HOW important is it that one should be able to speak English if living in England?

Being the bi-lingual type, the issue of speaking English has never really crossed my mind that much.

In years gone by I have never really bothered if someone could not speak English because I could converse quite fluently with them in several other lingos.

But what happens when you come across someone who can’t speak any of your favoured languages?

Should one feel aggrieved that this person cannot speak English?

Should you feel annoyed that you can’t get your point across how you would want to?

After all, my own mother couldn’t speak much English and she had no problem ordering food at the shops, raising kids, and getting on with the neighbours.

And this was way back in the sixties.

Funnily enough, I have also met people who were born here and I still can’t understand anything they say.

Well, in my case it was quite strange for the first few seconds before the personality kicked in and I managed to sign language what I wanted to say.

And I sense there are a fair few people who would act the same way. I actually saw it as a challenge to see how effectively I could get my message across.

Maybe there is an inherent need in most of us to be as polite as possible, and for as long as possible.

I know I’ve seen the same thing in other countries.

We love to express ourselves by using the simplest of words and find different ways to do it.

There is nothing finer than witnessing the moment when you hear an English-speaking person change his, or her, accent in the hope it makes them sound more local.

I have heard comments over the years, such as ‘Why doesn’t everyone speak English?’ to which I normally reply ‘You wouldn’t speak to them even if they did, so does it make any difference?’ While it can be frustrating coming across someone who can’t speak English, I think it doesn’t really make any difference.

Hey, he, or she, should speak the lingo, but does it honestly matter as long as you say it politely?

So, I guess as long as you make an effort then that is fine by me.