Understand the slang

[Rayme]

Learning the language is hard enough allready as it is. I'd think it would have been more appropriate to first learn the formal language constructs with the slang as an additional module or even as an optional module. Slang is very confusing as it is nowhere nearly as important as the formal language constructs and differs from region to region inside a single country, different dialects (from region to region) will do that to a language.

[Ozzyboz]

I agree. Speaking in slang is a personal choice and not something which is particularly useful if you are trying to have a serious conversation with someone. Likewise, the use of American colloquialisms are not helpful, in fact, it is almost like having to learn two languages. French, which I am trying to learn, and hick-type American, in which I have no interest and no reason to learn. Most Americans I speak to speak English correctly. This use of terms like ‘shoot’, ‘neat’, etc are both confusing and irritating. Also, there is an increasing use of bad grammar in Duolingo, with no acceptance of correct grammar which still makes sense and uses available words. Really thinking about giving up, despite being 5 years in, because I end up irritated almost every day due to the poor English - I just hope the French I am learning is not also plagued by similar problems.

[XeO3]

I agree: I want to learn the 'proper' standard form first; then round out a language with slang, colloqiualisms, etc. It was interesting: for the the DL Finnish course, there were often requests on the forum to offer 'puhekieli' - street Finnish or Helsinki dialect.