why won´t French people speak English?

Dale   Tue Nov 29, 2005 3:11 am GMT
<<Non, ceux qui ne le parlent pas n'en ont pas besoin ou envie.>>

Exactly.
Dale   Tue Nov 29, 2005 3:50 am GMT
But the French have to even if they don't want to.
Dale   Tue Nov 29, 2005 4:04 am GMT
That second poster is an impostor. Twat.
Uriel   Tue Nov 29, 2005 4:33 am GMT
Who says they don't? I've heard lots of French people speak English.
Candy   Tue Nov 29, 2005 11:00 am GMT
<<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. :-) >>

Oh, I realise that, Boy! :-) I agree with you - it's just that international hotels are, by definition, international, and therefore usually have English-speaking staff. But of course it's true that if you *live* in another country, it is respectful to learn some of the local language - as much as you can.
greg   Tue Nov 29, 2005 2:06 pm GMT
Uriel : oui, il y a des Français qui peuvent parler anglais et qui le font. Et puis il y a ceux qui le peuvent mais ne le font pas, soit parce rien ne les y incite soit parce qu'ils n'en ont pas envie. Enfin il y a ceux qui ne savent pas parler anglais. On peut affiner en introduisant la notion de compétence linguistique pour les deux premiers groupes.
eito(jpn)   Thu Dec 01, 2005 4:01 pm GMT
>>... - it's just that international hotels are, by definition, international, and therefore usually have English-speaking staff. <<

I wonder how Candy has defined "international". Maybe, she is not alone.

>>But of course it's true that if you *live* in another country, it is respectful to learn some of the local language - as much as you can.<<

Yes! I presume she still *lives* in Germany and speaks German. Wunderbar!
Candy   Thu Dec 01, 2005 6:32 pm GMT
<<I wonder how Candy has defined "international". Maybe, she is not alone. >>

How would you define it?

<<Yes! I presume she still *lives* in Germany and speaks German. Wunderbar! >>

I am reliably informed that she does. Wunderbar und prima indeed.
Rick Johnson   Thu Dec 01, 2005 6:42 pm GMT
<<One thing I and many other people particularly dislike about the English, is their monoglot culture.....they go to a foreign country, and EXPECT people to just talk to them in English.>>

In the old days we just used to send the army in and conquer countries to make them speak English......these days we "liberate" countries to make them speak English.

Next stop France...........time to liberate them from peasant farmers and CAP embezzling scum
eito(jpn)   Thu Dec 01, 2005 6:56 pm GMT
>>How would you define it?<<

Well, as a lerner of English, I have to rely on a dictionary(OALD). The word "international" is defined as "connected with or involving two or more countries". Very neutral.
eito(jpn)   Thu Dec 01, 2005 7:02 pm GMT
I wonder what Rick Johnson(?) means by "to liberate".
Candy   Thu Dec 01, 2005 7:04 pm GMT
<<I wonder what Rick Johnson(?) means by "to liberate".>>

'To liberate': to set free, to release. I would venture a wild guess that Rick was joking.
eito(jpn)   Thu Dec 01, 2005 7:26 pm GMT
>>I would venture a wild guess that Rick was joking.<<

I hope so. More precisely, I'll try to think so. But this kind of "joke" based on historical facts will sound arrogant and insensitive to us lerners of English. We don't want to be accessorys after the fact. I sincerely hope nobody in France will not speak English, except peeple who want to or need to. Same with Japan.
Adam   Thu Dec 01, 2005 7:42 pm GMT
"Uriel : oui, il y a des Français qui peuvent parler anglais et qui le font. Et puis il y a ceux qui le peuvent mais ne le font pas, soit parce rien ne les y incite soit parce qu'ils n'en ont pas envie. Enfin il y a ceux qui ne savent pas parler anglais. On peut affiner en introduisant la notion de compétence linguistique pour les deux premiers groupes. "

Shut up, or I'll set the Germans on you.
Guest   Thu Dec 01, 2005 8:03 pm GMT
Adam the useless guy who thinks he's important.