all opinions welcomed

[virginiawang]

I posted some replies in another forum one of these days and that aroused the anger of one of its members who held views different from mine. Then he compared my activities in that forum to what people do in a soapbox. He also said something that really hurt my feelings. He said since Engling not being my first language, I was not supposed to know the word, soapbox.

I always dreamed that I could speak English very fluently and write wonderfully. I love English Literature. I majored it in college and spent a great deal of my time reading and writing. Does that give me a chance to realize my dream? How do you think?

[billl]

Virginia, I have read many of your writings, and your English is great. Don't be surprised if a guy who is arguing with you says something insensitive. Also, don't be surprised if he meant no harm, but it might be hard to tell, since sometimes writing on the internet can be read in different ways. If you were both angry about something else, I wouldn't take the exchange too seriously, really.

Anyhow, I have read you many times, and you write very well. (I think your stream-of-consciousness posts aren't always your best, but that's true for everyone). If you want to write professionally, you would definitely want to make use of a proofreader. Every writer should do that, of course, but a non-native speaker (and this is especially true if you have been living outside of an English-speaking culture for a while), a non-native speaker would benefit from a proofreader/editor even more than native-English speaking professional writers. There are simply too many little things that might trip up someone who hasn't had an extended and complete immersion in the culture. For example, a TV show like "The Simpsons" might make an old slang phrase (or an entirely original one) suddenly popular among children in majority-English-speaking countries. An adult using the term would maybe be making a reference to the way kids talk about a particular subject. That adult maybe never saw the Simpsons TV show, but they would maybe know the slang from kids.

Anyhow, I wouldn't be surprised if some of these things (like "getting up on a soapbox" or kid's TV slang) would be unfamiliar to some native English-speakers, as well. There are probably areas in downtown Washington D.C. where some young people never heard the phrase "getting up on a soapbox." Maybe a native speaker in Australia or Scotland will be unfamiliar with some American English thing that might be new to you as well. Cultural references and fashions eventually impact language expression in ways that are difficult to discover outside of the culture. These specific cultural things can cause trouble for anyone, but non-Native speakers will probably encounter these problems a bit more. Even if they are fluent.

One more example: in American English, people might use certain sports metaphors ("It's fourth-down..."; "Time for the two-minute-drill...") in any situation. They might be talking about work, an engineering problem, the plot of a movie, whatever. A non-native speaker might not know what these sports metaphors mean. ALSO, a British person might not understand (the only reason they might understand is because American coworkers use these metaphors so often or something...). ALSO, some American women or men who don't like sports won't understand either...

What I'm trying to say is that you can write wonderfully in English if that is your dream--I actually think you do write quite well! But mastering English as a language can sort of bump up against mastering English-language cultures. As a non-native speaker, I think it is important to respect the fact that you have a non-Native English-speaker's perspective on the English language. I recognize a style in your writings, your personality comes through, and it is absolutely legitimate English writing. You can contribute interesting and beautiful phrasings and formulations. You should concentrate on that more than trying to master all English-language cultures.

I have no problem reading your posts, I encounter interesting ideas in them, I've read some rather skillful wordings, rarely see anything rambling or awkward, etc. The issue that that guy raised about "soapbox" is no big deal, really. But it is a useful phrase for debates, so why not add it to the list of idioms that you can use in the future? From reading your posts in other threads, I know that that is something that you don't have to do too often anymore, but it could still be useful from time to time. I'd advise keeping your eyes open for cultural aspects when you can.

[virginiawang]

Thank you, Billl.
Perahps I will move to the US some day in the future.

[billl]

Living in another culture is very interesting, and connecting language to the culture is very interesting too. You might really enjoy it if you get the chance.

But I want to reiterate: writing in English (and reading and conversing in English) while living in a non-English culture is a completely legitimate way to use English--and, the same as with writers in all languages, you will likely gain experience and comfort with your own "style" or "voice" over time. That doesn't end for any of us, I think.

