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adigaskell
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 Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 8:43 am Post subject: Do you learn the language? |
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When you visit a country do you try to learn the language before you go or do you expect everyone to speak English?
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Jochen
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| Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 9:18 am Post subject: Re: Do you learn the language? |
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I try to memorize at least a number of useful words and sentences. About 50 to 100.
If the foreign language hasd a "logical connection" with one of the languages I know (ic. I can make out similar words and sentence structures), then that figure is waaay higher; I can often read the paper or understand the TV news.
I speak Dutch, English, French and German.
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adigaskell
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| Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 9:33 am Post subject: |
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It will be interesting to hear from English people. I often feel that the English expect others to know English, whilst perhaps Europeans are more willing to learn other languages. Any Brits care to comment?
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PeterW
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| Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 5:21 pm Post subject: |
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Not very good at learning before I go, but try to pick up some phrases / words while out there. If staying in the same place for a while this can mean pestering the same man in the corner shop for a few days, which they seem to enjoy. Unfortunately, do not often remember what I have learnt on my return!
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Biggles2
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| Posted: Tue May 31, 2005 7:45 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | I often feel that the English expect others to know English, whilst perhaps Europeans are more willing to learn other languages |
I don't think it's quite as simple as that.
English has become the major international language over the last couple of centuries, and the internet is merely increasing its domination. An English-speaker will therefore know that there is a good chance of finding someone who can understand you in most parts of the world.
Meanwhile, other Europeans, not being on an island, have historically been more likely to encounter speakers of other languages and, indeed, often live among them (before the days of mass air travel) and thus more likely to accumulate a working knowledge of two or three other languages.
I'm not denying the English are lazy in this area, just pointing out how I think it has probably come about.
Personally, though my only 'other language' is schoolboy French, I do try to get together enough words and phrases to get by when I go abroad. I think the locals appreciate it if you make an effort. Especially if you're English, perhaps! |
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Ginirover
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| Posted: Wed Jun 01, 2005 6:07 pm Post subject: |
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I used to learn by heart a travel dictionary from the first till the last page. Being honest, I'm rather good at picking up languages, so it took me roughly 3 - 4 weeks to memorize the whole book. Ofcourse everything was not evenly important, but I picked up a bunch of words that I could use in other contexts etc... That's how I learned Portugese, Bulgarian, Russian, Hungarian, Turkish etc... Problem is that after some time the words fade away, so they get lost in the end 
The last 10-15 years I meanly went to countries I already know the language of, so for the time being, the studying part is over  |
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trev
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| Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 10:53 am Post subject: Re: Do you learn the language? |
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English seems to be fairly universal, but if I was heading for continental Europe I'd certainly try to pick up a few phrases and such, although if you're heading for say the south of Spain there probably isn't much point as it's all Brits anyway.
I'd agree however, the English don't tend to do languages as much as we probably should, but a lot of that is down to what you learn in school. Most European countries seem to start languages at about 5 - 6 whereas we start 1 language around 13 or so.
As much as the French I'm sure hate the idea of English being a more universal language, they can just learn English & French and get around probably most of Europe without having to know much of any other language. All I say is, thank god the Americans speak English! 
Trev
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Dan
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| Posted: Thu Jun 02, 2005 12:09 pm Post subject: Re: Do you learn the language? |
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| adigaskell wrote: | | When you visit a country do you try to learn the language before you go or do you expect everyone to speak English? |
I try to adi. I already speak good French and Spanish, and feel very guilty if (as an English native) I resort to communicating in my own language whenever I'm abroad.
Learning the basics of any language takes no more than a few hours wandering around a foreign town or city. Counting, please and thank you should be prerequisites for entry into any country
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Sidesplitter
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| Posted: Mon Jun 06, 2005 12:56 pm Post subject: |
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I speak fluent French and English and a smatter of Gaelic but am learning Russian ( arkward language!!) to try and get me by in Eastern Europe. Like osme of the usrs said I had a couple of words before going to Germany but have forgotten them now  |
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Barbarella
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| Posted: Tue Jun 07, 2005 6:41 am Post subject: Re: Do you learn the language? |
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| adigaskell wrote: | | When you visit a country do you try to learn the language before you go or do you expect everyone to speak English? |
I try to learn at least a couple of words and phrases before taking off. Sometimes I'll be able to pick up quite a bit like I did in Greece but I'm still very, very far away from being able to hold a conversation. Other times I only manage to learn a few words like I did in Vietnam.
I usually forget these words and phrases after a while as I do no need them back home. |
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gazzaisfreaky
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| Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2005 12:27 pm Post subject: |
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Personally I think that it is better if you at least try to learn some of the language as it is always best in a predicament if you can speak a little of the the language.
Also people in the other countries will respect you for trying to learn the language instead of falling back on your own.
My family has a house in Spain so I am taking spanish at school which makes it a lot easier to understand.
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Sidesplitter
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| Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2005 7:14 pm Post subject: |
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| But most of the neighnours will probably be English anyways |
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Brettuk
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| Posted: Mon Jun 13, 2005 7:20 pm Post subject: |
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When i went backpackin round europe, i tried to use the basics of the country i was in, merely out of politeness. I found most people spoke fairly good english. As it was stated in an earlier post english is a dominant language now, but that still didnt help me feel quite ignorant 
Still havent learnt one yet tho... 
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feishaofeng
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| Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2005 2:36 am Post subject: |
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I kile people speak English, but after I go back from a country, I will learn their langure!
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bentong
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| Posted: Fri Jul 01, 2005 9:12 am Post subject: Re: Do you learn the language? |
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| Barbarella wrote: | | I usually forget these words and phrases after a while as I do no need them back home. |
aside from english as a universal..agree with barbarella, most common for travellers.
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