Why can't they speak English!
May 29th, 2010, 05:26 AM
#21
Yup, all those unwashed, illiterate masses are travelling to an agriturismo in the countryside around Como, and are clearly too deprived to be able to figure out how to find anything out because of the (horrors!) of the evil TI folk who don't speak English. Clearly these folk are so deprived as to be without access to other sources of identifying the location. How did they identify it in the first place, anyway?
It's great when the TI folk speak English well for those of us who are handicapped by being unable to speak another language, but hey, I'm taking a risk and making a choice by travelling to a country where I don't speak the language. Part of the challenge/fun of travel is trying to communicate and finding my way around.
I don't expect that all TI folk will be able to help me, though it's a plus when they do. I hope to find it more easily in a large city than in a smaller location. I don't ASSUME they will all speak my language equally well, though some do so very well. And I appreciate it when I'm able to get the help I'm asking for but them's the breaks/risks of travel when it's not.
It's great when the TI folk speak English well for those of us who are handicapped by being unable to speak another language, but hey, I'm taking a risk and making a choice by travelling to a country where I don't speak the language. Part of the challenge/fun of travel is trying to communicate and finding my way around.
I don't expect that all TI folk will be able to help me, though it's a plus when they do. I hope to find it more easily in a large city than in a smaller location. I don't ASSUME they will all speak my language equally well, though some do so very well. And I appreciate it when I'm able to get the help I'm asking for but them's the breaks/risks of travel when it's not.
May 29th, 2010, 05:40 AM
#27
I'm going for one more penalty shot and then giving up
The lingua franca is "franca" (french), nah i know it isn't but you know in italy it probably isn't english. It's most likely a blend of german and french with a hint of Japanese and English as an after thought. Selling to the Dutch, way down. Now we Amerglish speakers are lucky that the Dutch speak English but I tend to get by with French and Italian in Italy
The lingua franca is "franca" (french), nah i know it isn't but you know in italy it probably isn't english. It's most likely a blend of german and french with a hint of Japanese and English as an after thought. Selling to the Dutch, way down. Now we Amerglish speakers are lucky that the Dutch speak English but I tend to get by with French and Italian in Italy
May 29th, 2010, 05:46 AM
#28
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 74,699
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
>Why can't they speak English! <
They can, NB. All Europeans can speak English. They just refuse to do so.
If the Dutch tourists had spoken in Dutch the TIO staff would have responded, because they all speak every language known today, except they won't speak English.
They can, NB. All Europeans can speak English. They just refuse to do so.
If the Dutch tourists had spoken in Dutch the TIO staff would have responded, because they all speak every language known today, except they won't speak English.
May 29th, 2010, 05:46 AM
#29
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,485
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
bilboburgler - the lingua franca amongst cultured people (the language of diplomats) was French but has been superceded by English not only in commercial fields but also politically (ever more so in Brussels).
Over 30 years ago when I was starting to communicate in Italian, I would have to revert to French if things got difficult as this was the language that everyone spoke. Today it is very different.
Over 30 years ago when I was starting to communicate in Italian, I would have to revert to French if things got difficult as this was the language that everyone spoke. Today it is very different.
May 29th, 2010, 05:54 AM
#32
Join Date: Mar 2005
Posts: 410
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Yes, it's a little known secret that in fact ALL Europeans speak fluent English. If you eavesdrop carefully you'll hear that they will even converse with one another exclusively in English - in private of course. They only revert to the tongue of their ancestors when English speaking tourists are within earshot.
May 29th, 2010, 07:23 AM
#33
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 1,060
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
...wonder how long it'll be before there's a few comments thrown in about the evils of the British (what they are really implying is English) Empire!!...
Well one "evil" of imperialism is that a lot of people in Africa, India and North and South America speak English, French or Spanish.
English Empire, what a load of cobblers.
The Empire would have collapsed without the Scots and to a lesser extent, the Welsh.
ipod-robbie is quite right. Johnnie Foreigner can speak perfectly good English and refuses to do so out of natral wishesness.
Just bang your baseball hat on the desk and SPEAK LOUDLY
Well one "evil" of imperialism is that a lot of people in Africa, India and North and South America speak English, French or Spanish.
English Empire, what a load of cobblers.
The Empire would have collapsed without the Scots and to a lesser extent, the Welsh.
ipod-robbie is quite right. Johnnie Foreigner can speak perfectly good English and refuses to do so out of natral wishesness.
