• bleistift2
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    2 months ago

    perfect English

    Such a thing does not exist in Germany.

    • TipRing@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Only because of their exacting standards. Even when I lived in Germany in the 90s the only time I had trouble understanding someone speaking English was when our realtor was trying to be racist but didn’t know the English words.

      • bleistift2
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        2 months ago

        The bar was “perfect”, not “understandable” English.

        • TipRing@lemmy.world
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          2 months ago

          See, that is what I mean. Nobody speaks “perfect” English, not even native speakers, because languages are not prescriptive. Their function is to communicate ideas and if you have successfully communicated then you have used language “perfectly”.

          • bleistift2
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            2 months ago

            So you agree “perfect English” doesn’t exist in Germany. What was your point again?