So Peak

How can you speak to someone in their native language without them dying with laughter?

Any ideas on how to start? They are living in your country but you would like to try to speak to them in their language. It could be the shock/unexpectedness of someone speaking to them in their own language that makes them laugh but it is very discouraging, how do you get over this?

Public Comments

1. Well.. try practicing their language.
2. Sounds like an odd reaction. Perhaps the person you're talking to doesn't have any manners. Either that or they're just very jolly and don't realise they're causing offence. Hard to say without hearing the tone of laughing.
3. Soooooooooooo hard for you to get over that feeling! But...do YOU laugh at English learners, when they speak English to you? Of course not! Most of us are more polite than that. As are the people of your target language. It isn't THEM that is the problem...it's your own fear of making a mistake! But then, how are you EVER going to learn, if you don't make the mistakes!? Just go for it. Begin, if you want to, by apologizing for your inadequacies...and they will surely tell you how well you are doing!
4. I think you just have to not take it too seriously and don't be discouraged. It takes years of practice in any language to speak it like a native, so you are going to sound funny to them fror a long time. Actually if they are laughing, then at least they have recognised that you are trying to speak their language; it's when they just stare at you with a puzzled expression that you know you are way off the mark. Most people will be really pleased that you are making the effort. When they have finished laughing, ask them to teach you how it should be pronounced.
5. its probably your accent i would know... you should practise! can anyone awnser mine plz :) http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index;_ylt=AlmoE1IAprvJ349hDEDjrujsy6IX;_ylv=3?qid=20090510110157AAUS8K1
6. I can assure you that, with the unfortunate exception of us English speakers, it is EXTREMELY unusual for people to make fun of someone making an effort to learn their language.
7. You just have to go for it but be prepared to laugh at yourself if you get it wrong. I've been on two German exchanges and know what you mean. Lots of hand gestures help too but above all you've got to sound confident and believe what you're saying and then they will too. They shouldn't laugh because you're making an effort to understand them better by speaking their language. Just don't do what my friend did which was say "Ich bin kalt" which doesn't mean "I'm cold" it means "I'm fridgid" lol. Good luck, and hope this helped
8. You may well be right in saying it could be the unexpectedness of it, there was a famous philosopher, Bergson I think, who reckoned that laughter was sometimes a defense mechanism that we used in situations we felt we couldn't control (or something like that, it's years since I read the book). Thus when we're embarrassed we often laugh, or to hide our feelings. Maybe they are 50% amused, and 50% touched/embarrassed that you should have made such an effort. Maybe if you learned the phrase : I really want to learn your language, do you mind if I try ? in their language, and start with that, they might be a little more prepared to listen without laughing. Maybe they are indeed very rude, and if that's the case, you might want to find someone else to talk to ;) But in my experience that is very unusual.
9. If you could hear me speaking English you would be already dead, no doubt... First you would laugh and then you would die laughing. I cannot help you with your question, but let me tell you this, don't let that reaction discourage you. ♦