Language Barriers

[stuartcox]

This might seem to be a funny advert, but it certainly reflects the truth when crossing borders!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VSdxqIBfEAw

[huub vink]

Yep you always wonder why English speaking people expect the rest of the world to speak English as well.......

Cheers,
Huub

[dominique]

Yep you always wonder why English speaking people expect the rest of the world to speak English as well.......

Cheers,
Huub Absolutely Huub, I wish the French was still the lingua franca it used to be two centuries ago :icon_lol: :engel016: (no pun intended)

[stuartcox]

Yep you always wonder why English speaking people expect the rest of the world to speak English as well.......

Cheers,
Huub

I would like to see every country have their own ATC language! That could be fun...!

[Bjoern]

Vell, Ai vor maiself dond hev eh tschormen ekzent.


(My spoken english would maybe qualify as a mélange of american and british english.)

[dominique]

I would like to see every country have their own ATC language! That could be fun...!

Sure, but you never know what to expect. I was once in a French AFB tower where a French military controller was directing a French Mirage to touch and go ...in English. SOP for NATO forces :).

[n4gix]

Absolutely Huub, I wish the French was still the lingua franca it used to be two centuries ago :icon_lol: :engel016: (no pun intended)

I think Latin would be better, since it is (now) completely agnostic and cannot offend anyone's "native sensibilities or prejudices..." :ernae:

I've always been amused when someone seems to think if they speak their own language more slowly and loudly, that somehow they'll be understood by whomever it is they are attempting to communicate...

This seems to be a universal constant* and is not limited only to the arch-typical "Ugly American" stereotype.

*Note bene: this may actually be an adult's corollary to the little children's taunting song that exists in every child's world: "Na, Na na Na na..." (sung to the notes: sol-sol mi-la sol-mi)

See: http://forum.wordreference.com/showthread.php?t=187747

[Bjoern]

I think Latin would be better, since it is (now) completely agnostic and cannot offend anyone's "native sensibilities or prejudices..." :ernae:

Latin's dead, dead and more dead.


I've always been amused when someone seems to think if they speak their own language more slowly and loudly, that somehow they'll be understood by whomever it is they are attempting to communicate...

My mom is world champion at that. Slightly annoying. :kilroy:

[brad kaste]

....How about Esperanto?....

[stiz]

english is the only language that should be spoken, so bow down and conform allready! :icon_lol:


seriosly though i'm always amazed when someone from some say finland/sweden/germany/holland/any country that doesnt speak english, comes along and speaks and spells better english then what i do! :icon_lol:

[Wing_Z]

....How about Esperanto?....
Amazing that it crashed and burned so solidly...
Actually, language is such an intrinsic part of a people's culture that it is not so amazing.
And so far it's just been easier to conquer a place, and then force the locals to speak your lingo ;)
Pity the Brits didn't take China, then we would've had a little insight there - more people speak Mandarin than any other language today.

[Henry]

Yep you always wonder why English speaking people expect the rest of the world to speak English as well.......

Cheers,
Huub
actually whenever i have been to Holland, France, etc etc
they all love to speak English
good job too cos im stupid enough not to speak other languages
thats my failing not theres
i can understand the US there is not another country close by
But England
last time i was in Amsterdam i went into a cafe
for lunch i got a menu it was in Dutch how dare they:173go1:
but being a sweetheart the waiteres said would you like one in english
embarrassed as always yes please
but sadly the English language is at the moment the most commonly used
good job cos i cant read arabic
H

[stuartcox]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0BanwQzBQGM&playnext_from=TL&videos=TQIePkf2aHY

[tigisfat]

Yep you always wonder why English speaking people expect the rest of the world to speak English as well.......

Cheers,
Huub


:icon_lol: Because for some reason, a good portion of everyone on the planet does speak great English. Well, maybe except for the French.

I was just never exposed to other languages. He's right, America's just huge. I've travelled abroad quite a bit, and I gotta say that I'm embarassed at how well I DON'T speak the new languages I think I've tought myself.

[ndicki]

It isn't even the language. Have you ever made a joke or amusing aside in a US Army briefing? They don't have a sense of humour while on duty. If you DON'T tell one in one of ours (British Army) you'll be looked at oddly. The language is more-or-less the same, but the culture is worlds apart.

No, I'm not trying to offend the Americans. Just stating an observed fact. My father had the same thing during the War - RAF and USAAF. So it isn't just the language barrier.

When you work in a multi-language environment as I do, many of the groups do make an effort to pick up bits of the other's languages. Even the French!

[Wild Bill Kelso]

Vell, Ai vor maiself dond hev eh tschormen ekzent.

That may qualify for a job as EU Commissioner:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88OGXLFpeMw
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88OGXLFpeMw)
For those not too much accustomed to the swabian deformation of the german language, spoken in the far southern parts of my country:
In the beginning of the vid, he refers about the importance of language skills...

