A study found that when people talk in a language other than their mother tongue, the other person’s words can feel colder or ruder.

On April 26, Gigazine cited foreign media reports on ScienceDirect and The Conversation that said a research team led by linguist Irini Mavrou (이리니 마브로우) confirmed the difference in a comparison of native English speakers and Spanish-speaking participants who use English as a foreign language.

The study surveyed 55 native English speakers and 45 Spanish-speaking participants who use English as a foreign language. After watching video clips of workplace conversations in English, participants answered how rude the scenes felt and what emotions they experienced. The videos were taken from the U.S. reality programme "Below Deck" and related spin-offs about relationships among yacht crew members.

The results showed that participants who use English as a foreign language tended to rate the same scenes as ruder than native speakers did. The team said it considered the possibility that they may have perceived rudeness in the conversations as greater than it actually was.

The reason was not only that they did not know the meanings of words. Some videos included swearing or tense exchanges, and native speakers can interpret them as jokes, irritation or conflict depending on the relationship or situation. By contrast, the explanation said, people understanding the conversation in a foreign language may find it hard to fully read subtle tone or relational nuance and may have interpreted the same expressions as more aggressive.

Cognitive burden was also cited as a key factor. When conversing in a non-native language, there is a greater burden in understanding and processing expressions. This can make people react more sensitively to non-verbal signals such as facial expressions or gestures, and they may have read signs of tension or confrontation more strongly.

Even so, emotional reactions themselves did not differ much between native speakers and foreign-language users. The team said, "There is a belief that emotions weaken when using a second language, but in this study both groups showed similar levels of emotional response." This differs from the conventional view that words heard in a foreign language may feel less emotionally resonant.

Emotional reactions were especially stronger in scenes where someone was treated rudely or their welfare was disregarded. The response stood out in situations where bullying, sexism or oppression was perceived. This suggests that not only language but also who is speaking to whom and with what attitude, as well as relationships and power structures, directly affected evaluations.

The team said the focus of language education should also go beyond grammar and vocabulary. It said, "To understand what is rude, it is not enough to know only words, and reading emotional cues in context is also important," adding that more explicit explanations of how gestures and tonal nuances are interpreted could reduce misunderstandings.

Cultural differences were also presented as a variable. The explanation said that in some East Asian cultures there is a tendency to avoid direct expressions, while in places such as Russia directness is instead seen as an honest and polite attitude. The team said a process of broadening cultural understanding is needed to reduce such misunderstandings.

The results show that discomfort arising in foreign-language communication cannot be explained simply by a lack of vocabulary or failure to hear. Understanding a foreign language does not stop at knowing words and grammar, but is closer to reading tone, facial expressions, relationships and cultural standards together. The report said there is a need for approaches in language education that address how rudeness is perceived in real conversations.