Communication Breakdown of Englishes

Status
Not open for further replies.

colene6

New member
Joined
Sep 6, 2012
Member Type
Student or Learner
Native Language
English
Home Country
Philippines
Current Location
Philippines
English Language is said to be a dialect as it has varieties which are mutually intelligible with one another. But even when there is mutual intelligibility among them, sometimes some linguistic features posit threats to any form of communication breakdown(s).
How would you cope with the communication breakdown if, one day you find yourself in a situation where both Englishes (yours and your interlocutor's) seem not to understand each other?
 

Gillnetter

Key Member
Joined
Jan 16, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
English
Home Country
United States
Current Location
United States
The English language is said to be a dialect as it has varieties which are mutually intelligible with one another. But even when there is mutual intelligibility among them, sometimes some linguistic features posit threats to any form of communication breakdown(s).
How would you cope with the communication breakdown if, one day, you find yourself in a situation where both [STRIKE]Englishes[/STRIKE] forms of English (yours and your interlocutor's) seem not to [STRIKE]understand [/STRIKE] be understood by each other?
This happens quite frequently with me, as I am around people from different countries quite a bit. The way I handle this problem is to start asking what they mean.
 

5jj

Moderator
Staff member
Joined
Oct 14, 2010
Member Type
English Teacher
Native Language
British English
Home Country
Czech Republic
Current Location
Czech Republic
English Language is said to be a dialect
The English language is not said to be a dialect. There are many varieties and dialects of English.
 

charliedeut

VIP Member
Joined
Oct 19, 2009
Member Type
Interested in Language
Native Language
Spanish
Home Country
Spain
Current Location
Spain
English Language is said to be a dialect

At best, it could be said that English was once a dialect - but that would take us back to the time when the Angles and the other tribes first arrived in the Isles. Just as Spanish, for example, was once a dialect of Latin.
 

Tdol

No Longer With Us (RIP)
Staff member
Joined
Nov 13, 2002
Native Language
British English
Home Country
UK
Current Location
Japan
Not all variants and dialects are as mutually intelligible as you suggest.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top