why won´t French people speak English?

Hopeful   Mon Nov 28, 2005 12:25 am GMT
I only wonder about it
Is it dangerous to speak English?
I know that they don´t want their culture to be eradicated by English culture, but it doesn´t hurt to know how to speak English, does it?
It is possible to keep their own language and culture and speak many languages!
I hate English influence on the Norwegian language, and I still don´t want to use words like "computer", "milkshake" and "date" when I speak Norwegian, but I want to speak English 100%!
stella   Mon Nov 28, 2005 9:55 am GMT
you're right... dunno why they don't ölike speaking English either... Maybe those who refuse to learn English are a little TOO proud of their own culture... dunno.
Ben   Mon Nov 28, 2005 12:25 pm GMT
In my experience, French people in big cities don't want to speak French with English speakers. If they get the slightest inclination that you're English, they'll talk to you in English. They seem to think that even though English people may be making the effort to speak some French, if they can't converse in it fluently, it's not worth it. This is one of the reasons why the English tend to have a dislike of the French.

However, in rural parts of France French people are more than willing to speak French a little slower to those who are beginners in the language, and will try their best to communicate in English if they see that the people have no French.

Those are just my observations, though.

Ben.
Ben   Mon Nov 28, 2005 12:49 pm GMT
Also, something else I should mention here, is one thing I and many other people particularly disklike about the English, is their monoglot culture. This is similarly mirrored in American culture. They go to a foreign country, and EXPECT people to just talk to them in English. They don't try and learn about the country's language, and don't make an effort. They just expect everyone to be able to speek English.

Of course, I'm gerneralising here, but that's how it is!

Ben
Boy   Mon Nov 28, 2005 1:10 pm GMT
Ben,

You are not generalising there. It is quite true. One of American troops was being intervied by a BBC reporter live on TV in Iraq. That reporter asked him a question, what odd thing you have found so far in Iraq.

He replied: "Iraqis don't speak English."

Whenever I go to international hotels in my city and have a chance to see Americans talking with locals and the language they use is English. I remember that I spoke "How are you" in my native language to one of Americans and she didn't undersatnd it at all even though she had been here for 6 months.

In my opinion, I have found them quite active people so I don't buy the argument of being lazy people - it is just that they don't need to learn other languages as they can find English speaking people anywhere else.
Guest   Mon Nov 28, 2005 3:36 pm GMT
"Iraqis don't speak English."

That's right! Natural! And it is vitally important to tell the real world that English is no good in your country. I am not joking.
Candy   Mon Nov 28, 2005 5:47 pm GMT
<<Whenever I go to international hotels in my city and have a chance to see Americans talking with locals and the language they use is English.>>

I'm not defending English speakers who incorrectly presume that the whole world speaks English, but what else would you expect in international hotels, of all places??
eito(jpn)   Mon Nov 28, 2005 6:59 pm GMT
>>I remember that I spoke "How are you" in my native language to one of Americans and she didn't undersatnd it at all even though she had been here for 6 months.<<

This happened because she did not have an oportunity to lern the language there. In many countrys, English lerning materials are available here and there. But the same does not go for some languages. I presume that all international hotels should hand out leaflets (or sell pamphlets) on common phrases of the local language with its name. It can be good to *let guests have some oportunity to lern it*.

There are lots of languages in this world, so it is clearly impossible to be familiar with all of them. But that does not mean you can ignore vernacular languages. Easier said than done.
Adam   Mon Nov 28, 2005 7:41 pm GMT
"This is similarly mirrored in American culture. They go to a foreign country, and EXPECT people to just talk to them in English. "

And most of the time, it's a correct assumption.

Why should I speak Swedish if I went to Sweden, or Dutch if I went to Holland? They should speak English.
eito(jpn)   Mon Nov 28, 2005 7:48 pm GMT
>>Why should I speak Swedish if I went to Sweden, or Dutch if I went to Holland? They should speak English.<<

The problem is that many non-native speakers of English might tend to think the same as you, Adam. We could be all accomplices. Shit!
Boy   Mon Nov 28, 2005 9:21 pm GMT
<<I'm not defending English speakers who incorrectly presume that the whole world speaks English, but what else would you expect in international hotels, of all places?? >>


That is one of those many examples. We have a few American schools in the city which are run by Americans themselves. One day I had to enquire something from a director of such a school on phone. First, I asked her that maam did you speak Urdu a little bit cause I was not quite fluent in English. I'd have a hard time in asking some questions but she told me that she didn't know Urdu at all. Then, I spoke with her in English. She has been running her school for years and she had a chance to interact with local students in their native language but you see she didn't bother to learn day to day conversational language. Candy, Americans are working in the city for a long time and they have resided here. So learning greetings of a language doesn't take too much one's time at all.

I am just telling you like it is. I'm not working on a secret plot against Americans. :-)
Boy   Mon Nov 28, 2005 9:30 pm GMT
<<In many countrys, English lerning materials are available here and there. But the same does not go for some languages.>>

Yeah. That holds true when someone is learning a foreign language in their own country but come on when you are living in a foreign country, you have an opportunity to learning the language, atleast conversational.
eito(jpn)   Mon Nov 28, 2005 9:41 pm GMT
The above-mentioned maam had the oportunity, living for years in an environment where peeple speak Urdu, but she did not even lern phrases for greetings. This can be called a negligence!
Dale   Tue Nov 29, 2005 12:52 am GMT
<<why won´t French people speak English?>>

Because they're French.
greg   Tue Nov 29, 2005 3:02 am GMT
Non, ceux qui ne le parlent pas n'en ont pas besoin ou envie.