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<p class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;" align="center"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">===========================================<br>
L O W L A N D S - L - 19 November 2008 - Volume 01<span style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);"><br>
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</span><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="ES-MX">===========================================</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom: 12pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;" lang="ES-MX"><br>
From: <span class="ep8xu"><span><span style="color: rgb(0, 104, 28);"><a href="mailto:heatherrendall@tiscali.co.uk">heatherrendall@tiscali.co.uk</a></span></span></span><span class="hccdpe"> </span><span class="ldacoc"><<a href="mailto:heatherrendall@tiscali.co.uk">heatherrendall@tiscali.co.uk</a>></span><br>
Subject: <span class="hccdpe">LL-L "Media" 2008.11.18 (01) [E]</span></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">From Heather Rendall <a href="mailto:heatherrendall@tiscali.co.uk" target="_blank">heatherrendall@tiscali.co.uk</a></span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Mark wrote</span></p>
<p style="margin-left: 30pt;"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial; color: rgb(0, 0, 153);">I would like to confirm what you say, not with respect to
Afrikaans or other South African languages,but with respect to Spanish and
English. Whenever I've traveled in Mexico,
most people see me as "American" (USA) and seemnot to even hear that
I have asked them a question in Spanish. Theyseemingly automatically
answer me in English. Now, if they don't know anyEnglish, they don't seem
to have that "problem." </span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Can I suggest that this is
one of the BIGGEST reasons why English speakers just give up when abroad trying
to speak the language of the country. I have heard it countless times from
people who were all geared up to do their shopping or ask directions or order a
meal in the language only to be met with English replies.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">It is utterly
disheartening!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">I had the same experience
outside my house sometime ago. I noticed a woman pushing a pram go past
the entrance three or four times. As I live in an isolated hamlet with only 5
houses, any stranger is usually lost. So I went outside and asked her if I
could help. It was clear from her faltering English that she was German, so I
suggested in German that we continue in that language. We then had the weirdest
of conversations where I spoke in German to her, she spoke in English to me,
but in German over the phone to her daughter who was giving her directions.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Now why was that? You would
have thought someone who was lost and with little English would thank the Gods
that they had happened to find themselves outside the house of someone who
happens to speak German but no...... she insisted on speaking English.</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Abroad I am happy to
believe that many people use English in reply because they are keen to actually
practise their langauge on a native speaker. But this was in England - and
her English was poor..............</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Word blindness or deafness
indeed!</span></p>
<p><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">Heather</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-size: 11pt; font-family: Arial;">----------<br>
<br>
From: R. F. Hahn <<a href="mailto:sassisch@yahoo.com" target="_blank">sassisch@yahoo.com</a>><br>
Subject: Language use<br>
<br>
Hi, Heather, and thanks!<br>
<br>
You are writing about common complaints. Here's my take.<br>
<br>
The push to know English is enormous all around the world now. Many people seem
to have a hard time admitting that their English as a second language isn't
quite sufficient in a given situation, especially in an English-speaking
environment or talking with a person who has English as a first language. Admitting
that it's insufficient is like admitting failure, which most people find too
embarrassing. <br>
<br>
Of course, then there are those that assume that English speakers can't
possibly speak their language, a generalization that tends to come with "linguistic
chauvinism." All I can say about that is "Go show 'em!"<br>
<br>
To make it more complicated, although I am not assuming that this is so in your
case, it does happen more often than not that a person tries to help by using
your language when their command of it is noticeably worse than your command of
their language. Some people feel insulted by this. I used to. These days I give
people the benefit of the doubt by assuming that they are showing off, are
eager to practice their skills or are making a welcoming gesture. Accordingly,
I will only address people using their language when I'm absolutely sure that
their command of English (or whatever) is worse than my command of theirs. (Once
I watched someone address an American-raised Hispanic person in poor Spanish,
which was incredibly embarrassing.) If people want to practice their language
with me I go along with it even if I know that my command of their language is
better. In that case I speak normally and see if they can understand and cope. They'll
stop if they can't.<br>
<br>
Basic travel phrase lists are a dime a dozen on the Web. I suggest they all
contain a sentence requesting to be allowed to practice the host country's
language.<br>
<br>
Regards,<br>
Reinhard/Ron</span></p>