Post #2616576

RE: https://mastodon.social/@tommorris/116537826246951269 I have been living in the Netherlands for 25 years. I was born and raised in Aruba where our native language is Papiamento. Being part of the Dutch Kingdom means we had to learn Dutch early on (6 years old) and our education system is/was fully in Dutch. My end exams in high-school were the same Dutch kids in the Netherlands made. Also, not only do I speak/read Papiamento and Dutch. Also, Spanish and English. So, yes. I speak with a heavy accent (I have been told) becoming deaf later in life also made my accent heavier because I can't hear myself. I have been told a couple of times my Dutch isn't good, they don't understand what I'm saying and once in a while corrected during conversations. But, it's only recently I learned that it is not that I don't speak Dutch well (I do), people take offense on my accent. They mean: You don't speak Dutch like I do. This article brought this up again in my mind.