NCE2(25) -- Do the English speak English?

Do the English speak English?

I arrived in London at last. The railway station was big, black and dark. I did not know the way to my hotel, so I asked a porter. I not only spoke English very carefully, but very clearly as well. The porter, however, could not understand me. I repeated my question several times and at last he understood. he answered me, but he spoke neither slowly nor clearly. I am a foreigner, I said. Then he spoke slowly, but I could not understand him. My teacher never spoke English like that! The porter and I looked at each other and smiled. Then he said something and I understood it. Youll soon learn English! he said. I wonder. In England, each person speaks a different language. The English understand each other, but I dont understand them! Do they speak English?

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It is now believed that when we are learning a foreign language, linguisic skills alone
are not enough to ensure successful communication with native speakers.
It has been suggested that we are
 interpreting 80% of what native speakers say and do in terms of our culture.
That leaves both speakers in the conversation a wide margin for misinterpretation.
Therefore, we need the cultural compoenet in our foreign language teaching.
In other words, it is necessary to learn about the people and the country where
the language is spoken.