cherson@fsleng.DEC (04/26/85)
Just thought that I'd like to make one comment about what Mickey Levine said in relation to speaking French in Paris. I've been there and had a much better than expected time, without being fluent in French. I found through my experience that if you make an effort to phrase what you want to say in French, then you'll be appreciated by most Parisiens. This shouldn't be regarded as strange, how would you like it if a tourist came up to you in the street and asked you all sorts of things in a foreign language and when he/she was asked what they meant in English they just kept blabbering on in their language and expected you to speak it in return? There has always been a keen competition between French and English, and the ascendency of English after WWII hurt the French somewhat (being a somewhat narcissistic people). So going to the capital of France and sticking to the English language exclusively can only bring you complications. Jeez, why do Americans get so bent out of shape about attempting to learn another language? David Cherson
mickey@cca.UUCP (Mickey Levine) (04/29/85)
Sorry David, I disagree. If someone stops me on the street and starts asking me things in some unknown language, I will usually go out of my way to explain in simple English that I don't understand them and if they have a phrase book, I'll try to help them out (or point out things on a map). The overwhelming feeling I got in Paris alone was similar to the old days of walking near an undesireable neighborhood. You cross the street when anyone approachs. Maybe the problem is that the American tourist stands out no matter how hard he/she tries to blend in. Maybe's it the Nikes/Levis/etc. or how fast we pull out our plastic. But 9 times out of 10, someone will usually speak English to you first and then wait to see if you answer in another language. Mickey Levine decvax!cca!mickey P.S. I speak fluent Hebrew and my wife speaks fluent German. We DO try!
rajeev@sftri.UUCP (S.Rajeev) (04/30/85)
> > Just thought that I'd like to make one comment about what Mickey Levine said > in relation to speaking French in Paris. I've been there and had a much better > than expected time, without being fluent in French. > > I found through my experience that if you make an effort to phrase what you > want to say in French, then you'll be appreciated by most Parisiens. This I had similar experiences in Paris. I speak extremely broken French and have to refer to my pocket Larousse constantly, but I was able to have conversations with many French people -- turns out many of them at least in Paris speak better English than my French. They probably couldn't stand my treatment of their beautiful language, and so after I had made a fool of myself by asking them something in my pidgin French, they would often switch to English (much to my relief). It's entirely reasonable: why should they embarrass themselves by speaking less-than-perfect English to somebody who's not willing to even try to learn French? I had heard lots of horror stories about how snobbish and xenophobic Parisians/ennes are, but I met all sorts of people ranging from a hobo on the Versailles train to a Professor from the Sorbonne (who gave me a guided tour of the Pompidou Centre). I think people in Paris have gotten a bum rap for no fault of their own. -- ...ihnp4!attunix!rajeev -- usenet ihnp4!attunix!rajeev@BERKELEY -- arpanet Sri Rajeev, SF 1-342, Bell Labs, Summit, NJ 07901. (201)-522-6330.