More facts about this tongue wizard:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/G%C3%BCnther_Oettinger

Cheers,
Markus.

[tigisfat]

It isn't even the language. Have you ever made a joke or amusing aside in a US Army briefing? They don't have a sense of humour while on duty. If you DON'T tell one in one of ours (British Army) you'll be looked at oddly. The language is more-or-less the same, but the culture is worlds apart.

No, I'm not trying to offend the Americans. Just stating an observed fact. My father had the same thing during the War - RAF and USAAF. So it isn't just the language barrier.

When you work in a multi-language environment as I do, many of the groups do make an effort to pick up bits of the other's languages. Even the French!

hmm, no offense taken. I am curious though, there wasn't a day that went by where I someone didn't crack me up in the US Military. We do try to be as serious and professional as possible when it's crucial, but for the most part everyone's always cutting it up. I've never heard anyone say that the Army (or any US Service) doesn't have a sense of humor on duty.


I've also spent a little bit of time with the RAF, and I'll admit those guys are pretty funny.

[Mathias]

That may qualify for a job as EU Commissioner:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88OGXLFpeMw
(http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=88OGXLFpeMw)
For those not too much accustomed to the swabian deformation of the german language, spoken in the far southern parts of my country:
In the beginning of the vid, he refers about the importance of language skills...


Cheers,
Markus.

OMG, Öttinger! But that fits right into the drama with our useless foreign minister Westerwelle.

[dominique]

:icon_lol: a Well, maybe except for the French.

well, now, thank you VERY MUCH Tig :icon_lol::icon_lol:

[Bjoern]

english is the only language that should be spoken, so bow down and conform allready! :icon_lol:

One thing where english really outshines german is in the lyrics of songs. German lyrics just sound...kind of awful compared to their english counterparts. The reason may be that english offers you fifteen thousand different ways to say something while german offers you one or two.


seriosly though i'm always amazed when someone from some say finland/sweden/germany/holland/any country that doesnt speak english, comes along and speaks and spells better english then what i do! :icon_lol:

That's not hard.

Seriously (without offending anyone), I get the impression that at least 50% of native english speakers on the internet are dyslexics. It's pure torture for the eyes and the grey matter! :isadizzy:




When you work in a multi-language environment as I do, many of the groups do make an effort to pick up bits of the other's languages. Even the French!

It's amazing that you can get along in France with english.
As long as you ask the people you're talking to politely (in french) if you may speak with them in english!




For those not too much accustomed to the swabian deformation of the german language, spoken in the far southern parts of my country:
In the beginning of the vid, he refers about the importance of language skills...

Oh, Ötti...fortunately, I fled the federal state before he got to power there.
Effin' Swabians. :d




OMG, Öttinger! But that fits right into the drama with our useless foreign minister Westerwelle.

When you're to lazy to talk in a foreign language in your country, you practically "pull a Westerwelle". :d

I still like him 'tho.



Btw:
http://doridoreau.files.wordpress.com/2009/10/mlmuyo.jpg
:d

[ndicki]

, but for the most part everyone's always cutting it up. I've never heard anyone say that the Army (or any US Service) doesn't have a sense of humor on duty.


I've also spent a little bit of time with the RAF, and I'll admit those guys are pretty funny.

Individuals, agreed - but once one of those field officers arrives... !

On another note, have you ever tried kidding a US Customs and Immigration man? Don't. They tend to take it badly, I gather. Which means I can't resist...

I was coming back across the US-Mexico border with my (German) wife, so there you have 2 unusual passports to begin with.
The officer takes a look in mine and sees the visa waiver stub pushed negligently in-between two pages.
"Sir, you should staple this into your passport, sir" he says, rather flatly.
"Oh, I couldn't possibly do that," I answered.
"Why not, sir?"
"Well, it's Her Majesty's property. She wouldn't like it."
He just stared...

Harmless fun.

[Bjoern]

On another note, have you ever tried kidding a US Customs and Immigration man? Don't. They tend to take it badly, I gather. Which means I can't resist...

People taking stuff too seriously are just asking to be trolled.
If you end up in detention, just say "That was soooo worth it!" to youself over and over again. :icon_lol:

[Wild Bill Kelso]

I once had a quite nice encounter with a GDR border guard, should have been back in 1987:
We were using the Transit-Autobahn across the GDR from West-Berlin to West-Germany. These East-German guards weren't known for their sense of humour but this guy took me by surprise.

When leaving West-Berlin and entering the GDR checkpoint, you had to claim which of the three routes available you were about to take. At the West-German/East-German border, the adjacent checkpoints had different designations: For the southern route, it was "Hirschberg" at the GDR side and "Rudolphstein" at the West-German (Bavarian) side. The GDR officials emphasized on naming the GDR designation of the checkpoint, otherwise a more-or-less annoying indoctrination was about to follow. We should have said "Hirschberg" then...

