I have studied English for years, and now I live in London. Why do I find that I can understand non-native English speakers better than native English speakers? Could you help me to find out the reason?
Wenwen, London
Wenwen contacted us because she finds it easier to understand non-native speakers of English than native speakers.
Though this might strange, there are a number of possible reasons for this which we examine in the programme.
In the programme Finn and Feifei compare some of the differences between native and non-native speakers in terms of:
Just remember, the best way to get used to different styles of spoken English is to listen to as wide a variety of speakers as possible. And you're in luck, because our website is the perfect place to do that.
If you have a question about English, email our team at questions.chinaelt@bbc.co.uk. We may answer it on this programme.
Glossary 词汇
non-native speakers of English 英文不是母语的人
native-speakers (英文)为母语的人
running words together 连读
clarity 清晰度
slang 俚语