I believe that a good part of comprehension of spoken language depends on facial expressions, gestures and other body language as well as some degree of lip reading. If you have learned, or attempted to learn, a foreign language, you feel yourself really adept at it when you can understand someone on the telephone; i.e., when you can't see them.

While I don't have too much trouble understanding someone speaking French or Italian face to face, it's very difficult on the phone. Or watching a foreign-language move. As long as you can see the faces of the characters speaking, you can understand them; but if they have their backs turned, or the camera is not on their faces, or in the case of a voice-over, it's tough.

Those of you whose first language is not English -- What is your experience?