A year in the UK as an International Student from India
Hello! My name is Vikalp, and I am finishing up my Master's in Computer Games Technology at the University of Portsmouth. When I arrived in the UK a year ago, I was prepared for cultural adjustments, homesickness and the rain. Little did I know that the English language itself would also be a challenge.
Coming from a non-English-speaking background, I faced my share of challenges when confronted with the language. Through this blog, I will share my experience of my language journey and offer advice for overcoming the challenges it brings. It's important to remember that you're not alone in this experience, and conquering this is more achievable than it might seem at first.
The British Accent
One of the first shocks was the diverse range of British accents. Back in India, each state and region would have its own languages, so people often have distinct mother tongues, with English being the common bridge. My upbringing in India had exposed me to a more standardised accent. However, upon my arrival in the UK, I found myself confronted with a variety of accents. I realised that as you move further north, the accents become progressively challenging for me to understand. Interestingly, even natives from the southern parts of the UK sometimes struggle with understanding accents from the north – so I knew it probably would be a challenge for me coming from India. To illustrate, the pronunciation of “Water” might sound like “Wo-ah,” and the phrase “Proper British” could sound like “Pro-pa Bri’ish.”!
At first, conversations felt like a completely different language. But with time, I grew to appreciate and adapt to the accent diversity. My advice to fellow students is to never hesitate to ask people to repeat to avoid misunderstandings. People will usually happily repeat themselves to avoid miscommunications.
The Academic Language
In India, our education system, especially for the English subject, follows the British system. So words like "colour" and "honour" are spelled with a U, rather than the American way - "color" and "honor." Despite attending an English-speaking school, I personally found that the academic writing standards here are notably different, especially in terms of vocabulary utilisation, referencing, critiquing, and upholding originality in work. On a personal note, English has always been my favourite subject, and so I had a strong grasp of it. And transitioning to the new approach here wasn't as jarring for me as it might have been for others. But if you do find yourself facing this challenge, I strongly recommend reaching out for assistance from the ASK – Academic Skills Support - service available at the University. They offer support with academic writing. The Library and its website are also valuable resources, providing a wealth of helpful information on referencing.
Expressions and Slang
When it comes to conversations, you'll soon realise that some expressions take on slightly different meaning than what you expect. For instance, when someone asks, "You all right?", they're simply greeting you, and not necessarily asking about your well-being. Similarly, the term "sorry" is not always an apology; it can serve as a way to say "excuse me" or even express fondness. At first, I found myself confused, as someone's words would have a different meaning than I had thought. But then, as time went on, I became used to it and even integrated these expressions into my own speech.
On top of that, the local slang here can be quite a challenge to get. Younger people often use phrases like "in a bit" to mean "see you later," "bet" to say they agree, and "innit" to ask a question. And let's not forget all the acronyms – while I was familiar with some like 'LOL', 'LMAO', and 'ROFL', I discovered a bunch of new ones like ‘TLDR’, ‘FR’, ‘OFC’, ‘RQ/QQ’, ‘CYA’ and many more.
Even though these might seem trivial or somewhat whimsical, they're widely used by students. I'd recommend making native friends and engaging in both written and spoken exchanges. This way, you'll uncover fascinating phrases like;
"Cor blimey, it’s a sunny Chewsday, lovely day for a pint at t’local and a cheeky Nando’s, innit?"
It might sound amusing, but you'll gradually become familiar with these expressions, sooner or later.
Looking back on my journey as an international student in the UK, I find myself appreciating the value that language shocks have added to my experience. Despite the initial difficulty, these language surprises have made me more adaptable and receptive. As I reach the end of my master's, I carry with me not just a wealth of academic knowledge, but also an admiration for the diversity of the English language.
In conclusion, a piece of advice I'd like to offer is to approach situations with an open mind, understanding that people don’t mean to offend you. Also make sure to have an adaptable mindset, as you will have different types of conversations with different people. While my account is specific to my journey, your perspective and story might differ. But remember to cherish the enjoyable moments and draw lessons from any misunderstandings that come your way.