the green group. I suggested that they come up with their team’s name first and then base their song around the name. At first, they wanted to be called the “Green Group”, but I told them to come up with something more creative. They decided to be called the Grinches! I helped them draw a crown on their flag with lightning bolts, and they made up the choreography and lyrics. I tried not to laugh when they were coming up with the lyrics. They went something like this:

We are the Grinch, Grinch, Grinch

The best of teams, teams, teams

We are a group, group, group

The best of group, group, group

We are Grinch!

The Grinches then performed in front of the class. I had to take a video because they were so into it and serious about making sure everything was perfect. After, the kids had free time, so I helped them with getting on and off the zipline! We then had tea as a group, and then there was another activity. Each group had to sit together, and the counselors would ask them trivia questions. Some of them were “name five countries in Asia”, “who is the president of Chile”, and “what is the capital of France”. The kids were out of control at this point. I think they were antsy after having free time and exhausted from getting up early to board the bus, but the trivia game that should’ve lasted 30 minutes ended up lasting two hours. It made me have a deeper appreciation for teachers, because I certainly don’t have the patience to deal with rowdy kids for that long. After finally finishing the game (the winner got a few tokens), we had a dinner of milanesa and French fries (a typical Uruguayan meal).

While the students were finishing up dinner, I helped the other counselors to put up a disco ball, hang up neon lights, and create a playlist with English songs for a Neon Party! Each student received a “VIP” ticket to admission for the party, and once they entered the dance floor, we encouraged them to dance with their friends and sing the English songs (“Dynamite, “Tik Tok”, “Party Rock Anthem”, basically the hits from the early 2000’s). I also did face paint on some of the kids, and they loved that the colors were neon! A lot of the students were beat after a packed day, so we went to bed as soon as the music cut out and the lights turned off.

That concludes my first day at the camp; stay tuned for Part II!

[sunfloweraupairagency]

The Pros and Cons of Being an Au Pair in London

An au pair is a young person, usually between the ages of 18 and 30, who lives with a host family in a foreign country and helps with childcare and other household duties in exchange for room, board, and a small allowance. Being an au pair in London can be a unique and rewarding experience, but it also has its challenges. In this article, we'll explore the pros and cons of being an au pair in London to help you decide if it's the right choice for you.

Pros of Being an Au Pair in London

Immersion in a New Culture

One of the biggest benefits of being an au pair in London is the opportunity to immerse yourself in a new culture. You'll have the chance to learn about the customs, traditions, and way of life in one of the most diverse and exciting cities in the world.

Improve Your Language Skills

Another benefit of being an au pair in London is the opportunity to improve your English language skills. Whether you're a native speaker or not, living and working in an English-speaking environment will help you to become more fluent and confident in your language abilities.

Save Money

Being an au pair in London can be a great way to save money. With room and board provided, you won't have to worry about paying rent or buying groceries. Plus, you'll get a small allowance each week that can be used for transportation, entertainment, and other expenses.

Make New Friends

As an au pair in London, you'll have the opportunity to meet and make friends with people from all over the world. You'll likely be placed with a host family who will introduce you to their friends and family, and you'll have the opportunity to meet other au pairs through social events and meetups.

Flexible Schedule

Being an au pair in London typically allows for a flexible schedule. You will have time to pursue your own interests, such as studying or traveling during your free time.

Career opportunity

Being an au pair in London can open up opportunities for your future career. You will gain experience working with children, as well as learn valuable skills like time management and communication.

Cons of Being an Au Pair in London

Homesickness

One of the biggest challenges of being an au pair in London is homesickness. Living in a foreign country, away from your family and friends, can be emotionally difficult and isolating.

Cultural differences

Living with a host family can be challenging due to cultural differences. You may find that their parenting style, household rules, and expectations are different from what you're used to.

Responsibility

As an au pair, you will be responsible for taking care of children, which can be challenging, especially if you have little or no experience with childcare.

Limited Privacy

Living with a host family can mean limited privacy. You'll be sharing a living space with them, and you may not have your own room.

Financial constraints

The allowance you receive as an au pair may not be enough to cover all your expenses, especially if you want to travel or explore London.

Long working hours

As an au pair, you may be required to work long hours. 

These all are the pros and cons of an being an Au Pair.

[moki-dokie]

it will never, NEVER click with me how anyone can just be so fucking rude and weird about a foreigner not speaking your own language - but most especially english.

like. seriously. english is hard enough to learn for english speakers - and that's just the base rules of how to use the language. is there another language on earth right now with as many unique accents and dialects, some so extreme it barely even sounds like english anymore??? (china maybe?? that's about the only other language i consistently hear about having as many wildly diverse accents) english is not just english. there is NO standard english anymore, we've grown leaps and obunds beyond that. even the most common and basic rules of grammar may not fully apply depending on the flavor of english. there's like, what, 14 or something major dialects in the us and each of them have much more specific sub-dialects based around whatever major city is in the reigon. i don't know how many canada has but i've heard at least 3 unique dialects from them. don't get me started on uk dialects - those change drastically every fucking 5 miles. again idk how many australia has but i've absolutely heard a few variations. south africa, new zealand, most of the carribean - there are so so so so sooooooo many crazy unique and specific dialects that all come with their own specific rules of grammar and vocabulary. just think for a moment, as a native english speaker, when you last heard another native english speaker from somewhere else say something you've never heard of in your life and couldn't understand. now think about how much more impossible it'd be to grasp when you don't even speak the language to begin with. i struggle tremendously with understanding thick and heavy rural scottish. creole and cajun dialects don't even register as english to me despite living in very close proximity. the cadance of south african english is just different enough from other versions of english that it can sometimes take me a few minutes to sort of re-align my understanding and follow along. how does any native english speaker justify being so rude and cruel to those struggling to speak it??? it's fucking insanity.

but then for some people to have the fucking audacity to go into another country - a non-english country - and get upset?? there's gotta be some sort of psychological issue other than entitled white supremecy going on. there just has to be. no sane and sound person should ever believe that's acceptable RIGHT??? (i say this knowing full well that many, too many, americans specifically do in fact think this way but still. it is utterly baffling as an american. i don't understand i just don't.)

it's utterly delightful to me when people can even speak a few words of english in the right context. back when i was in medical we worked with a LOT of saudi exchange students who were taught like a grand total of 20 words before coming here. they could understand most of it fine, but speaking it was another thing. and every single time it was just so FUN and silly trying to go back and forth figuring out how to communicate a certain question or answer. i loved those that spoke enough english who could then teach me a word or two in arabic. i loved seeing the delight on their face when i'd say it right and i hope they felt the same way when they got english words right. i used to have a little old japanese lady patient. she was fluent in english, lived here in the us since she was like 20 something, but her accent was still thick and me being the old weaboo i am put my many many years of learning japanese pronunciation to the test one day when i called her back and this tiny old woman lit up like she was a young girl again. giddy as all fuck. she was just shocked and amazed how close i got to the proper way of saying her name. like, how long has she gone without hearing it said right, you know?? and i asked her to tell me how to say it right. we exchanged a few words back and forth. we laughed about how i learned most of it through anime and pocket dictionaries. she didn't even know japan had such a huge impact on us like that. seriously had never seen someone light up like that.

idk man i think it's one of the coolest human experiences to share languages and anyone who can't appreciate that is just soulless. plain and simple. learning to communicate with your fellow human is such a deep and satisfying connection. something we've been doing since the dawn of spoken language. it's fucking amazing. i will always always always adore it and respect it when anyone learns to speak any amount of english.