Languages

[justfoxie]

Out of curiosity, for those of you who cruise to more far flung places, do you learn the langauge (even a little bit) before you go or just rely on English?

 

I already speak Russian pretty fluently and am planning on learning smatterings of Polish also before we go on our Baltic Cruise. We probably won't have time for any Norwegian, Swedish or Danish.

[G'ma]

I was a Tour Director for many years; responsible for escorting English speaking tours all over the place.

 

While most we came in contact with spoke English to some extent, having a knowledge of the local language can be invaluable.

 

I think every one should learn the basics: Good morning, good evening, please, thank you, excuse me, where is the toilet, how far is.........?? and other rudimentary phrases. It simply good manners......and, in a pinch, will help get you some assistance.

 

In my personal travel, I always learn as much as possible when traveling to a new place or returning to where I haven't been for awhile. It's so easy to do... It helps smooth out problems, it's courteous, it's a good ice-breaker (feeble attempts at the language usually brings a smile - and interest).

 

Those who travel by auto or on a tour bus should know the road signs, the mileage/kilometer indicators, the city/town names and how to recognize them.

 

It's simply not that difficult.

[Donray]

The problem with learning a little is that when you ask where is the restrooms in a language. You better understand the language to comprehend a fast response of many sentences. My daughter-in law asked someone in Spanish where she could buy stamps and could only understand little of the response. No enough to know where to buy stamps. And she know quite a bit of Spanish and was an interrupter for French during the LA Olympics.

I think maybe I should know a greeting and thank you in the language.

[ab0si]

For cruising, it really isn't that important. But for trips to actually BE in a foreign country, learning the basics can make the trip much more interesting and pleasant.

 

G'ma has some good points, but let me add the one phrase I always learn in the local languages when traveling: I apologize for not knowing X <the language in question.

 

That one phrase has gained me more goodwill than you can imagine. If you say ANYTHING in Catalan while in Barcelona, the locals will love you forever, for example.

 

My favorite local language story: I was traveling with a friend in Prague soon after the Velvet Revolution. We were lost at night (I do that a lot) and tried asking for directions. I have problems with Slavic languages for some reason, but my friend speaks very good Russian. After getting no help despite man tries, I suggested he try this in Russian: I'm an American, can you help me? Worked like a charm. Lots of folks spoke Russian, they just were not going to help a Russian.

[JanineM]

Growing up in Canada, I had to take 8 years of French, and then extended that by another 2 in University, then also took 2 yrs of German. And my grandparents were Norwegian, so when I was really, really small I understood it. So when we travel, I like to have the opportunity to use some of my language skills. I'll brush up and learn enough to get by. I actually find it fun!

[Some1]

It is 2009. Everyone should know English by now.

 

:D

 

I am just kidding, of course. If I am visiting another country, I make sure to learn some basics and have them memorized, w/o walking around with my head buried in a translation book. There is nothing wrong with speaking with the locals in English, if they know it. Just DON'T walk up to them and start speaking English, it's quite rude. You have to ask them first if they understand English. I'm sure everyone already knows that. :)

[Sheffie]

Does,"Dos cervesas por favor," mean I can speak basic Spanish?

[BroncosFan2010]

Has anyone had success with Rosetta Stone???

I really would like to learn Italian, but don't have a lot of time or money. I was thinking of giving it a try.

[WeBeGone]

We learn please, thank you, police, and doctor in whatever is the local language. That has gotten us by so far.

[UtterCaro]

I've found that being able to say please, thank you, good morning, and "Excuse me, I don't speak your language. Does anyone here speak English?" has sufficed nearly everywhere I've been.

 

I do try to pick up more basic vocabulary if not the finer points of syntax.

 

Caro

[Spikesgirl]

I think it's just a matter of common courtesy to be able to at least speak a few words in the local tongue. It's alsp made me much more patient with non-English speakers at home as I've been in their shoes and had to rely upon the kindness of strangers to get my point across.

[justfoxie]

My favorite local language story: I was traveling with a friend in Prague soon after the Velvet Revolution. We were lost at night (I do that a lot) and tried asking for directions. I have problems with Slavic languages for some reason, but my friend speaks very good Russian. After getting no help despite man tries, I suggested he try this in Russian: I'm an American, can you help me? Worked like a charm. Lots of folks spoke Russian, they just were not going to help a Russian.

 

That actually squares with my experience travelling in Eastern Europe as well. I often have to try another language first (for me, that's French since it's my next best) and then Russian. At that point they've established I'm a non-Russian foreigner and are often fine. This is my plan for being in Estonia.

 

The only exception in my experience so far is Ukraine, where they will let me speak Russian to them, but would always answer in Ukrainian. :confused: Fortunately, I found the languages close enough that I could usually get the gist of what they were saying.

[sailingkiwi]

I speak French reasonably well and learnt some Spanish at University. I have also picked up a little German from friends. Of course I know a little bit of Maori too.

