On Holiday, do you attempt the Language?

keith16 · 27-09-2012 08:21PM

Really enjoyed speaking a bit of Russian when I went to Moscow. The locals seemed to appreciate it too. Nice language in IMO.

D1stant · 27-09-2012 11:01PM

Always. Whenever in Bantry I always say "Hey Horse no fuckin sauce on me burger ok". The locals seem so appreciative, Bless'em

jimmi10 · 28-09-2012 11:37AM

Yes I will try and use some of the language of the place I am visiting. Even if it's just "please" or "thank you". It shows respect to the people who's country you are a guest in.

rgmmg · 28-09-2012 11:49AM

I try to.

My Dad, on the other hand, has tried before and now doesn't bother.

We were on holiday one day in the depths of France about 20 years ago and it was raining really heavily. My Dad saw this elderly French bloke walking with his bike up a hill in the downpour and pulled the car over to say, laughing, “Ou est la soleil?” or similar (“Where is the sun?”). The French guy didn’t understand a word so my Dad pointed at the sky and repeated the question. The French guy looked up to the sky but still was none the wiser, at which point my Dad put the window up and drove off. I imagine the French guy is still there, staring at the sky, scratching his head and wondering wtf my Dad was saying.

He’s a little more reluctant to use any language now. On a recent trip to Spain, my Dad asked a waiter for a drink to which the Spanish waiter replied with a sentence. My Dad’s response was to wave him away, roll his eyes and say “Yeah, whatever, whatever”.

28-09-2012 11:55AM

rgmmg wrote: »

I try to.

My Dad, on the other hand, has tried before and now doesn't bother.

We were on holiday one day in the depths of France about 20 years ago and it was raining really heavily. My Dad saw this elderly French bloke walking with his bike up a hill in the downpour and pulled the car over to say, laughing, “Ou est la soleil?” or similar (“Where is the sun?”). The French guy didn’t understand a word so my Dad pointed at the sky and repeated the question. The French guy looked up to the sky but still was none the wiser, at which point my Dad put the window up and drove off. I imagine the French guy is still there, staring at the sky, wondering wtf my Dad was saying.

He’s a little more reluctant to use any language now. On a recent trip to Spain, my Dad asked a waiter for a drink to which the Spanish waiter replied with a sentence. My Dad’s response was to wave him away, roll his eyes and say “Yeah, whatever, whatever”.

People actually do that? Perhaps that's why the Spanish waiters here are always rude to English speakers.

I always try to speak a bit of the language, but if I really can't, I speak English but am apologetic about it and never expect people to speak English. I think realising that not speaking the local language is your issue is the most important thing, wherever you go.

aujopimur · 28-09-2012 01:17PM

I tried Leitrimese one time, total failure.

Rigol · 28-09-2012 01:34PM

oonly wen am in scolan an nee ta fine a bampot ..ye noo ..wen ah nee tae ha a jobbie

Agricola · 28-09-2012 02:00PM

Always try to. In France afew years back was having a lot of trouble with an incomprehensible menu and an owner who had no english. She was giving me the usual "idiot tourist" vibe until I plucked up the courage to try some of my old Leaving Cert french on her. I might have told her I was 15 and looking for the train station, but she seemed happy enough.

whatswhat · 28-09-2012 02:14PM

an easy guide to learning French is just watch Del Boy on Only Fools... Class!

JessePinkman · 28-09-2012 02:17PM

Only when i holiday in Ireland

Unlimited Bacon · 28-09-2012 02:18PM

Nah, there's no need. I'm English so i already speak the universal language.

Boulevardier · 28-09-2012 02:22PM

Don't bother trying to use Turkish words in Istanbul. They really are NOT interested.

CruelCoin · 28-09-2012 02:22PM

Always.

I travel quite often to Holland to visit family and for business.
Each time it usually takes me around a half a day to re-develop the back of the throat "ghhh" you need to enunciate properly.

My speech goes from tourist to local in the time between breakfast and lunch.

whomitconcerns · 28-09-2012 02:25PM

in china I learned "Tsingtao píjiǔ" and "xie xie" to order a beer and say thank you. It was all I needed

bluecode · 28-09-2012 02:45PM

In Vietnam I quickly learned 'Không, cảm ơn'. That was very useful to fend off street sellers. The Vietanamese are polite people. It means 'No thank you'. That was all I really needed. The guide did all the neccessary talking.

I have a tiny little bit of French. But on our last holiday to France I for some reason kept asking waiters for the 'billet' (ticket) until my wife pointed out I should have said 'l'addicion'. This should have been a clue for me. So for the rest of our holiday I generally murdered the French language in shops and restaurants. While my wife stood by and let me embarrass myself.

Eventually we were talking and I said I'd love to learn more French and asked her if she had ever thought of studying it. At this point she told me she had, throughout school and studied business French in college and was effectively fluent at one stage. After I picked up my jaw from the floor. I asked her why she had stood by and had me do all the talking. Apparently she was too 'embarrassed' to try it as it had been a while since she spoke it. Ok for me to be embarrassed apparently.:mad:

Next time she does all the talking let me tell you.

I remember in Montreal using my French occasionally. They all spoke English too but at least attempting to use their language always seemed to please them. Which helps with service.

YFlyer · 28-09-2012 02:46PM

Yes I talk to the French like Del Boy.

pickarooney · 28-09-2012 03:15PM

JessePinkman wrote: »

Only when i holiday in Ireland

Pity, I reckon Ja, Bitch! would go down a treat.

PizzamanIRL · 28-09-2012 03:20PM

Dónde están las prostitutas?

That's all you need to learn in Spain.

CruelCoin · 28-09-2012 03:38PM

PizzamanIRL wrote: »

Dónde están las prostitutas?

That's all you need to learn in Spain.

or "como me los huevos"

Blisterman · 28-09-2012 04:05PM

I try to speak the few words I know, but I always end up using the wrong language.

eg In a cafe in France.

"Uno cerveza por favor"... ****

"Danke"... ****

bonzodog2 · 28-09-2012 05:21PM

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

I misread this as Canadians the first time.

leaveiton · 28-09-2012 05:40PM

I try my best in the likes of shops and restaurants, but I've usually found that if I'm in a restaurant and a waiter comes over they'll just start speaking in English as they could hear that we were speaking in English at the table. Even if they do begin to speak in the native language they quickly cop on and switch to English. I would normally say stuff like please and thank you in the language though

ejmaztec · 28-09-2012 05:49PM

Unlimited Bacon wrote: »

Nah, there's no need. I'm English so i already speak the universal language.

I met some old American guy in the Czech Republic, who had returned to some town that was liberated by him and his GI chums at the end of WW2. He was moaning like sh1t because the hotel staff couldn't speak English. He seemed even more put out when I told him that he was a miserable old bastard.

Precious flower · 29-09-2012 02:15PM

It's funny, I'd be more than helpful to someone who was speaking to me in broken English but I'd be afraid that if I went to a foreign country and tried to converse with them in their own language badly that they would simply ignore me or laugh in my face!:o

On Holiday, do you attempt the Language?

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