We British, when confronted by johnny foreigner, used to speak very slowly and loudly and expect them to understand.
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We British, when confronted by johnny foreigner, used to speak very slowly and loudly and expect them to understand.The English used to be very arrogant. They had all the reasons to be so since after the Spanish Armada, they have become the top power in the world for some 300 or so years. In the WWII they won the war and liberated France and defeated the German (all because they had the Americans on their side). So everyone else should speak English. Things have changed since then and the English are beginning to learn more foreign languages. On the other hand, in many parts of Europe where I have been to, many people spoke English to a respectable standard.
English would probably get by in most towns in western Europe. But not quite in more remote villages. I once went to a village in Austria and no one spoke English. Ordering food from a pure German menu was surprisingly difficult, even with sign language. That was the reason why I decided to stick my finger out and learned enough in French, German and Italian so as to be able to understand most ordinary menus and to read bus and train timetables and to rent a room in hotels. Beyond these....Well....No comment!
Does your son go to Eton?.
We British, when confronted by johnny foreigner, used to speak very slowly and loudly and expect them to understand.
I was kidding, of course Steve, but being an island nation it's amazing how insular in our thinking we British can be.I think that's the advice given in the Collins English - Foreign, Foreign - English dictionary.
Steve.
I think that's the advice given in the Collins English - Foreign, Foreign - English dictionary.
Steve.
The English even did this to the Irish.
I'd always add, "Je sui Canadien."
Je suis...
However, if you don't let this bother you, make a token effort to speak French and then gracefully concede that things are better managed in English then, in my experience at least, Paris is a perfectly friendly place, and people are generally polite and helpful.
I speak both English and fluent french and i am from, canada. I personally didnt think it was a very difficult thing to learn but im basically the only 15 year old i know that shoots 8x10 collodian glass plates.
Knowing a bit of everything is better then knowing a lot about one thing in most situations I've found.
I speak both English and fluent french and i am from, canada. I personally didnt think it was a very difficult thing to learn but im basically the only 15 year old i know that shoots 8x10 collodian glass plates.
Knowing a bit of everything is better then knowing a lot about one thing in most situations I've found.
Wow! What size would you wish get to when you have grown up?
well im not sure, a longer film forsure.
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