For All Non-Native English Speaker On ISH

[sweggeh]

How long did it take you to learn English?

Did the internet play a big part in accelerating the process of learning English?

How old were you when you became fluent in English?

Can you only type it or can you speak it well too?

[Jasi]

How long did it take you to learn English?

Did the internet play a big part in accelerating the process of learning English?

How old were you when you became fluent in English?

Can you only type it or can you speak it well too?

1) I am still learning it and I guess you never end.

2) Sure it did, even though (being an old-ass dinosaur), it was not still there when I was actually studying the language.

3) I'd say I was already quite fluent when I started university.

4) I use it quite frequently for work as well so I speak it too, but obviously my written English is better since I have more time to think.

[pauk]

1. Still learning, even if your english is immense you can always improve your vocabulary.

2. Yes, but also movies, music, games & friends.

3. Fifteen.

4. I type & speak it well i would say, the dialect is kindof american (do not fancy the british one) i guess. When i type i sound better though, just like Jasi said, you have more time to think, but this is the case with any language i speak to be honest, its probably the case with most people, you just sound more intellectual when you type as you have simply more time to think....

[kurple]

95% of the people i meet on vacation thinks i'm american

but i suck at spelling, in any language

[Jasi]

A lot of people tell me I have a British accent instead, as opposed to "Italian" (the very heavy accent of Italians speaking English is well known ) or "American"; and it is probably true.
However I am not sure where this came from, since I have surely been more exposed to American English rather than British.
Probably it's just because I like it more, so it is natural for me to use those types of sounds.

[9erempiree]

OP has to define English because I think American English is spoken by most as their second language.

It has been universal in that sense.

Most people can't grasp the British version.

[LJJ]

How long did it take you to learn English?

Did the internet play a big part in accelerating the process of learning English?

How old were you when you became fluent in English?

Can you only type it or can you speak it well too?

1. Like Jasi says, you can always reach a higher level. I'd say I was about 16 when I stopped trying to conciously improve my English.

2. Using English every day helps a lot, whether you get that by reading books, watching tv, browsing the internet, chatting, etcetera. I think Dutch children are at a very big advantage learning English because so many tv shows, including many of the children's shows (although this has become less common now) are in English here.

3. It's a gradual process. 15/16? I was comfortable reading English a lot earlier than I was comfortable speaking English.

4. I can speak it very well. A lot of my real life friends and my girlfriend don't speak Dutch, so I speak English daily. Generally need a couple of minutes to really get going and change my tongue. My accent is a bit in between English and American.

[Bandito]

How long did it take you to learn English?
I dont remember. A few yeara I guess.
Did the internet play a big part in accelerating the process of learning English?
I learned a lot by reqding and writing in english forums just like this one.
How old were you when you became fluent in English?
Fluent as in speaking it 22, when I came to the US. Writing I guess when I was 14/15 I guess.
Can you only type it or can you speak it well too?
Type it and speak it.

[dannywpt]

I had lots of English classes through elementary and middle school, but I always got top grades from spending way too much time chatting in computer games.

On top of this, most of the TV series and movies I've ever watched have been in English. In Scandinavia, you can't really avoid obtaining a basic understanding of both reading and writing English unless you (almost literally) live under a rock.

I guess my writing is pretty solid, but my vocabulary could always get some additions. On the other hand, when speaking English, there's a lot "eeeh, uhhh" when looking for the right words. It sounds good when I plan what to say, but spontaneous conversations can get a little awkward

[nightprowler10]

I knew English well enough when I came here to be able to communicate to other immigrants, but I really really struggled with the American accent and delivery. It was as if an American tried talking to a Scot. So I actually learned what I learned by turning on the closed captioning on Simpsons, Seinfeld, and Frasier to read what they said. I rarely ever got any of the jokes but it did wonders for my English. So anyway:

How long did it take you to learn English?

Once I came to the US, probably another couple of years.

Did the internet play a big part in accelerating the process of learning English?

No but TV did. Internet wasn't as easily accessible.

How old were you when you became fluent in English?

Around 17 yo.

Can you only type it or can you speak it well too?

I speak it very well. I'm usually told that I have no accent, but it creeps back in if I'm tired.

[riseagainst]

How long did it take you to learn English?

1-2 years

Did the internet play a big part in accelerating the process of learning English?

no internet in 2000-2001. not widely used in households

How old were you when you became fluent in English?

12

Can you only type it or can you speak it well too?

i can do everything. Don't even have an accent.

[TheMan]

Fvckin' ferners

[ZeN]

How long did it take you to learn English?

Did the internet play a big part in accelerating the process of learning English?

How old were you when you became fluent in English?

Can you only type it or can you speak it well too?

It took me many years to learn English. I was raised in a home were my parents only spoke Spanish. When I started attending school I basically learned it there. However, the stupid school system put me in ESL classes for the first few years. That really slowed the process of learning. They had teachers aids that translate instead of teaching you the English language so you could then just learn on your own. I pretty much learned English watching PBS and Sesame Street. At a certain point I told my parents to tell the school to take me off of ESL and from there on I was able to basically learn English like everyone does in the US. California had an ESL system back then that was stupid. Many of those kids I grew up with now speak Spanglish because they never learned during elementary.

Since I was raised in US by the time I started using the Internet I was already fluent. So that wouldn't apply to me. Same for when I became fluent in speaking around 8-10. However writing it didn't arrive till my late teens really having learning problems and no motivation to learn beyond conversational. I'm old as f*ck so yeah I can speak and type in both English and Spanish.. along with ASL which has its own type of simplified writing.

My situation doesnt entirely apply obviously since I was born and raised in the US. But still had to learn it a bit on my own since I live in California, Mexico.

[Le Shaqtus]

OP has to define English because I think American English is spoken by most as their second language.

It has been universal in that sense.

Most people can't grasp the British version.

British English is hard for dummies to grasp.

Gotta' be educated.

[BurningHammer]

How long did it take you to learn English?

Still learning just like others here.

Did the internet play a big part in accelerating the process of learning English?

Very helpful, but you still need to speak with real person to get really better at the language.

How old were you when you became fluent in English?

When I finally moved to Canada and attended a university.

Can you only type it or can you speak it well too?

Still bad both ways.