Do you think it is a must or atleast to try to speak in the mother tounge when

well as long as you understand each other fully then i dont have any problem with having an accent or such. well i think i find it funny that teachers need to assert themselves too much for a topic that can be both wrong and right.

If that is the case, we should speak British English, because it is, after all, from the British that English was born. It is difficult to speak English the way Americans and the British do, especially if one was born in another country. Even immigrants to these countries cannot speak the language the way the natives do, unless they really put a lot of effort into it. I think, there is no expectation to speak English the way the natives do, inasmuch as there is no expectation to speak Chinese like the Chinese, or French like the French, something like that. But, we can always do the best we can in order to speak English well.

American English the mother tongue? My British friends are no doubt laughing their butts off over that... Whatever way you learned it, speak it that way. If it was American English fine, if it was British English fine. But don't learn it one way and then try to change to the other, you will just confuse yourself. And you are right, we will still understand you...

In India we have so many languages and English is the common language. We are taught British english at school and use American every where else.Half the Indian population is working abroad and most of them are in US. They all speak in american accent because they are used to hearing that accent or made to do so. I also feel accent is not important as long as we understand each other. Speaking proper English is must.But natives don't like this. may be its their ego that we are using their language to communicate. I belong to South India and when ever a North Indian tries to speak my language I appreciate and teach. That should be the spirit............