 

I found in Morocco that if I bartered in French I got a much better deal than in English ;)

 

I also try and learn:

- Please and thank you

- Greetings and goodbye

- "Do you speak English?"

- I am from New Zealand

- I don't understand.

- I am allergic to...

- It is also helpful to be able to recognise the words for push, pull, entrance, exit, toliet, men and women/lady

[jefa]

Has anyone had success with Rosetta Stone???

I really would like to learn Italian, but don't have a lot of time or money. I was thinking of giving it a try.

 

Although I can't help you, there is an advert on the UK television from this company to learn spanish! The phrase that keeps appearing is "the horse is running" - and always makes me laugh, as I have no idea when I would need to use that:D

 

I too, am intending to learn some basics in the languages of the islands we are going to visit, even if it is just the of the "please and thank you" variety:)

[Kikkycat]

I asked one of the first people I encountered on the island of Curacao how to say "thank you" in his language, after we purchased a couple of bottles of water from him. He said "Dankie" (pronounced it "donkey") and it was close enough to the few words of German I remembered from High School (which was NOT recently) that I remembered it.

 

Then when we were in St. Martin, in the French capital of Marigot, I was in charge of getting the pastries from the patisserie. The girl who served us had English skills maybe not even as good as my French skills (to call my French "rusty" would be a remarkable understatement). I got the pastries but needed napkins. She didn't understand napkins and I couldn't find any to point at. From somewhere in the depths of my high school memories I came up with the word "serviette". I couldn't remember if that was the word for napkin or diaper. :p Thankfully the young lady handed me some napkins and we were good to go.

 

At that point, I resolved to brush up on any languages that might be helpful for our next trip abroad. When my former boss visited the Dominican Republic a few years back she learned 2 phrases. "Dos cervezas por favor" and "donde esta el bano?".... I asked her what she was going to do when they answered the 2nd question in rapidfire Spanish. She said "point, and see which way they point in return.".

[tip]

I have enjoyed some of the reasonable and rational respones to this thread. I do feel that as Americans some individuals are somewhat remiss at not at least attempting to learn more than one language. I took four years of Latin in high school over forty years ago and while it certainly has helped me with vocabulary and in getting better SAT grades, it has not helped me in conversing with folks in other nations. Thus in the past few years, I have taken two night school classes in an attempt to pick up the basics of Spanish.

 

I do see some intolerance in this nation which bothers me greatly. On a cruise two years ago out of Fort Lauderdale, a crowd of us were filing up the stairs for the muster drill. Two couples in front of us were speaking in German. A woman behind us loudly stated, "If they are going to be in this country, they should be speaking English." I turned and asked her if she had ever been on a cruise to the Baltic capitals? When she answered that one was planned, I was very quick to tell her that I hoped that she had been studying the various languages since she was going to be traveling to so many countries. You should have seen the "deer in the headlights" look on her face!

[Sheffie]

I do see some intolerance in this nation which bothers me greatly. On a cruise two years ago out of Fort Lauderdale, a crowd of us were filing up the stairs for the muster drill. Two couples in front of us were speaking in German. A woman behind us loudly stated, "If they are going to be in this country, they should be speaking English." I turned and asked her if she had ever been on a cruise to the Baltic capitals? When she answered that one was planned, I was very quick to tell her that I hoped that she had been studying the various languages since she was going to be traveling to so many countries. You should have seen the "deer in the headlights" look on her face!

 

Good for you.

 

We have also traveled to Europe and were lucky to be staying with our daughter who speaks Spanish and German fluently. We knew some basic phrases, and were amazed by the number of people who wanted to speak English to us. We were by ourselves (DH and I) in Paris and were pretty much lost. We politely asked a lady if she could help us and explained that we didn't speak French. You hear about the rude French people, but we were treated well by those we met. They were glad to help us out. Being polite can get you a long way!

[smeyer418]

That actually squares with my experience travelling in Eastern Europe as well. I often have to try another language first (for me, that's French since it's my next best) and then Russian. At that point they've established I'm a non-Russian foreigner and are often fine. This is my plan for being in Estonia.

 

....

 

 

I suggest speaking anything BUT Russian to Estonians. They still hate the Russians for taking over their country...

 

 

I speak a little French and a little Spanish but I have really stopped using them overseas. It really is that everyone speaks some English.

 

In Sweden we went to see the Vasa(its the Swedish ship designed by the King that literally sank right off the pier in the 1600's- I think). The main room showing the story of it was in Swedish with English subtitles and the small theater showing the same thing was in English and this is a government museum.

[ViolaSwamp]

Je parle en peu de Francais, et je comprende en peu de Espaniol. Les langues sont important que comprende, je crois.

 

I can speak French better than I can write it! I also understand enough Spanish to get by. I think it's important to have a little bit of basic knowledge but I have never intentionally brushed up on languages before traveling... :o