Re: hi-speed talkers
Timothy Koschmann (tkoschmann who-is-at siumed.edu)
Thu, 18 Apr 1996 10:10:19 -0500
>The native English hearers also have an advantage in following
>foreigners talking conference English -- it's not only on the
>presenter's side. And here is were US Americans from the cities
>and universities have their greatest plus, as far as I can see,
>apart from the competitive culture, the training in making good
>talks and decisive points.
>
>Arne.
Arne,
Your point about native English speakers having an inside-track advantage
in technical presentations is no doubt well-taken. I would like to point
out, however, that this has not always been the case---just a few decades
ago the lingua franca in certain research disciplines, such as chemistry
was German! Perhaps you just had the misfortune of being born in the right
place at the wrong time.
---Tim