MobileRead Forums - View Single Post - To speak or not to speak the local language when visiting other countries?

vivaldirules · 06-19-2009, 07:28 PM

May I ask a serious question (or is that forbidden in The Llounge)? A long time ago I gave up trying to speak the native language in the countries I visit. I butcher them (the languages, not the people) badly I'm sure. And it always felt like I was trying to fake being French, for example, when I'm obviously not. So I eventually decided that, out of respect, I should just speak English. And if we don't communicate, it's my fault and no one else's. So I now openly and sincerely express even "hello", "please", "thank you", and so forth in my own language everywhere. But I sense that some (maybe many) people would say that I'm being terribly disrespectful by what I'm doing. I'd love to hear an opinion. What would you suggest is the right thing for me to do?

06-19-2009, 07:28 PM	#1
vivaldirules When's Doughnut Day? Posts: 10,059 Karma: 13675475 Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: Houston, TX, US Device: Sony PRS-505, iPad	To speak or not to speak the local language when visiting other countries? May I ask a serious question (or is that forbidden in The Llounge)? A long time ago I gave up trying to speak the native language in the countries I visit. I butcher them (the languages, not the people) badly I'm sure. And it always felt like I was trying to fake being French, for example, when I'm obviously not. So I eventually decided that, out of respect, I should just speak English. And if we don't communicate, it's my fault and no one else's. So I now openly and sincerely express even "hello", "please", "thank you", and so forth in my own language everywhere. But I sense that some (maybe many) people would say that I'm being terribly disrespectful by what I'm doing. I'd love to hear an opinion. What would you suggest is the right thing for me to do?