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ESL stands for English as a Second Language and originally referred to non-native speakers of English but now commonly describes any grammatical error or awkward expression associated with ESL speakers in general. Not to be confused with EOP.

Common features of ESL include:

Confusing a/an

Confusing got/was

Using double past tense

Adding -s to uncountable nouns

Adding or omitting articles

Using long sentences with excessive subordinate clauses

Taking idioms literally or translating them from one's own first language

Using Latin derivatives incorrectly

Using "if" in both parts of a conditional sentence.

Due to accelerating cognitive decline online and in real life, ESL begins to rub off even on the most lettered native speakers. Additional areas of interest include Japanese ESL and EU bureaucratese: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Euro_English. Learning the varieties of ESL allows one to deride any foreign opponent with ease, or to employ it in parodies and other creative endeavours. However, the deliberate usage of ESL carries the risk of being perceived as dim or non-white, and can subconsciously harm one's own verbal abilities.

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