Which languages are dying in Europe?

menu   Sat Apr 18, 2009 4:58 pm GMT
I know lots of arrogant British and germans on the othr hand I've met many kind and helpful French and Italians. You can find arrogant people everywhere. Like all generalizations Common's statement is rather stupid...
Guest   Sat Apr 18, 2009 5:07 pm GMT
Yes you can find arrogant Britishers and helpful Frenchmen, specially in Paris, but also it's true that English speakers are more used to hear non native speakers than let's say the Italians and this makes inevitably them to have more patience with non natives and to accept the fact that it's difficult for a foreign person to speak correctly their language. Arrogance is always tied with lack of contact with other kind of people and cultures.
K. T.   Sat Apr 18, 2009 7:14 pm GMT
I think Alsatian may be in some danger of dying out.

I haven't met many people of any particular group who are worse than others. You will meet individual people who may be rude, etc., but if you try your best to say a few words in the language and not be too bombastic, you should do okay.

If you find that you get a bad reaction every time, maybe you should ask someone for help in interacting with that group.

I always wonder about these terrible travel stories. Did the traveller really just meet the grouchiest, meanest person in that particular country or is there something missing from the tale we hear?
rep   Sat Apr 18, 2009 8:08 pm GMT
<<I think Alsatian may be in some danger of dying out. >>
It is result of language policy in France.Ths is policy of assimilation. Result of assimilation is linguistic situation in Brussels.City with Flemish majority became city with French majority,because for a long time only official language in Belgium was French.
Sicilian   Sun Apr 19, 2009 2:53 pm GMT
Lombard
Piedmontese
Venetian