Why do most people find it easier to write than speak a language?

[lushlala]

This is because you will not be pressured to speak up and you will remain relaxed and comfortable in writing on your own and in ones own term as well. Also, writing can loosen certain rules of different languages. For example, you will not worry so much about the intonation and spelling and even stressing out words as strictly observed by other languages. And in the absence of such, you can communicate with others just as long as the other individual understands the language even through writing only.

This is so true! Even though nobody is likely to laugh, we feel self conscious about mispronouncing certain words, and getting the wrong meaning altogether. This can lead to very awkward situations LOL

[Enrico]

Dont be afraid to make mistakes and just keep talking to native speakers people usually find it endearing when you learn their language. Another good tip is to focus on pronunciation and pay attention to the accent and rythm just like listening to music or song..

[Tyrell]

I think it's because a lot of people try to learn their desired languages through reading a book and/or watching movies with the subtitles on.. which means they're naturally more used and feel more comfortable with text than verbal communication.

I believe that this is pretty much the same with people who learn their desired language through verbal communication (i.e: Speaking through Skype), just in reverse. They find it easier to speak than write the language, because they're more used to speaking it than writing it.

[lushlala]

Dont be afraid to make mistakes and just keep talking to native speakers people usually find it endearing when you learn their language. Another good tip is to focus on pronunciation and pay attention to the accent and rythm just like listening to music or song..

I think this is a good idea, if only you can shrug off the fear and paranoia LOL I envy people who just seem fearless and will even laugh along other people when they make mistakes. It's true though, that native speakers are generally very impressed with however little effort a person puts into learning their language and often very helpful.

[lushlala]

I think this is a good idea, if only you can shrug off the fear and paranoia LOL I envy people who just seem fearless and will even laugh along other people when they make mistakes. It's true though, that native speakers are generally very impressed with however little effort a person puts into learning their language and are often very helpful.

[kmars]

I'm currently having the same challenge. For some weird reason I know how to write on paper what I wanna say, but to articulate it it's hard. I even find it harder to listen to somebody else speaking in their native language which I am currently studying. I know for sure that if I improve on hearing the language then I will improve in speaking the language.

[misskrystal1982]

Personally, I find speaking harder because my own accent can get in the way of speaking another language.  I feel as though I am harder to understand.  With writing, I can think about what I need to say and also there is no worry about accents.

[lushlala]

When you're writing, you also have the luxury of going back and correcting mistakes. When we speak, once we've put it out there we can't take it back! Like Petrushka said, chances of making mistakes are higher when we're speaking as opposed to writing.

[Lingua Franca]

It's just another way of approaching the learning process of a language. I personally find it easier to learn a language phonetically, but I know that I run the risk of making huge grammatical mistakes.

[hungary93]

Well, its all depends on the type of language learning method you are in. If you are a minority for example, but you can access education in your native language then you learn speak in an foreign language perfectly and fluently but writing can be hard.

But if you are studying an other language like many of us do you can't talk at all or just a very little, you mostly do things and take tests in coursebook and your teacher are not native speakers either, then you write more comfortably than speak.

 

[lushlala]

Personally, I find speaking harder because my own accent can get in the way of speaking another language.  I feel as though I am harder to understand.  With writing, I can think about what I need to say and also there is no worry about accents.

I know what you mean about the accent thing. I can relate because I also have an accent and obviously if you're speaking and your accent gets in the way of someone understanding you because it's broad and distinct, it makes you feel even more self conscious and makes it even harder to gain confidence. It's a bit of an annoying thing, but you just have to press on!

[jesolis]

Hello everyone, hope all of you are doing well! That is an excellent question. I think the answer has to do with the fact that when you are writing something, you can take the time to make sure you do not make any grammatical or spelling errors. However, when you are speaking to someone, it is quite likely that you will make a mistake if you are a beginner. This creates anxiety because most people do not enjoy being embarrassed, or wrong!

[Wanda Kaishin]

I always learn to converse before/better than I write, so I was a little surprised by the title. This is because I choose a learning method with the highest priority on making me a good speaker.

[takibari]

I used to hold the perspective that writing is much easier to do than speaking. As the others pointed out, there are a lot of things you will do without when writing, such as being conscious with your intonation, using the appropriate words and what not.

Anyway, I'm currently connected to a company teaching the Korean language to Filipinos. We have this student who is truly fluent in Korean (verbally). However, since she just acquired the language through speaking with native Koreans, she finds it hard to write. See, she didn't get formal lessons in learning Korean. Now, it is a challenge for her to write because she's so used to the pronunciation now that translating it into the written form is a bit hard for her.

This student's experience has truly changed my perspective on which one is easier between writing and speaking.

[anna3101]

For me also, writing is so much easier, especially when I'm just beginning to learn a language. I can have all the time in the world, find the words I need in the dictionary, browse the grammar book to refresh some rules in my memory, stop, drink tea, start again, recheck, polish. It may still have mistakes in the end but definitely a whole lot less than my speech.

For me, the biggest issue with speaking is either not knowing/remembering an important piece of grammar or not having enough vocabulary (those dreadful pauses and "uhm"s).

