Rune wrote:
> I have the same problem.
> 
> My written English is quite good, but my spoken English is very bad because 
> I've never practised it intensively, like I have with my written English.
> 
> I'm under an everyday illusion that I understand spoken English fine. Here 
> in Denmark we don't have voice overs for foreign movies and TV and while 
> there *are* subtitles, the simultaneous exposure to the original language 
> still works as practice, to the point that many people will notice if the 
> words have been translated in an counterintuitive way. If subtitles are 
> missing, I can still understand 98% of what is said just fine. However, my 
> guess is that I don't understand native English speakers very well at all. 
> At least, that's what happened when I was in England many years ago. While 
> you normally don't notice it, spoken English in movies is *far* better 
> pronounced that how people talk in real life.
> 
> This is my biggest fear when I'm going to the Game Developers Conference in 
> San Francisco in two weeks time: That I'll find myself utterly unable to 
> understand what most people are saying except if they speak slow and clearly 
> to me, and that I'll sound like I'm bad at communicating due to lack of 
> practise with speaking the language...
> 
Let me reassure you, you won't be able to understand most of it. Mainly 
because the majority will be freshly imported Asians with 1 or 2 years 
of experience in pronunciation in an environment of mostly non native 
Americans.

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