I am better at speaking than writing. I agonize over my writing in other languages because I feel I have no style. On the other hand, I’m not afraid to speak-even in the beginning of my studies I will go to a restaurant where the language is spoken and see if I am understood. I’ve done this in Chinese. It’s a lot of fun because they actually understand me. Or perhaps they are good at guessing.
It doesn’t mean my Chinese is good. It isn’t. I count it a success that I was understood and that I wasn’t chased from the premises with a knife and a broom.
I believe that a cat can “mew” in the English-speaking countries, but a cat in my house cries “ニャーン(nya-a-an).” If the standards are set at the average level of the native speakers of the language I am learning, I think I am worse at speaking than writing.
Steve,
Practicing writing in English using “Post and Submit for Correction,” I have got accustomed to writing in English. I think that the function on the forum site is invaluable to me. Thank you for encouraging me in learning activities at LingQ.
Actually we all need to be tested both in speaking and writing to be sure we are good in both the skills.
I may say that I try to talk and write in plain english most of the time just because I am not sure I feel all the nuances.
Supposedly acquiring any style with exception of the plain one takes a lot of time and concentration on one target language ;-))
I think because I am younger, somehow my accent in Russian is very good (so I’m told…) I am much more confident speaking, and have actually been doing it a lot lately.
Probably it does not matter how old are you with the accent
If you are audiogenic then you will have a pleasant accent speaking any language
If russian girl likes you she probably hears your voice as a music, believe me, china
I feel I am much better at writing than speaking. For one thing I am not that confident in speaking at all, so when I am writing I can take my time, choose my words, and avoid the hesitations and silly slips that would occur from being nervous in a speaking situation. Now this would obviously even out if i practiced speaking more, but generally I am more confident in writing.
Neither, hahaha. I guess my writing is better than my speaking but both are bad. I still make some mistakes when I am writing or speaking. I guess I am better at writing because I can think about what I am going to write before really doing it.
@infosim12: I agree with you. We need to be tested in both speaking and writing.
@ kokorodoko: I usually talk with people in other languages, so my weakest language area is writing. Many internet learners are like you, I’ve found. They have the writing skills I’d love to have!
infosim12
Have you ever tried any tutoring service here? Why do you assume that “amateur” tutors have less responsibility than “professional”? By the way, a lot of English tutors here, as I see, used to be (or is now) English teachers. I used to submit writings to a row of English tutors, and all writing reports were thoughtful and very informative.
I’m better at writing. It all comes spontaneously, probably from having read a lot. This might mean that the LingQ method works - enough exposure to the language (can) lead to good skills.
Cakypa
I have obviously failed to deliver you the meaning of my post and thus triggered your defensive reply
And I feel no gilt since I have not claimed lingQ tutors are irresponsible here.
What I said is taking tests implies a kind of responsibility (moral at least)
And that is may be unwanted here (not necessarily)
And I mean every syllable of this!
SanneT
You are right, I may be unaware there, but what I am aware of is now we are asked to help attracting new members here.
And thus any ideas are worth discussing now, yours as well
As to my previous posts, once again, one should take the whole meaning without putting a wowd out of the context
