Myth: The French Know English But Won't Speak It!
Aug 3rd, 2005, 12:15 PM
#41
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Aliska -
Do you remember where you were going on the Métro that "required several changes"? I have tried in vain to find any two stations that require more than one <i>correspondance</i> to get from one to the other.
Do you remember where you were going on the Métro that "required several changes"? I have tried in vain to find any two stations that require more than one <i>correspondance</i> to get from one to the other.
Aug 3rd, 2005, 12:59 PM
#43
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A couple of years ago I was in Paris and made the terrible faux pas of asking a traffic warden, “excuse me sir, can you point out the nearest Metro station…?”
He tersely replied, “no englaas…” and turned his back to me.
I apologized and asked the same question again in French. He nodded and said, “Of course, the Metro station is over there, on the corner…”
He answered in English, if you missed the point.
He tersely replied, “no englaas…” and turned his back to me.
I apologized and asked the same question again in French. He nodded and said, “Of course, the Metro station is over there, on the corner…”
He answered in English, if you missed the point.
Aug 3rd, 2005, 01:46 PM
#44
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Many tourists routinely speak English in Paris without even asking if the person to whom they are speaking knows the language. The locals often get tired of this after a while.
Today almost all French people have studied English in school, but English instruction in French public schools is extremely poor, and most French people cannot actually speak the language after leaving school, even after years of "study" (which consists mostly of translations and diagramming sentences, from what I've been told).
Those who really need to speak English must study it again after finishing school in order to actually learn to speak it.
Most French people today know a few words of English and perhaps a handful of simple phrases, but no more. They don't have to use English on a daily basis unless they come into regular contact with foreigners, and most don't. The level of English ability in the general population is extremely low (but higher than the level of foreign-language ability for the typical American, by far). There are a few people who speak excellent English, and people working in jobs that bring them into contact with foreigners usually speak just enough English to get the job done in most cases.
French people will often respond in English to a query in French because most foreigners speak French even worse than the French speak English. They know that foreign visitors have often studied only a few phrases but are actually incapable of understanding the language, so they answer in English. They will answer in French if they perceive that a visitor truly speaks decent French, or if their own English is so poor (or nonexistent) that they can't easily respond in English.
Some people will respond in French to English queries simply because they are tired of the boorishness of foreigners who don't even bother to ask if a person speaks English before starting in. Of course, some French people speak no English at all and thus will respond in French every time.
Today almost all French people have studied English in school, but English instruction in French public schools is extremely poor, and most French people cannot actually speak the language after leaving school, even after years of "study" (which consists mostly of translations and diagramming sentences, from what I've been told).
Those who really need to speak English must study it again after finishing school in order to actually learn to speak it.
Most French people today know a few words of English and perhaps a handful of simple phrases, but no more. They don't have to use English on a daily basis unless they come into regular contact with foreigners, and most don't. The level of English ability in the general population is extremely low (but higher than the level of foreign-language ability for the typical American, by far). There are a few people who speak excellent English, and people working in jobs that bring them into contact with foreigners usually speak just enough English to get the job done in most cases.
French people will often respond in English to a query in French because most foreigners speak French even worse than the French speak English. They know that foreign visitors have often studied only a few phrases but are actually incapable of understanding the language, so they answer in English. They will answer in French if they perceive that a visitor truly speaks decent French, or if their own English is so poor (or nonexistent) that they can't easily respond in English.
Some people will respond in French to English queries simply because they are tired of the boorishness of foreigners who don't even bother to ask if a person speaks English before starting in. Of course, some French people speak no English at all and thus will respond in French every time.
Aug 4th, 2005, 12:59 AM
#45
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Anthony, I completly agree with EVERYTHING you wrote!just to add English teachers :-B are terrible. They speak so slowly and with that French accent, how can pupils learn English properly? Even with a 15/20 at "le bac" and 3 years learning English at the university, my first experience with an English lady in London was that I couldn't not understand a word of what she was saying! much too fast for me! suddenly I was on another planet!We used to start learning English at 12. Now kids start round 9 and maybe they'll start younger soon. That is a great plus!
bonne journée!
corinne
Aug 4th, 2005, 01:36 AM
#46
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"Today almost all French people have studied English in school, but English instruction in French public schools is extremely poor, and most French people cannot actually speak the language after leaving school, even after years of "study" (which consists mostly of translations and diagramming sentences, from what I've been told)."
That is exactly the way I was taught French.
I think that it's changing a bit. At GCSE, my son was actually taught useful stuff about buying stuff in shops and what to do when the car breaks down.
I remember meeting a nice German chap in Iceland. We managed to communicate (just) with him speaking German while I replied in English.
We laughed at the fact that he had read Shakespeare at school and I had read Goethe and Schiller, but we couldn't conduct a proper conversation.
That is exactly the way I was taught French.
I think that it's changing a bit. At GCSE, my son was actually taught useful stuff about buying stuff in shops and what to do when the car breaks down.
I remember meeting a nice German chap in Iceland. We managed to communicate (just) with him speaking German while I replied in English.
We laughed at the fact that he had read Shakespeare at school and I had read Goethe and Schiller, but we couldn't conduct a proper conversation.
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