speech skills

[Unregistered]

My second language is English.Many natives here find speaking English an ordeal beacause of the psychological fear of making grammar mistakes and embarrassing themselves.So, do native English speakers find foreigners making grammar mistakes a funny thing or an indication of not being up to the standard,
also,
I have a British accent which I have acquired by listening to the BBC but I have never been to England.Natives here find this wired, so could anyone tell me whether it is something to be embarressed of or something to be proud of.

Thanks in advance.

[Barb_D]

I would never think someone who was speaking English as a second language and who made a mistake was not "up to standard."

When you hear native speakers saying things like "Where you at?" and "I seen it!" then anything an English learner says will sound like poetry.

I have tremendous respect for people who can communicate in more than one language.

Don't worry about the grammar. People will understand you even when you make a mistake with subject/verb agreement, or with articles, or with prepositions. Your goal is to get your meaning across, and you will.

[apex2000]

And you can be proud of your accent. That demonstrates how well you have applied yourself to learning, and there is absolutely nothing to be embarrassed about.

[greegorush]

Thanks for your understanding!

The thread creator wrote - Many natives here find speaking English an ordeal. Is it wright to say speaking English instead of spoken English?

My speaking/spoken English is not good.

Thanks in advance!

[Tdol]

That has a different meaning:
find speaking English an ordeal = they find speaking difficult

Spoken English would refer to the English used by other people- the English they hear.

[Offroad]

touched with a needle.

[greegorush]

That has a different meaning:
find speaking English an ordeal = they find speaking difficult

Spoken English would refer to the English used by other people- the English they hear.

Can you give any examples please?

[Raymott]

Can you give any examples please?

Spoken English is the product of speaking English.
On an audiotape, you can hear someone speaking English (an action), and/or you can hear spoken English (the product of someone speaking English).

Grated cheese (a thing) is the product of grating cheese (an action).
I like grated cheese, but I don't like grating cheese.

[greegorush]

First of all, thank you!

I'm confused a bit...I do understand what a grated cheese is and what the difference between grating as an action and grated as a product of the action.

But I can't apply this to speaking, spoken.

There are books called Spoken or Written English. Do they refer to improving the result of speaking, writing (such as a good speech or business letter or something like that)?

Can I say - My spoken English is not good? If so, does it mean that the result of my speaking (my spoken English) is bad but my speaking could be quite good? Or spoken English always means grammatical correctness?

When I say - My speaking and writing skills are good - it means that I can speak and write fluently (and grammatically or this is unnecessarily?) but it does not mean my spoken and written will always be correct. Right?

Written English: Books, papers, letters etc.
Spoken English: recorded speech, told story etc.

Thank you very much in advance!

[Raymott]

first of all, thank you!

I'm confused a bit...i do understand what a grated cheese is and what the difference between grating as an action and grated as a product of the action.

But i can't apply this to speaking, spoken.
it's a direct analogy.
if you understand the above, you should understand the difference between speaking english as an action and spoken english as a product of the action.
The same distinction applies to writing english as an action, and written english as the product of that action.
there are books called spoken or written english. Do they refer to improving the result of speaking, writing (such as a good speech or business letter or something like that)?
no, you can't make that inference. As titles, they could just as validly be called speaking english and writing english. The only difference is that one refers to doing something (speaking, writing), and the other refers to what you have once you've done it. It's just a difference in emphasis, and the title should reflect the approach the book takes.

can i say - my spoken english is not good?
yes.

if so, does it mean that the result of my speaking (my spoken english) is bad but my speaking could be quite good? Or spoken english always means grammatical correctness?
if you are bad at speaking english, your spoken english is bad. Spoken english is simply english that is spoken (rather than written, or heard, or read).
If you are bad at grating cheese, you will have badly grated cheese. It's really that simple.

when i say - my speaking and writing skills are good - it means that i can speak and write fluently (and grammatically or this is unnecessarily?)
language skills include proper grammar.
but it does not mean my spoken and written will always be correct. Right?
that's right. You can be fluent without always being correct. No one produces perfect spoken english all the time.

written english: books, papers, letters etc.
spoken english: recorded speech, told story etc.
yes
thank you very much in advance!

r.