So nowadays, when I try to speak Italian or Dutch (the languages that I don't know well enough to be able to talk) I do it on Skype, with verbix and some dictionary open. Still takes time to find a particular word but with good Internet connection and typing speed it's not too bad, and I tend to remember such words much better later. Probably because of the stress of trying to find them quickly without boring your interlocutor to death

[rcdpink]

Well it's quite commendable that you are at a stage in which you are able to understand what you are hearing. Expressing a response may be difficult for you at the moment but I am sure that you will improve. I realize that hearing and speaking go hand in hand just as how reading and writing go hand in hand. I'm able to read quite well in my foreign language and so writing the language isn't a problem for me. I am not quite advanced in listening the language which I am studying however and so speaking it is also a challenge. But you are on the better track seeing that you are able to hear and understand the language.

[lushlala]

I'm having this problem of speaking in Nihongo directly, especially when conversing with others.  It's kind of ironic since I don't have a problem with writing or speaking to myself.  I have to admit that I am feeling awkward when conversing with people in Nihongo, because if I mention the wrong particle I will either be laughed at or feel turned off by my skills.

I'm having this problem of speaking in Nihongo directly, especially when conversing with others.  It's kind of ironic since I don't have a problem with writing or speaking to myself.  I have to admit that I am feeling awkward when conversing with people in Nihongo, because if I mention the wrong particle I will either be laughed at or feel turned off by my skills.

Speaking to yourself, @ AExAVF?! Hehe that's a new one that I may have to give a go! After all, there's nobody there to hear my mistakes and see my embarrassment! But jokes aside, the people around you sound very much like people in my country! People have this tendency to laugh at people making mistakes, and all through school if someone spoke broken English, they got laughed at and ridiculed. I think it's very damaging because people then withdraw and get a complex, hindering their progress!

[AExAVF]

 

Speaking to yourself, @ AExAVF?! Hehe that's a new one that I may have to give a go! After all, there's nobody there to hear my mistakes and see my embarrassment! But jokes aside, the people around you sound very much like people in my country! People have this tendency to laugh at people making mistakes, and all through school if someone spoke broken English, they got laughed at and ridiculed. I think it's very damaging because people then withdraw and get a complex, hindering their progress!

I think the Quote button was pressed twice.  I never spoke to myself, as I posted in this thread only once.

[Heda]

When you write it, you have much more time to prepare it in your mind and you don't have to be stressed out about the correct pronunciation..

[lushlala]

21 hours ago, AExAVF said:

I think the Quote button was pressed twice.  I never spoke to myself, as I posted in this thread only once.

Ok, never mind @AExAVF.....I totally understand because I know for a fact it happens. The same thing happened to me here once, and the person with whom I was in the middle of a discussion nearly bit my head off because he was of the impression that I'd made out I said what he said. I think there may have been a technical glitch or something IDK There was just no reasoning with him at all. Sometimes I wonder where all the aggression and animosity comes from, it's just strange. 

[Miya]

I've always been better at writing than speaking. That's why it's easier for me to write in foreign languages. Plus for writing, there's a definite "correct" way to write something. For speaking, you can't really say there's a "correct" way to speak. 

[Verba]

Although, in my home country, English is the medium of instruction in schools, I am still more confident in writing than in speaking the language. This is because we are too conscious about our grammar and pronunciation which are really obvious when you speak. Thus, I get too aware of any possible mistakes I might make. That really impedes me from speaking more confidently. However, now that I am in an international English school where I work with a lot of native English speakers, I tend to be more relaxed in speaking. I learn from them in how I should say things their way. Also, they are not as grammar conscious as we are. 

[KimmyMarkks]

I have a more difficult time speaking a language then I do writing it. I think I am a better visual learner and therefore don’t have as much trouble writing in a foreign language then I do speaking it.  I have a difficult time retaining information that I hear, unless I see it on paper.  Therefore, I definitely have an easier time writing in a foreign language then I do speaking it.

[agentzero]

Is this really true though? Wow, that's so weird, I always thought the opposite was true, but then again, I don't know that many people who often learn to speak a new language. 

I've always found it much more easier to speak a new language than to write it. I have a pretty decent knowledge of English and I still get so wound up with spelling that I literally have to google the word so I can get it right. I don't think I ever have trouble with pronunciation (had to google correct spelling for that one). 

[rcdpink]

On 06 February 2015 06:45:50, lushlala said:

Being able to speak is linked back with your ability to hear. When you are a quick learner in terms of hearing then you would also be able to speak properly. At least that's just my theory. So those who are able to write are actually good at reading. I always find that when I'm learning a foreign language, I pretty much get the basics quickly. However, I tend to lack in confidence in terms of actually speaking it. Yet I know exactly what I want to say, and can write it without any problem whatsoever. I know practice makes perfect, but I'm still a bit shy and wary of making mistakes! Does any of you feel the same?

Being able to speak is linked back with your ability to hear. When you are a quick learner in terms of hearing then you would also be able to speak properly. At least that's just my theory. So those who are able to write are actually good at reading.