My first post on the forum - Hello everyone!

I was thinking a little on language differences in sessions.
If you have sessioned with Dommes or subs having a different first language than your own, what are your thoughts and experiences?
Is an exotic accent a plus or a minus?
Did lower fluency in the session language for one or both parties impair the experience?
Any funny misunderstandings?

For my own part, I have sessioned with Dommes from a few different nationalities, including one or two who had limited command of English. (Which is the session language for me even on home turf - Norwegian-speaking pro-dommes are rare.)
From my perspective as a sub who enjoy verbal domination to accompany the physical kind, I have found that lower fluency is an obstacle if it falls below a certain level (as was the case in two instances). If I don’t understand what the Domme is saying immediately, and vice versa, the verbal bit looses its punch. (It is not the same when stuff has to be repeated all the time :))
But it made me realise just how important verbal domination is to me...

I wonder if it is also the same from the Domme perspective. Does it diminish the experience if the sub is unsteady in English?

I've turned down sessions because the language barrier seemed like too much of a potential problem. I'd be laxer about it for a basic foot session but anything more complicated requires a certain level of communication. At a minimum we both need to be able to understand each other's limits.

I also tend to be very verbal and I don't enjoy myself as much if I feel they can't fully understand me. I feel like it handicaps my ability to give them a good experience.

Foreign accents can be cute as hell, though.

I've never tried it. So, I might feel differently if I had. But, watching domination videos where there is a language barrier is hot as hell. The thought of being bare ass naked in front of a gorgeous woman who wants to do things to me and I've got no idea of what she is saying, yeah. If I were single I'd try it. It would put an interesting element of surprise in there.

The sessions you turned down - was the language barrier bad enough you feared limits would not be understood?

Interesting to see your enjoyment being dependent on full understanding as well.
But as long as the session language is one in which the Domme is most skilled, I think there can perhaps be an upside to the sub's experience. Her superior language skill can reinforce her supremacy over the sub, and hence add to the sub's experience. (Not sure it will make up for the awkwardness resulting from misunderstandings, though)

I've sessioned in Germany a dozen times and language was never an issue. But my sessions are focused on sensations so not much verbal is required. Their command of English varied from basic to almost fluent.
Most of the Dommes were native Germans, but a couple were Russians living in Germany, another was Italian, so for those English was their third language.

I can see where a humiliation focused session the lack of fluency would be an issue.

I agree scenarios with a language barrier can be hot, at least in theory .
But to work, such scenarios would have to be built around the fact that they will be in a language the sub does not understand. It should probably be designed such that the Domme can do her things without depending on compliance from the sub. Otherwise it gets awkward when the Domme gives an order and the sub does nothing or something completely different.

And of course, there must be a way to agree and understand limits upfront.

If it can work, I might be tempted to suggest something like this, if I ever find myself in a language-barrier-challenged situation again. The Domme speaking confidently in a language I don't understand at all might work better than very limited English.
Then again, I will probably rather head for the safety of an English-speaking Mistress.

I've only sessioned in the U.S. with some Dominas who traveled here, or immigrated here, from Europe and Latin America where English was their second language. My role play needs a clear verbal understanding to set the right mood, if nothing else. To session with a Domina of a different nationality and/or ethnicity whose second language is English and speaks in an accent is, with the right Mistress, highly erotic.

My sessions have mostly been in Europe, with a multitude of different accents, all of which worked great, even if I prefer native-English-speaking accents myself. (Foreign accents are less exotic if you have one yourself )

The sessions I had where language proved an obstacle were both in Bangkok. The Mistresses I saw there were great, and highly skilled in what they did, though with the language-barrier it still left something to be desired.

Touche' my friend! About accents, this native NYer now lives in Florida and every now and again I meet a native down here, have a conversation, and the person smiles and says, "Where do you come from?" I then put on a thick Brooklyn accent and reply, "Yo, whatta ya tryin' to say? I tink youse gotta an accent."

Yeah, pretty much. The email communication was already difficult enough to give me doubts and at some point he mentioned he was using a translation app. I did not believe we'd be able to communicate well in person and he was requesting the kind of session where that would be a potential major problem.

I have done sessions with language barriers and had moments of "is this guy being an asshole or does he just genuinely not understand me?" and it's made me more cautious about accepting submissives who do not speak English well.