On Holiday, do you attempt the Language?

Mint Sauce · 27-09-2012 07:24PM #1

Well do you?

I will always trying and learn the very basics before I go. Hello, good bye, excuse me, please, and thank you, and in a restaurant or bar will always try and order the food in their own language, ie, from the Spanish/French/Portuguese section of the Menu, rather than from the English translated part.

I think its only polite, respectful, and have found, in most cases you will get a better response from the person you are dealing with. Even if you do have to continue the rest of the conversation in broken English with them.

super_furry · 27-09-2012 07:24PM

Yep. If that doesn't work I just shout loudly and slowly in English.

Biggins · 27-09-2012 07:27PM

Yes.

I embarrass myself a few times with wrong pronunciations - well probably more than a few - but I give it a go.
Currently trying to learn Chinese and Japanese.
French now I had a right bash at last time in France.
(They probably wanted to bash me for murdering their language!)

Culleeo · 27-09-2012 07:29PM

Yes, when they don't understand me, I end up speaking English with a Spanish/French accent, as if they are going to understand me by putting on the accent

im invisible · 27-09-2012 07:30PM

ja, ja. das ist gut

Heroditas · 27-09-2012 07:30PM

Always have issues in West Cork or Kerry. Even shouting slowly doesn't seem to work

Mint Sauce · 27-09-2012 07:32PM

super_furry wrote: »

Yep. If that doesn't work I just shout loudly and slowly in English.

Think my most memorable was at an Austrian sky resort, saying hello to the cute receptionist, introducing myself, asking how she was, before asking if she spoke English, all in German, before finishing the conversation in English. Resulting in a pat on the back from my uncle for the top shelf flirting as we headed for our rooms, and a smile from her for the rest of the week.

Unfortunatly it didn't get the same response from the local gift shop owner who looked at me with suspicion the whole time on hearing an English speaker, regardless of where I was actually from.

PhlegmyMoses · 27-09-2012 07:33PM

Culleeo wrote: »

Yes, when they don't understand me, I end up speaking English with a Spanish/French accent, as if they are going to understand me by putting on the accent

Schteve McLaren?

Mint Sauce · 27-09-2012 07:34PM

Biggins wrote: »

Yes.

I embarrass myself a few times with wrong pronunciations - well probably more than a few - but I give it a go.
Currently trying to learn Chinese and Japanese.
French now I had a right bash at last time in France.
(They probably wanted to bash me for murdering their language!)

I think I managed to insult a few people in Portugal by using the Masculine/feminine response at the wrong times. A female friend travelling with us only told me of my mistake on the third day.

:eek:

Biggins · 27-09-2012 07:37PM

irish-stew wrote: »

I think I managed to insult a few people in Portugal by using the Masculine/feminine response at the wrong times. A female friend travelling with us only told me of my mistake on the third day.

:eek:

Easily done and easily forgiven by many if your a tourist.
Most appreciate the attempt.

Sir Pompous Righteousness · 27-09-2012 07:41PM

An t-aon teanga a labhraím in ionann Béarla thar sáile ná Ghaeilge.

whatdoicare · 27-09-2012 07:41PM

I used a bit of espanol on the check in girl in a hotel once, just stuff like "Good Morning, your hotel is beautiful, hope you're having a good day etc, etc" - got the best room with the balcony overlooking the pool. Sweeeeet.

It was either my fabulous grasp of the language or she was a bit lesbo for me. Either way....Balcony!!:D

Lord TSC · 27-09-2012 07:42PM

No.

I hate when people massacre the English language, so I don't intend on destroying the languages of other nations :P

DeltaWhite · 27-09-2012 07:43PM

Yes I do! My OH is always trying to learn aswell

I find zee Germans aren't very courteous when trying to chat with them in German

I recently went abroad to Gran Canaria and the hotel we stayed in had mostly German guests and they weren't very friendly to us even when we said Guten Tag/Nocht

but the Canarians are great they love when you show an interest and attempt their language

27-09-2012 07:45PM

I always try the basics, some languages are more difficult than others obviously. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't/can't remember 'please' in Dutch!

FanadMan · 27-09-2012 07:46PM

kyllä

asherbassad · 27-09-2012 07:46PM

I usually put on a Cockney accent and scream "gimme a faaackin' beer you filthy daygo/wop/greasball/kraut/eyetie caaaaaaaant!!!"

Just doing my bit to enhance the reputation of our British neighbours :P

Where To · 27-09-2012 07:47PM

Just after leaving four French fiddlers at a local guesthouse, hadn't a word of English between them.

The owner was struggling to tell them they were actually staying in another house backing on the guesthouse, so I helped by translating for him.

'C'homme voudrais habite a votre posterieurs'

27-09-2012 07:47PM

I certainly do... not in prague though, hadn't a clue...

Where To · 27-09-2012 07:48PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I always try the basics, some languages are more difficult than others obviously. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't/can't remember 'please' in Dutch!

Pleash.

asherbassad · 27-09-2012 07:50PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I always try the basics, some languages are more difficult than others obviously. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't/can't remember 'please' in Dutch!

Als tu blieft

27-09-2012 07:50PM

I am fluent in Rastafarian

3ndahalfof6 · 27-09-2012 07:54PM

I think it is very important to try to blend in, simple phrases, like, I love you but I love your mum morer (is there a word for this in any language),

you are a superior race, 24 miles is nothing, the food your people eat is stupendous, can I give you these books/DVD on how to fit in ,

thank you, by the way, ell ist to mocho mono kemptastic.

D1stant · 27-09-2012 07:56PM

DeltaWhite wrote: »

Yes I do! My OH is always trying to learn aswell I find zee Germans aren't very courteous when trying to chat with them in German I recently went abroad to Gran Canaria and the hotel we stayed in had mostly German guests and they weren't very friendly to us even when we said Guten Tag/Nocht but the Canarians are great they love when you show an interest and attempt their language

Chirp?

Palytoxin · 27-09-2012 07:56PM

"Un baguette, petit pois" is my tourist French.

Smidge · 27-09-2012 08:00PM

Deleted User wrote: »

I always try the basics, some languages are more difficult than others obviously. No matter how hard I tried I couldn't/can't remember 'please' in Dutch!

I could teach you some swear words in Dutch:o

mikemac1 · 27-09-2012 08:03PM

Yes always

They appreciate the effort

Even if all you say to the Roman is uno gelato
The Italians have the best ice-cream!

Sure it will be grand · 27-09-2012 08:04PM

Anglophone monoglots like the Irish are notoriously lazy and inept at learning other languages. Big pity.

ejmaztec · 27-09-2012 08:07PM

The first time that I went to the Czech Republic I had to resort to clucking like a chicken to get a fried egg.:( Things got a lot better after a few more trips and a few language tapes.

Pherekydes · 27-09-2012 08:09PM

Always willing to try. The worst I can remember was when we went to Inisheer. Even the kids couldn't understand the guys driving the traps. :pac:

naughtysmurf · 27-09-2012 08:14PM

Always try and use a bit of the local lingo if I can as long as it doesn't make me look like a tool

Slightly off topic
As a teenager down in west cork trying to improve my irish, our dinner used to be brought to us by a really hot girl, every evening she used to hand the plate of grub to me and say "Tá sé te" and every evening for the first week I burnt my fingers until someone explained what it meant

Still remember her name, even her address (well the road anyway) & it's a long time since I was a teenager

On Holiday, do you attempt the Language?

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