a little English is spoken

[Itasan]

Are these sentences correct and natural?
1. A little English is spoken in Japan.
2. A little English is spoken in this case.
Thank you.

[2006]

#1 is a good sentence, but I don't know what #2 means.

[Itasan]

Thank you very much, 2006.

[Tdol]

You could say 'little English is spoken in Japan' if you thought the langugae level was inadequate.

[Itasan]

Thank you, Tdol.
1. Little English is spoken in Japan.
= People in Japan don't speak English well.
They are not good at speaking English?
2. A little English is spoken in Japan.
= People in Japan don't speak English frequently.
They usually speak Japanese?

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by Itasan

Thank you, Tdol.
1. Little English is spoken in Japan.
= People in Japan don't speak English well.
They are not good at speaking English?

"Little English is spoken in Japan" means to me that not much English is spoken in Japan. (Whether that is true or not is irrelevant here.)

Originally Posted by Itasan

2. A little English is spoken in Japan.
= People in Japan don't speak English frequently.
They usually speak Japanese?

"A little English is spoken in Japan" means to me that some English is spoken in Japan, but English isn't used very often.

To say "They are not good at speaking English" say "Their English is inadequate (or some variation of that). (Of course, the terms we are using here are relative. What is not enough for one person might be too much to another.)

~R

[Itasan]

Thank you very much, RonBee.
How about these?
1-1. I speak little English.
1-2. I speak English little.
2-1. I speak a little English.
2-2. I speak English a little.

[RonBee]

Originally Posted by Itasan

Thank you very much, RonBee.
How about these?
1-1. I speak little English.
1-2. I speak English little.
2-1. I speak a little English.
2-2. I speak English a little.

The second one is the only one that doesn't work.

~R

[Itasan]

Thank you, RonBee.