English is my second language and i’m currently a uni student in london. I sometimes get the grammer wrong and i don’t know all the fancy words but i’m trying not to overthink about my not so perfect english and just say what’s on my mind and I usually don’t have trouble communicating with people. And thankfully, i have made some very nice friends that make me laugh. However, as i bond more with friends i’m having a bit of a hard time cracking jokes especially when it’s about the western culture. I want to make them laugh just like they make me laugh and I wish i could and i sometimes feel a bit left out when people in the room are genuinely laughing and i’m the only one who don’t get the joke. Also i’m realizing that the british and americans are so different as i have some american friends. I know it’s hard to speak like a native but i want to get along with people just like the others. Are there any realistic advices? I would really appriciate
1 comment
Consume the media of that region. Don’t be afraid to ask for explanations on words. Like, chips mean 2 different things in america and britain.
They know you are not a native, so they shouldn’t be offended if you ask for elaboration on the jokes you don’t understand. And some people would actually enjoy explaining the cultural stuff to you. And you explaining how that thig is seen in your culture could be a bonding activity that expands the worldview.
It seems that it is more of a cultural barrier.