missypie

I did "okay" with my French in Paris...it's not like I was winning any friends, but I did manage to communicate with some people who didn't speak English. When folks were rude to me, I think it was because they were just rude people, not because I was speaking French badly.

I will tell you that if you are traveling with children PLEASE teach them a few phrases in the native language. The most abrupt waiters and shopkeepers warmed to us instantly when our children ordered their food or asked for their pastries in French.

bardo

In my experience, the effort is always appreciated and results in a more friendly exchange (especially in France) - even though the conversation always immediately turns to English. What can I say? Their English is ALWAYS better than my feeble attempts at dutch/italian/spanish/french...

Singletail

I honestly think if I saw a sign in a window that said, "Please, do not mangle our language" I would probably be very strongly encouraged to take my business elsewhere.
Fortunately, I have never encountered this in all of my European travels, nor do I honestly expect to.

missypie

You are so right, Singletail. I think that if I saw such a sign at a business in the US, even as a native speaker of English, I would take my business elsewhere!

skatterfly

I agree with previous posts... in all my previous travels through Europe I have never had anyone treat me with contempt for trying their language. It was always greeted with surprise, though, because many Americans do not speak a second language or are afraid to use it. I used to be fluent in French (pre-baby and pre-sleep deprivation) and always had a decent pronunciation, well enough to get by. But even with my travel companions who know only rudimentary "Bonjour," or "Je voudrais"... they are always greeted warmly when very little attempt is made.

The only contempt I have ever seen in Paris were for the big loud Americans that point or gesture in an exaggerated way or repeat their English loudly in an effort to be understood, usually without even saying "Bonjour" then get frustrated because the local doesn't understand them. A little effort goes a long way. And in France it's critical, even if all you learn, is "Bonjour, Madame". "Bonjour, Monsieur" to start every interaction.

I have since learned Italian and feel a greater comfort level with it, and became very conversant in it. I will say I think it has opened a few doors for me that it wouldn't have done if I spoke only English. I once got admitted to a private tour of a Chianti winery already in progress simply by chatting with the staff in the lobby, after they had already told me the tour was closed and would have required reservations. I didn't even ask if I could join the tour... I was just asking about the winery... and they called up to the guide and told him to let us in. I also had an old hotel owner in Florence follow me and demand (nicely) to know why I spoke Italian. Did I do it for work, she asked. When I told her "No, I just love the sound of the language" she said "Brava."

And I have travelled to Amsterdam where I speak absolutely zero of the language and had a hard time mastering even "gutenmorjen"... and as long as I tried people were very kind. Often I would ask at the hotel, how do I say this or that. They seemed to appreciate the fact I was trying to learn.

~kat

RufusTFirefly

skatterfly--Are you sure it's only big Americans?

Little loud Americans that point or gesture in an exaggerated way or repeat their English loudly in an effort to be understood aren't treated with contempt?

How about big loud Brits or Aussies or Canadians that point or gesture in an exaggerated way or repeat their English loudly in an effort to be understood?

jeffwill4you

I am sorry if I have replyed to to many posts but I love this site. While we were in Europe we tried to speak as much
French and German as we could while in those countries and I think the shop keepers, restaurant servers, and hotel staffs liked our efforts because they seemed to enjoy us? I would tell you the things we can say in French and german but I can't spell them LOL

indytravel

Honestly Jeff there's no limit to the number of replies here.

I could name several names (but I won't!) of posters who have thousands of responses and they've never been cut off.

tedgale

Stop me if I've told this story before but:

The only instance I can recall of linguistic chauvinism was when my partner popped into a Local Conservancy office in Paris to ask about the boarded-up "hotel particulier" down the street.

He asked what was happening with the "hotel abandone".

The little man he asked drew himself up and said:

Monsieur, le francais est une langue tres riche. L'hotel n'est pas "abandone": il est "en ruines".

(Sir: French is a very rich language -- the hotel is not "abandoned" {i.e. meaning this was an anglicism} it is "in ruins&quot

BTW: If one had said "en etat d'abandon", which I see frequently in real estate ads, it would have passed perhaps without comment.

francesco_m

I'm italian and I appreciate people making efforts to speak my language. Some other times I understand it is best to proceed the conversation in English to make it faster and easier. Once I was together with an american couple and she enjoyed so much speaking italian that she wouldn't mind keeping her husband out of the conversation (he obviously did not speak italian). That made me feel uncomfortable, and we ended up having this strange conversation where she spoke italian and I answered in English!!!

rex

In the context of another current thread asking what is a troll - - isn't this an oblique form of trolling, too? to ask a "follow-up question", draggig up a thread that is many months old, as if that person is "still in the room" - - and in particular, to make a comment that is intentionally provocative or inflammatory.

Your comments are addressed to the &quot;everyone else&quot; reading this thread, aren't they, Rufus? Since skatterfly doesn't seem to have posted here since October, you weren't <i><b>really</b></i> thinking that the comment from <i><b>April</b></i> needed your response all of a sudden this weekend, now were you?