Just bang your baseball hat on the desk and SPEAK LOUDLY
May 29th, 2010, 07:29 AM
#34
"My point is that the offices are there to PROMOTE tourism so their mission should include the capability of speaking foreign languages and not only English."
Could it be that they are interested in promoting tourism by Italians? Italy for the Italians!
Could it be that they are interested in promoting tourism by Italians? Italy for the Italians!
May 29th, 2010, 07:44 AM
#36
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 1,485
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
On the same square as the tourist office there are many bars and hotels. Many waiters and hotel staff speak some English and/or German. Obviously for the Italians who cannot speak Italian!
May 29th, 2010, 07:55 AM
#37
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,190
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Why should they?
There will be far more Italian, French and German speakers visiting. The majority of Europeans can at least get by in one or more of those languages.
Maybe your Dutch friends should have tried a different language. As far as I know all Dutch school children are required to learn two foreign languages.
There will be far more Italian, French and German speakers visiting. The majority of Europeans can at least get by in one or more of those languages.
Maybe your Dutch friends should have tried a different language. As far as I know all Dutch school children are required to learn two foreign languages.
May 29th, 2010, 07:57 AM
#38
Join Date: Aug 2007
Posts: 26,778
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
FWIW, many of my Danish friends feel exactly like the OP. None of them expect an Italian or Spaniard or Frenchy to speak Danish, but they can't comprehend how anyone in Europe over the age of 10 can't speak passable English.
Personally, if I encounter problems with people not understanding me, I just speak louder and slower.
Personally, if I encounter problems with people not understanding me, I just speak louder and slower.
May 29th, 2010, 08:04 AM
#40
Join Date: Mar 2008
Posts: 10,509
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
<< Last year they visited the Tourist Office and asked - in English - about a local agritourism (a sort of bed & breakfast in the countryside). No-one was able to help them or give directions. This Dutch couple are nothing if not determined and this year they returned to the Tourist Office asking about the same place. Again no success with the staff there. They did not give up this year and eventually found the place and had a very enjoyable stay.>>
They knew about the place to ask for it, but didn't know it's address or any kind of contact information?? How did they find out about it in the first place?
Why should every employee/volunteer at a tourism office speak English? If I go to a different country I need to learn a few words of their language (you can get a dictionary at a library or bookstore if you're afraid of the internet) and not expect everyone to speak English. Even with only a handful of words (such as please, thank you, yes, no, where, how much and bathroom), scharades and patience, you can get most things figured out. I can almost understand the first year, but the second year is pretty silly. If you know from experience that the tourism office doesn't know about a place and/or doesn't speak English, why the heck wouldn't you figure it out on your own at home before you went back?? Places were found and people traveled before internet so being less than computer savvy isn't the answer.
The tourist office handed out directions to the internet cafe. That's a pretty good way of saying "we can't help you, but here's a way for you to help yourself".
<<Please do not get fussy about the Dutch. The issue is why don't tourist offices in major tourist locations have people who speak English and other languages.>>
No, the issue is complaining when people in another country don't speak your language. If you don't speak the local language then *you* need to be the one to adapt and figure out ways to communicate using scharades, writing things down, patience and a smile. They were given directions to an internet cafe to help themselves and didn't take it. They had an entire YEAR at home to figure it out and didn't.
They knew about the place to ask for it, but didn't know it's address or any kind of contact information?? How did they find out about it in the first place?
Why should every employee/volunteer at a tourism office speak English? If I go to a different country I need to learn a few words of their language (you can get a dictionary at a library or bookstore if you're afraid of the internet) and not expect everyone to speak English. Even with only a handful of words (such as please, thank you, yes, no, where, how much and bathroom), scharades and patience, you can get most things figured out. I can almost understand the first year, but the second year is pretty silly. If you know from experience that the tourism office doesn't know about a place and/or doesn't speak English, why the heck wouldn't you figure it out on your own at home before you went back?? Places were found and people traveled before internet so being less than computer savvy isn't the answer.
The tourist office handed out directions to the internet cafe. That's a pretty good way of saying "we can't help you, but here's a way for you to help yourself".
<<Please do not get fussy about the Dutch. The issue is why don't tourist offices in major tourist locations have people who speak English and other languages.>>
No, the issue is complaining when people in another country don't speak your language. If you don't speak the local language then *you* need to be the one to adapt and figure out ways to communicate using scharades, writing things down, patience and a smile. They were given directions to an internet cafe to help themselves and didn't take it. They had an entire YEAR at home to figure it out and didn't.
