It has only recently occurred to me how many odd phrases there are in English compared to other languages.
Idioms such as 'it costs an arm and a leg', 'out of the blue' and 'you scratch my back and I'll scratch yours' have left my Japanese friends and colleagues looking at me like I was speaking another lang...
Anyway, in addition to the common foreigner tactic of talking really slowly and over-emphasising every third or fourth syllable, I've also taken to trying to use the simplest word at all times. Needless to say, this is very tiring and has also caused a couple of people to ask if I had some sort of speech impediment.
When I tell them I don't, they ask me to talk at my normal speed. Unfortunately, I am seemingly unable to do this as I'm so practised in speaking at pedestrian pace.
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