Screenwriting : Foreign language by Dan Hannan

A good work around for this is to simply put it in parenthesis.

MR. LEE

(broken English)

Why are you so angry?

This can also be used for indicating speech in a foreign language so that the reader understands what is being said in English and then it gives the actor the option of playing the line as they wish within that parameter.

Thanks much.

You can just say the character is Asian and speaks broken sh in the description.

Be true to the character or rethink the character.

It doesn’t take much to give a voice nuance. Plus their natural language with change the english use.

I write how I want them speak. It is not disrespectful.

It is the same as “can’t” vs “ cannot”. Some characters just would say “ can’t”.

There is a character in one of my scripts that speaks broken English and that is how I wrote the dialogue for that character. Do you know the reader chastise me for my grammar!

Notate that the character speaks broken English universally in their intro and let the actor and director hash it out. Pidgin sometimes comes off terribly on the page.

Spend time around different people, listen to how they talk, and write it as it is. Don't overthink it. Best wishes!

you know, I have a Sitcom script with an old Greek lady who speaks broken English, and I went ahead and wrote it the way it sounds. I feel like if you don’t do that with Comedy it doesn’t make any sense. at the same time I’m not trying to make fun of an entire culture so it’s a hard thing to answer I think. I would love input on whether it’s OK with Comedy or not? thanks!

I agree to just make a note of broken English. I'd also add that dialogue written out in a recognizable dialect (ex. inner-city youth) with "standard" violations of formal English are perfectly acceptable and shouldn't bumb a reader when they are the organic voice of the character.

Just watch a stacks of films where guys do "broken" English. I managed to improve my US English slang doing the same...

Just tell your story.

I just listened to Script Notes on this exact topic. You can hear John August and Craig Mazin talk about it for an hour. Pretty interesting topic.

I would handle it like most are suggesting: make note at introduction, but first ask yourself if speaking broken English is important to the story. If it's not, it's just pigeon-holing a stereotype. Also, if there's a place in your story where the broken English IS important (a few words confused or not easily understood), you'd be stuck writing broken English for every line (IMO - to keep it consistent for the reader).

I always write it out in perfect english with a note that the character speaks in Broken English... let the actor figure it out.

Brent Bergan link to podcast?

I would write the dialog as it should be said by the actors.