If someone has a heavy accent, and it's very difficult to understand them, that can be frustrating. However, I feel these folks deserve folks for even being able to speak a language other than their own.

Considering the likelihood that someone not speaking english very well is a criminal that is here illegally, I avoid people who were obviously not born here. I don't go to restaurants where people don't speak good english, or hardware stores, or anywhere else. If a store cannot hire americans and pay american wages, they don't need my business. And in public, as I say, I don't know if they are illegals or not, so I must assume they are. I avoid being around potential criminals, and all illegals are criminals.

It's not like they can help it.

What annoys me are the people who intentionally commit linguistic homicide on the English language with slang in an attempt to look cool. I'm not talking about one or two words, I'm talking about having the entire SENTENCE butchered. These are the people who have lived in an English-speaking country all their lives, as their ancestors have for generations. Ironically, they also tend to be the ones who ask if *I* speak English . . .

English is a brutal language to learn. . .I sympathize with anyone trying hard to grasp the language and I give them real respect. . .but those with little or no effort? Different story. . .

Hey, at least they are making an effort to speak to me in my language! Let's see how well most of US fare when WE go to another country and try to do that before we criticize them for having an "accent".

for the most part no.except sometimes when I am on the phone, for business have a question to ask and they company transfers me to an outlet in Iran. and I can barely hear them and now I am trying to decifer what they are trying to say to me. I get a bit frustrated then and i think the person on the line gets annoyed with me because I have to ask them to repeat themself. face to face no not really.

It's usually a 50/50 for me. Sometimes it may be annoying, sometimes not. It depends on how heavy their accent is.

I don't find this in the least bit annoying. I should have the same patience with this person as this person should have the same patience with me when I visit their country and I can't speak their language.

I really don't have problem per se. What I do have a problem with, is when I'm speaking with a dentist or a doctor, or anyone where the communication is vital. It's very frustrating not being able to get someone to understand completely, what you are trying to get across. I am somewhat hearing impaired, and read lips while talking with someone, not deaf, just a little hard of hearing, so it's really frustrating to try to read the lips of someone who pronounces their words differently than what I am otherwise used to. It doesn't anger me, or annoy me if someone doesn't speak english so well, at least they're trying. But I agree with GoneAway, if someone moves here from wherever, they should learn english. It would be expected of us.

I have a real hard time hearing sometimes(due to working in factories) and a thick accent is the worst thing for me. I like to read lips in this instance and if the person covers their lips or moves their head it makes it next to impossible. Then, I feel rude asking what, or leaving without understanding.EDIT: I have to agree with Sundiszno, it is more frustrating than annoying, so I lowered it from 4 to 1.

This situation can sometimes be more frustrating (for both parties involved) than annoying. Most of the time I don't mind, because I figure that the other person is, in a sense, already one up on me because they speak (or are attempting to speak) English, and I may not have a clue as to how to speak their native language (although sometimes I give Spanish a try, which usually works out OK). But, assuming that I can't converse in their language, it strikes me as being a bit supercilious, arrogant, and presumptuous to get annoyed at someone making an honest try. What does irritate me on the other hand is when I am dealing with people in retail or government bureaucracies (i.e., a motor vehicle licensing bureau, for example) who ought to be able to communicate at a more than basic level in English, but who can't. That torques me off - people in that category really need to develop English communications skills.

No big deal, if you don't want to talk to them, then excuse yourself and move on...