Question to people who live or are from outside of USA.
- Thread starter Meangunns
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Interesting... I just saw an Anthony Bourdain episode in France where he didn't try to appeal to them in anyway and everybody seemed polite to him. I chalked it up to celebrity but I wouldn't be surprised if that was the norm.Dr Spaceman said:
Yeah, I think most Europeans appreciate being spoken to a little in their own language before you fall back on English. Probably don't need to bother learning hello in Gaelige though...
well it definately could be, especially if you dont know the language but its worse if they dont speak the language
Oh, believe me, us Brits are the worst at languages (says the guy who took French for his GCSEs). You know the old saying you have "You would be speaking German if it weren't for us"? Even now we wouldn't have grasped it.
Sorry, couldn't help myself there
Okay then: Hello there, eh.Fightgarr said:
Sorry, couldn't help myself there
I think it's best not to attempt it unless you're sure you can get it right. Speak to someone who is fluent beforehand, ensure you're getting it right, rather than making a fool of yourself. Done correctly, I'm sure it makes a good impression, because you'll have put the effort in. I'd stick to the basics... just a greeting, a farewell, and how to say please and thanks.
As for avoiding them assuming you are fluent, try to follow up with with something in English before they get a word in edgeways. Make it clear you're making a token effort, not learning the whole language just for them.
As for avoiding them assuming you are fluent, try to follow up with with something in English before they get a word in edgeways. Make it clear you're making a token effort, not learning the whole language just for them.
If you're talking to a German, I doubt they will mind using a smattering of the language provided it's not from a World War II movie. One of the German teachers at my A level college told me he used to have a colleague who persisted in addressing him as "Herr Obersturmbannführer". That sort of thing gets old quick.
Never greet someone in there native language chances are you will butcher it because you can get the accent right and its safer just to greet them in your language and hope for the best.
Also never say "Top O the mornin' to ya!" to an irish person unless you have a death wish.
Also never say "Top O the mornin' to ya!" to an irish person unless you have a death wish.
Truthfully. I would be really amazed if I went to work somewhere and found someone who has never interacted with "my people" before speak even bad romanian. I would appreciate the effort, but tell them that unless they're going to start speaking properly, we would get more work done speaking in a language we both understand on a high enough level.
I'd say its polite to greet people in their own language. Just dont try it out on the aussies or irish. But íf you manage to say hello to me in dutch, I apreciate it
Oh God No. Don't do it, its fine if you pull it off. But nothing more than that, use whichever language you both can communicate most easily with. If you speak english chance are that would be english.
Start your conversations as you mean to go on. If you introduce yourself in their language, they are going to assume you can speak it, and will start talking in a language you may not know anything except 'hello' in.
Start your conversations as you mean to go on. If you introduce yourself in their language, they are going to assume you can speak it, and will start talking in a language you may not know anything except 'hello' in.
I'm Australian so if you spoke to me in my native language it would sound alot like your native language. Anyway, my view is don't say G'day to an Aussie. None of us say it to each other, and we'd only say to a foreigner just for the hell of it (just like we'd pretend that we actually carry machetes and wrestle crocs).
If your thinking of trying to speak to a foreign employee or business partner, only do it if you're already fluent in the language totally. Otherwise you'll look stupid when they try to carry on a conversation in their language that goes beyond the 3 phrases you jotted down that morning.
If your thinking of trying to speak to a foreign employee or business partner, only do it if you're already fluent in the language totally. Otherwise you'll look stupid when they try to carry on a conversation in their language that goes beyond the 3 phrases you jotted down that morning.