Caught speeding!! ,

[219]

do you really think I haven't made my best to talk to them in their language I talk a little bit French that I learned in the school but I'm not fluent and when you go to a tourist place yes I expect to have at least a English menu and the things like police , hospitals and stuff like that they should too !
And you don't know me to call me arrogant , so wash your mouth before you talk about me!!

So , by extension , do you expect every restaurant in the UK , or even a good number of them , to have menus available in each major European language , and members of staff that at least have a working knowledge of these languages as far as relates to the services they provide ?

By that , I would suggest French , German , Italian , Spanish and , maybe Dutch .

There is an old cliche that most people , other than the English , make some effort to learn other languages , while the English just expect everyone else to learn theirs .

 

[Dieselman]

There is an old cliche that most people , other than the English , make some effort to learn other languages , while the English just expect everyone else to learn theirs .

English is the international language and we did once rule half the World, so a little leeway is expected.

What surprises me is that given all the language adjustments made over Centuries, we don't all speak only one or two languages now.

 

[C36fan]

No you getting it all wrong tourist places like South France , algarve in Portugal or any places like that they should have at least available English option because English is a universal language . Just think if you went to Turkey and they didn't speak any English at all !!! I'm not English and I only lived in uk the last 6 years and I could speak ,write and read English because a I learnt it in school 20 years ago so I think in modern days English is the main language !! That post was to reply to pontoneer

 

[C36fan]

English is the international language and we did once rule half the World, so a little leeway is expected. What surprises me is that given all the language adjustments made over Centuries, we don't all speak only one or two languages now.

hey old on DM and we discovered the other half!

 

[ChrisA]

English is the international language and we did once rule half the World, so a little leeway is expected.

What surprises me is that given all the language adjustments made over Centuries, we don't all speak only one or two languages now.

I speak 4 languages, 3 fluently (English, German and Yorkshire) and one I understand fairly well (Geordie) although can be a little difficult at times

We, as a nation, tend to expect other countries to speak English as well as understand our rants but to be honest, so they should as it is the International language and each of our foreign neighbours learn basic English in school

This then makes us a little lazy, ignorant etc in learning another language

I landed on a building site in (Old) East Germany in 1990 so had to learn German very quickly as the locals only spoke German and Russian

Ich bin ein Berliner :bannana:

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

Here's a bit of fun to complement our anecdotal thoughts/opinions/experiences. Obviously, to be taken with a pinch of salt, but interesting anyway... People who think they are likely to be offended should not read:


British say the French are the most arrogant people in Europe - and the French agree - Telegraph

Quote:

"
It may come as no surprise that Britons consider France to be the most arrogant nation in Europe, or that the Germans are almost universally judged the most trustworthy.

But a few eyebrows will be raised by an authoritative new survey’s findings that the French agree they are the continent’s most arrogant people and that the Greeks rate themselves as the most trustworthy.

The Washington DC-based Pew Research Centre polled more than 7,600 people in eight European countries about their attitudes towards the EU, their governments and their neighbours.

The findings throw up intriguing insights into new national stereotypes in the wake of the Eurozone crisis, which has seen Germany take a leading role in imposing unpopular austerity measures on the struggling economies of southern Europe.

Everyone, including the British, agreed that the Germans were the most trustworthy people in the EU, apart from the Greeks, who awarded themselves that accolade.

The traditional antagonism between the UK and France is reflected in the survey, with Britons judging their neighbours over the Channel to be the least trustworthy and the most arrogant.

The poll highlighted an internal conflict among the French, who considered themselves to be both the least arrogant and the most arrogant country in Europe.

All Europeans think that their own country is the most compassionate, and nearly everyone judges the Germans to be the least compassionate, although both France and Germany gave that title to Britain.
"

 

[Steve320]

There is an old cliche that most people , other than the English , make some effort to learn other languages , while the English just expect everyone else to learn theirs .

So, here comes a hornets nest, but a question; do you mean it's just the English from the UK population who expect everyone else to learn their language, or is it the English speaking population of the UK?

I can't say I've ever noticed any marked difference when abroad between any of us, Scots, Welsh, Irish or English?

Personally I agree with the sentiment expressed that we should make some effort to speak even a few of the basic words of language of a country visited and agree that a good attitude always helps!

 

[John Jones Jr]

Just read the whole thread. C36, you've a lot to answer for!

 

[C36fan]

Just read the wholes thread. C36, you've a lot to answer!

what thread is that?

 

[John Jones Jr]

what thread is that?

Good question...

 

[C36fan]

Good question...

so why do you think I have a lot to answer?!

 

[John Jones Jr]

Only pulling your leg.

Anyway, I suppose you taking French lessons is not on the agenda?

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

Only pulling your leg.

Anyway, I suppose you taking French lessons is not on the agenda?

I thought he had just returned from his French 'lesson', no?

Just kidding C36

 

[C36fan]

Only pulling your leg. Anyway, I suppose you taking French lessons is not on the agenda?

no thanks I had my share of French in the past 2 weeks!

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

no thanks I had my share of French in the past 2 weeks!

Well you can relax now you're back!

If you have time, here's our new project:

http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/1965980-post52.html

What do you think? Any suggestions?

 

[C36fan]

Well you can relax now you're back! If you have time, here's our new project: http://www.mbclub.co.uk/forums/1965980-post52.html What do you think? Any suggestions?

i I'm all up for it !! get the beer ready ill brig the rest!!

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

i I'm all up for it !! get the beer ready ill brig the rest!!

OK great, the beer is on order! :bannana:

 

[C36fan]

OK great, the beer is on order! :bannana:

don't forget some nice girls to check if they fit at the back!

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

don't forget some nice girls to check if they fit at the back!

Oh yes, forgot about that...I'll have a word with my mate 'Dave'

 

[ItalianTuneUp]

We might have to test the jacuzzi with them - you can drive and I'll let you know if there's enough space at the back Or maybe flick a coin to see who drives?