Culture

Language can not be separated from culture. Language is a reflection of the history and people that it came from. In order to understand and use English fluently, it’s important to understand a few important cultural points.

First, you may notice that English feels faster or slower than your native language. One reason for this could be what’s called “wait time.” The silence between the end of one speaker and the beginning of another is called wait time. In some conversations you’ll notice ample time between speakers. In other more animated conversations, you may notice zero wait time and people may even be talking on top of each other, interrupting, to join the conversation. Observe and apply appropriate wait time for your conversations in English based on the situation and the people.

Next, there are some taboo topics in English. Unless you are familiar with a person, we tend to avoid discussing gender, race, religion, politics, economic class, money, age and relationship status. Avoid making jokes, confronting, debating or asking direct questions too soon about these topics.