To speak or not to speak the local language when visiting other countries?

[slayda]

I know I'm more visually oriented than auditorially. Maybe that's because if I look at the written words, I can puzzle over them as long as I need but I often have trouble correctly hearing spoken English (in a Southern US accent). I do love to see word plays across languages though. A good example is in Robert Heinlein's "The Number of the Beast". I've scanned in the section because it is difficult to type, even though he uses transliterated English letters rather than Cyrillic.

[pshrynk]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

Personally, I feel that there are folks who have language skills and folks who don't. I'm one of the 'don'ts.' Just like various other skills, some people have natural ability for playing a musical instument and some have no talent at all. Some can do trig functions in their heads while others can't remember the multiplication tables.

As much as I try to learn languages, want to learn languages, and am in a position to use the languages I learn on a daily basis (heck, my wife doesn't even speak all that much English!) I'm still always stuck at the 'This is a dog. This is a brown dog.' stage. Doesn't do me much good when trying to discuss quantum physics or Maslow's theory of Self-Actualization.

Although I do better with the Romance languages than the Asiatic or Middle Eastern, I still can't make coherent sentences with most. I have to settle for just using a noun and a verb or adjective. I usually leave out most of the 'grammar' words. Fortunately, this works in most languages other than Japanese. (The fellow who invented Japanese grammar was NOT a very nice guy...) And it works. It's communication. The people we talk with understand that we are not a native speakers and give us a lot of latitude. We still communicate. Oddly enough, there is a direct relationship to the amount of alcohol consumed to the increased ability to understand each other!

The important thing is to make an effort. The local folks always appreciate it, except for that rare one or two nasties that you'll find even in your home countries. You've probably by now even seen a few of the younger folk with Chinese or Japanese characters tattooed on their arms or backs. Won't they be surprised to discover that when translated it reads; "Cantonese Beef with Black Bean Sauce?"

Stitchawl

Or worse!

[JAdams]

Last summer I was lucky enough to spend 2 weeks in France as a chaperone for a wonderful group of high school students. I noticed that the other young people there were eager to help us with our french and we helped them with their english. One group on the Metro even taught us to sing Happy Birthday to one of their friends.

[Jill74]

for me, it really depends as long as you don't talk anything that may harm the others. You can talk using your language as long as someone understands you. But then, you have to talk the universal language when you order a cup of tea in an Italian restaurant. Proper communication is very important.

[Stitchawl]

All I know is, I'm in the US for the first time in five years, and I sure don't hear very much English being spoken! I'd guess that more than 75% of the conversations I heard today in the shops, malls, and restaurants are in Cuban Spanish! Very interesting! I know that it's because of my location, but it also means that residents here really need to be at least bilingual if they want to get along with the neighbors! No need to even travel abroad for these folks!

Stitchawl

[kazbates]

Originally Posted by Stitchawl

All I know is, I'm in the US for the first time in five years, and I sure don't hear very much English being spoken! I'd guess that more than 75% of the conversations I heard today in the shops, malls, and restaurants are in Cuban Spanish! Very interesting! I know that it's because of my location, but it also means that residents here really need to be at least bilingual if they want to get along with the neighbors! No need to even travel abroad for these folks!

Stitchawl

You must be in my old stomping grounds of Southeast Florida. My husband worked in Miami Dade County for 8 years. He tried to learn Spanish using the Berlitz program but never got passed the first CD!

[sherkanner]

The minimum I do is to learn how to say "hello", "one beer please" , "thank you", "do you speak English/French/German?"

I think it is a mark of respect towards the people from the country I visit.
My problem, I don't have ze french accent when I speak so people don't know where I'm coming from and sometimes reply to me in their language at an incredible speed and I don't understand a single word

I let them finish, smile (especially if the girls are pretty ), and ask them if they speak another language

[AlfonsVH]

I also try to get to know the "basic words" when I'm visiting a country. However, last summer I made a trip to southern / eastern europe; we started off in Greece, passed through Bulgaria, Romania, Hungary and Austria to end up in Slovakia.

So, we basically had to learn how to say "thank you" in 6 different languages (well, 5 actually since I already knew German).

And then I got surprised that people laughed at me when I said "благодаря" in Hungary

Originally Posted by sherkanner

My problem, I don't have ze french accent when I speak so people don't know where I'm coming from and sometimes reply to me in their language at an incredible speed and I don't understand a single word

I know the feeling. On a trip to Sweden a couple of years ago, I asked a man for directions in broken Swedish. He started replying at high speed, and when he was finished, he asked me "Förstår du?" ("do you understand?"). Since I did understand the "förstår du"-part, I just said "ja, tack så mycket", and asked someone else in English

[Jaime_Astorga]

Learning a language to any real degree (not just memorizing phrases from a book) takes years, even if you are living among native speakers the full time. It's not worth it to put that much effort into learning the language of a country you are just going to visit for a few months tops. I have never been surprised that foreigners failed to know the language of wherever I was, nor did I think them rude for it.

[RickyMaveety]

Originally Posted by tompe

Well, I would at least be irritated if somebody tried to ask something in extremely bad Swedish instead of speaking English. It is well know that all Swedes speak English so they are wasting my time trying to communicate in Swedish.

And to try to avoid to fool people that I know more of a language than I do I do not try to use the local language. Even in Japan I used this principle (agianst tourist book rekommendation) and did not notice and disadvantage.

Well, that just means you aren't willing to help someone learn your language. So, now that everyone in Sweden speaks English, are all of the signs and documents now in English as well? So there is no possibility of an English speaking person getting the least confused? And, are you (all?) against people who don't speak English trying to learn a few words in Swedish? Or, is it just the English speakers who are wasting your time, and you are more tolerant of people who only speak Spanish, or French?