Our driver insisted on the Bavarian designation and stated:
"I want to leave your country via Rudolphstein!"

Instead of making a fuss out of it, the GDR guard said:
"Me too!"

Don't know how long this guard stayed in service then...

Cheers,
Markus.

[JorisVandenBerghe]

:icon_lol: Because for some reason, a good portion of everyone on the planet does speak great English. Well, maybe except for the French..
You forgot to mention the Spanish :icon_lol: (no offence intended either). Love the accent native speakers of English have when speaking French (and vice versa!)...sounds a bit like 'Allo 'Allo' to me.

I was just never exposed to other languages. He's right, America's just huge. I've travelled abroad quite a bit, and I gotta say that I'm embarassed at how well I DON'T speak the new languages I think I've tought myself.
Taught :wavey:...I think :).

Language is something very fascinating but very difficult to understand. There are so many things that influence it. Economical/social background of someone, places, friends, politics, cultural differences,...(student of applied linguistics here).

I can't but agree with Bjoern...the mistakes I see on forums, (especially from native speakers), oh dear...

[Bjoern]

Don't know how long this guard stayed in service then...


Depens on whether a superior overheard it or not.

Worst to happen would have been a holiday in Bautzen and which wasn't a pleasant place at all. :monkies:

[stuartcox]

I once had a quite nice encounter with a GDR border guard, should have been back in 1987:
We were using the Transit-Autobahn across the GDR from West-Berlin to West-Germany. These East-German guards weren't known for their sense of humour but this guy took me by surprise.

When leaving West-Berlin and entering the GDR checkpoint, you had to claim which of the three routes available you were about to take. At the West-German/East-German border, the adjacent checkpoints had different designations: For the southern route, it was "Hirschberg" at the GDR side and "Rudolphstein" at the West-German (Bavarian) side. The GDR officials emphasized on naming the GDR designation of the checkpoint, otherwise a more-or-less annoying indoctrination was about to follow. We should have said "Hirschberg" then...

Our driver insisted on the Bavarian designation and stated:
"I want to leave your country via Rudolphstein!"

Instead of making a fuss out of it, the GDR guard said:
"Me too!"

Don't know how long this guard stayed in service then...

Cheers,
Markus.

I had a similar encounter with the GDR...

As an 11 year old kid, I bought an electric train set in Magdeburg with my pocket money! (1:5 exchange rate on the black market), and we had to declare everything at the border.
You were not allowed to export electrical goods to the West, so it got confiscated...until I started crying.
The border officer shut his eyes and let us pass with my train!
Children's crying is a universal language!

[Henry]

personally i have been to most countries in Europe
sometimes its helpful not to speak the language
especially when you deal with the police:monkies:
if you drive on the wrong side of the road in Spain
and 2 motorcycle police aim machine guns at you
it is wise that you put your hands in the air
and scream Englaise Enlaise and run around looking like an idiot
saved my life a time or two :wavey:
the worse place i have encounted is Paris
no one wants to help or speak anything but French
once you go outside of the city
great people
then again i speak English in Louisiana and they dont understand me either
LOL
H

[Bjoern]

(1:5 exchange rate on the black market)

Only? From what I've heard it was 1:20 or so and 1:10 on good days.

[Henry]

my worst experience in europe was Frankfurt
the locals were wonderful
but the place where i was working was full of US GI's
and they were hill
thats the only time i ever Hated working in europe
H

[stuartcox]

Only? From what I've heard it was 1:20 or so and 1:10 on good days.

Yes, it was my East German Uncle! He knew how to rip us off, otherwise you would be reported!
He was kind of a "Doppelagent", on the Stasi books, but also liked to gain from western currencies, TV, magazines and newspapers, well everything that was banned! (1988).

[Wild Bill Kelso]

You were not allowed to export electrical goods to the West...

Yep. Any high-class goods especially determined to the western market to gain western currencies (such as porcelain from Meissen, cameras or model trains) were banned from private export.

On the flipside, my museum railroad club was able to set some nice deals with the GDR Reichsbahn...

Cheers,
Markus.

[Bjoern]

Yes, it was my East German Uncle! He knew how to rip us off, otherwise you would be reported!
He was kind of a "Doppelagent", on the Stasi books, but also liked to gain from western currencies, TV, magazines and newspapers, well everything that was banned! (1988).

Used every possibility. Heh. :d

1988? Might have been around the time that friends of ours went "rogue" (:d) and left us their fishtank *and* a whole set of model trains, the latter of which served me and my dad excellently till the early 2000s. Loved those TT scale models.