Alsp, there are many examples of scientists, businessmen, doctors, etc. that use English as you do. Your more literary style and interests are a little unique, but I assure you that you are not the only non-native writer of talent in your position (and not the only one on litnet).

[virginiawang]

It's interesting to think that I've started a writing career recently. Once I dreamed to become a great oral interpreter, speaking with a microphone in a small room above a hall to people who would listen to me with earphones. However it was a dream. People in my country do not need interpreters who only wish to speak English. For some time, I tried doing translation, but it took me long hours to finish only a few pages. Most of the documents I got required me to search into an encyclopedia again and again, so I lost my intersts in translation as well.
Now I am looking forward to writing books. I can write whatever I like without an encyclopedia.

[OrphanPip]

Your syntax comes off somewhat odd at times but you express yourself very clearly. I would be overjoyed to reach your level of competence in a foreign language.

Edit: I'll add that many native English speakers can barely string a sentence together anyway.

[soundofmusic]

I posted some replies in another forum one of these days and that aroused the anger of one of its members who held views different from mine. Then he compared my activities in that forum to what people do in a soapbox. He also said something that really hurt my feelings. He said since Engling not being my first language, I was not supposed to know the word, soapbox.

I always dreamed that I could speak English very fluently and write wonderfully. I love English Literature. I majored it in college and spent a great deal of my time reading and writing. Does that give me a chance to realize my dream? How do you think?

You write lovely, Virginia. The man was speaking of "slang" language; which one tends to learn by "hanging with the natives"; and you will not need for most professional writing.
As I think someone already mentioned; we are seldom ourselves on the forum. People sometimes act like they do in their cars: cutting you off, doing gross forms of hygienic activities; just let the silliness "run off your back" and go on to the next forum or if you're really angry: look up all their posts, copy all their grammatical errors and pm them and call them a jerk

[Maximilianus]

I mostly agree with everyone above, and I believe that soundofmusic's idea for a vengeful PM is quite appropriate. It's a good way to get virtual payback Anyhow, if for any reason that person continues to bug you with cruel remarks... is there anything that the mods of that forum can do about it? When the aggression gets deeper I think they must intervene. All in all, pay no mind to such remarks. If you want to learn something you can find a way to learn it, be it a new word, be it a new whatever. Don't let them bring you down, virginia... to see you falling is exactly what some people want.

[virginiawang]

Now, I want to thank all of you.

[Mathor]

I posted some replies in another forum one of these days and that aroused the anger of one of its members who held views different from mine. Then he compared my activities in that forum to what people do in a soapbox. He also said something that really hurt my feelings. He said since Engling not being my first language, I was not supposed to know the word, soapbox.

I always dreamed that I could speak English very fluently and write wonderfully. I love English Literature. I majored it in college and spent a great deal of my time reading and writing. Does that give me a chance to realize my dream? How do you think?

Just keep on pushing yourself. You appear to have a pretty decent understanding of the English language. I cannot comprehend any other language than English, so I envy your ability.

[JuniperWoolf]

Edit: I'll add that many native English speakers can barely string a sentence together anyway.

That's a good point. This being a literature forum, people here are generally pretty adept at the language. This place in no way represents the majority of English speaking people. I can barely understand most of the posts under youtube videos or on facebook. Your grasp of English is excellent in comparison.

[Maximilianus]

That's a good point. This being a literature forum, people here are generally pretty adept at the language. This place in no way represents the majority of English speaking people. I can barely understand most of the posts under youtube videos or on facebook. Your grasp of English is excellent in comparison.

I can only agree about Youtube and Facebook incoherences of language. It seems that people on such sites have made up an English of their own, with their own grammar, on the lucky chance that they at least have a mild idea of what grammar is. Other than that, profanation happens to every language. I've checked a few Youtube pages in my mother tongue, and the horrible language is equally unbearable for someone with a decent language level, but oh well, many don't feel like making themselves clear enough for everyone, so they devise their own secret code