"It took me a year to really learn the American lingo. I really feel for people who are coming here and don't speak English at all. It must be hell"

In this quote, Helen Reddy assesses her individual experience of adjusting to the American range of English. By stating, "It took me a year to really discover the American lingo", she acknowledges the difficulties that come with adapting to a brand-new dialect, even for somebody who already speaks English. This highlights the nuanced distinctions in language usage, slang, idiomatic expressions, and cultural referrals that can make communication challenging, even for native speakers of English from other nations such as Australia, where Reddy was from.

Reddy's empathy is evident in the 2nd part of her quote: "I truly feel for people who are coming here and do not speak English at all. It needs to be hell". She recognizes that the job of discovering English from scratch, while concurrently navigating a brand-new cultural environment, is a challenging and frustrating obstacle. This statement underscores the enormous barriers that non-English speakers face when they relocate to an English-dominant nation like the United States. It recommends an understanding of the alienation and isolation immigrants may feel while trying to adjust to cultural and linguistic differences.

The word "hell" is a powerful option and shows Reddy's genuine empathy and recommendation of the psychological and emotional pressure associated with such a transition. This focus exposes her level of sensitivity to the immigrant experience, recommending a shared human understanding of battle, adaptation, and strength.

Reddy's quote ultimately functions as a compassionate reminder of the challenges dealt with by immigrants and non-native speakers. It requires greater empathy and support from native speakers and stresses the importance of perseverance and understanding in bridging linguistic and cultural divides. Her words promote for a more inclusive society that invites and helps those transitioning into new cultural environments, highlighting their potential difficulties and the strength needed to conquer them.