• bleistift2
    link
    fedilink
    English
    arrow-up
    20
    ·
    4 months ago

    perfect English

    Such a thing does not exist in Germany.

    • TipRing@lemmy.world
      link
      fedilink
      English
      arrow-up
      14
      ·
      4 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
        link
        fedilink
        English
        arrow-up
        8
        ·
        4 months ago

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

        • TipRing@lemmy.world
          link
          fedilink
          English
          arrow-up
          13
          ·
          4 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
            link
            fedilink
            English
            arrow-up
            5
            arrow-down
            2
            ·
            4 months ago

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