Portraying a foreigner speaking English
annoyingly features at least one use of "er, how do you say...". Why? Do non-English speaking individuals actually say that in the middle of the sentence?
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 15:52, 8 replies)

Well, put it this way
The problem with Johnny is he's too lazy.

I once had to explain to an Italian friend the significant difference between her going to lie on a nice beach, lesbians, and her mother's female dog.
( Je suis un vagabond is an unfunny, up your own arse middle class knob, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 15:55, closed)

Even worse
Portrayals of non-English speakers always have them speaking with perfect grammar but outrageous accents.
(lolwhites, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 15:55, closed)

Giving them accents
Sounds like they're really patronising them.

Eurotrash never did though, they'd dub a Danish guy with some Janet Street-Porter sound-a-like.
( sandettie light vessel automatic New Twitter - @bollocksreally, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 15:58, closed)

You do tend to learn textbook grammar when learning another language
I've been speaking English every day for the past fifteen years, but other people still tell me I 'talk like a book'.
(louveciennes , Volvospotter, Wed 14 Apr 2010, 23:38, closed)

Why, yes
You'll often hear French muttering "Que dirai-je?" mid-sentence.
(Vice Admiral Sir Charles Cockbrush KCB MBE DSO, who is finding it increasingly difficult to log into b3ta.com wants to duck your aunt and kick your puppy, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 16:23, closed)

^This^
All non-native speakers do it, but they do it in their first language.
( The Awful Puppy Bakery is still bored, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 17:04, closed)

Also...
...why is it foreigners in films and books usually have grammar and vocabulary that is as good as (or probably better than) most native English speakers, but they always use their own language when saying Yes and No?

E.g. "This quasi-Aristotelian hypothesis would depend primarily on various conditional factors, oui?"
(eesnahk, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 17:46, closed)

Portraying French women as cool, edgy and sexy in films...
....so why (at 3.30am) did the checkout girl at Intercaves (wine and spirits), 26, rue Mollien, Calais possess neither charm nor charisma and had a face like a fox licking shit off a wire brush?

In conclusion: Stereotypes, often unhelpful.
(Moominator missing the good stuff cos' the swear filter is on, Tue 13 Apr 2010, 19:16, closed)