My parents have a Chinese grammar accent (grammar bad intended). Meaning they insert Chinese grammar into English grammar.
Their English is good enough that they don't have an accent. However, Chinese sentence structure and translation gets inserted into their speech here and there.
For example, when referring to a person in Chinese, there is no "he" or "she". There is only (literally translated) "they/you". So when my parents learned English, they had to learn the difference between he and she.
It's sometimes frustrating when they mix it up and makes the conversation confusing. But other times, it turns out really funny.
Their English is good enough that they don't have an accent. However, Chinese sentence structure and translation gets inserted into their speech here and there.
For example, when referring to a person in Chinese, there is no "he" or "she". There is only (literally translated) "they/you". So when my parents learned English, they had to learn the difference between he and she.
It's sometimes frustrating when they mix it up and makes the conversation confusing. But other times, it turns out really funny.
However, on my current trip to Japan, it's been painful to hear them attempt Japanese. Also the strangest thing to listen to.
They try to read and pronounce Japanese with English phonetics. Normal for an uninformed speaker. But it's the funniest thing (both funny haha and funny weird) to hear them try speak Anglicized Japanese with the Chinese grammar accent.
They try to read and pronounce Japanese with English phonetics. Normal for an uninformed speaker. But it's the funniest thing (both funny haha and funny weird) to hear them try speak Anglicized Japanese with the Chinese grammar accent.
*waitress hands over the bill
"How do you say thank you to him?"
"Arigato."
*turns to waitress "Ahreegaito"
"How do you say thank you to him?"
"Arigato."
*turns to waitress "Ahreegaito"
*I facepalm
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