Today were going to talk about language.
I can admit that I speak only one language well... that language is English. I speak Spanish. It may not be perfect but I can hold my own. I also can say a couple of things in like 5 other languages. What can I say I love language, I love the idea of it. The way certain sounds are made or the feeling of a complicated looking word rolling of the tongue so smoothly. Language is one of my favorite things. Sure, makes sense, I am a writer after all right?
Yes, that's part of it, the other part is that its what brings the world together. Language is like the glue. Wars have bee fought, won, and lost because of, in spite of, and with the help of language. Without it we would all be lost.
OK, so here's where this applies to what we already know about me.
I'm a writer sure, spending time in a foreign country yes. I'm without a personal translator and I came once again without my dictionary (this time by choice). However, I live in a country where there are people from all over the world who are looking for the "American dream". I am not one of those people who think anyone who comes to the U.S. should speak English. I have several friends who have done well for themselves without speaking much English.
I am a firm believer though that it should never be expected that everyone speaks your language. You should always learn key phrases and words that you know you're going to need. Por ejemplo, where is the bathroom? What time is it? Where is...? Know your numbers, your directional words (left, right, straight, north, south, east, west), but most importantly know how to ask "how do you say?" And/ or "what is this/that?"
Knowing these things make life easier and open the door for more learning and conversation.
Learning how to say "I don't understand." And "speak slower" come with time but aren't bad things to learn also.
The reason I say this is because Americans are hypocrites. I mean no offense by that because I've been guilty of it I'm sure in my life just like everyone else... I am a self proclaimed judgmental jerk of a person usually, but we're hypocrites in the sense that we not only expect people who visit our country to speak our language but we expect the rest of the world to speak it too. Also, there are few Americans who are willing to help someone who is at least trying to speak English. Usually we just get frustrated.
In Mexico its totally different.
People don't expect you to speak Spanish, they assume you do most of the time there are a few who assume you don't and will try to speak to you in English if you look like you're from an English speaking country (or rather you don't look Mexican).
If you do speak Spanish but poorly they are more than willing to assist you and be patient with you. They appreciate the fact that you're trying to learn and trying to communicate with them in their own language.
I can't speak to the rest of the world and how they react but I am enough of a bastard to assume I'm right in that other countries would be the same. The reason? (Again I'm assuming here) Americans are assholes... we want everything done our way, and we're very picky and selfish. We don't like to give people a lot of wiggle room. Maybe we're perfectionists, I don't know, but there's less appreciation for other places and cultures than there should be.
So here's where I do a little bit of a plug, promise ill keep it short. If you're going to visit a foreign country and you don't currently speak the language learn it. There are links to the right of this page from Google (usually there is at least one that says something about learning Spanish), another place to go (if you're traveling to a Spanish country) is
Http://www.spanishpod101.com I used them for a while (and still do from time to time to practice and brush up on words)
If you're not going to a Spanish speaking country the company that does Spanish pod does other languages and links are available on their page.
But remember travelers... don't be an ass, at least try when in a foreign country its just proper travel etiquette.
OK... that's the end of our language talk. Here is a list of all the sayings I put here but in Spanish cause its fun.
where is the bathroom? -¿ Dónde está el baño?
What time is it? - ¿Que hora es?
Where is...?- ¿Donde esta....?
Know your numbers - they're written the same but are very different spoken for this consult a dictionary cause I don't want to write them
your directional words;
Left - izquierda
Right - derecha
Straight - derecho
"How do you say...?" - como se dice...?
"What is that/this? - que es eso? Que es esto?
"I don't understand" - no entiendo
"Can you speak slower?" - puede hablar mas despacio?
I can admit that I speak only one language well... that language is English. I speak Spanish. It may not be perfect but I can hold my own. I also can say a couple of things in like 5 other languages. What can I say I love language, I love the idea of it. The way certain sounds are made or the feeling of a complicated looking word rolling of the tongue so smoothly. Language is one of my favorite things. Sure, makes sense, I am a writer after all right?
Yes, that's part of it, the other part is that its what brings the world together. Language is like the glue. Wars have bee fought, won, and lost because of, in spite of, and with the help of language. Without it we would all be lost.
OK, so here's where this applies to what we already know about me.
I'm a writer sure, spending time in a foreign country yes. I'm without a personal translator and I came once again without my dictionary (this time by choice). However, I live in a country where there are people from all over the world who are looking for the "American dream". I am not one of those people who think anyone who comes to the U.S. should speak English. I have several friends who have done well for themselves without speaking much English.
I am a firm believer though that it should never be expected that everyone speaks your language. You should always learn key phrases and words that you know you're going to need. Por ejemplo, where is the bathroom? What time is it? Where is...? Know your numbers, your directional words (left, right, straight, north, south, east, west), but most importantly know how to ask "how do you say?" And/ or "what is this/that?"
Knowing these things make life easier and open the door for more learning and conversation.
Learning how to say "I don't understand." And "speak slower" come with time but aren't bad things to learn also.
The reason I say this is because Americans are hypocrites. I mean no offense by that because I've been guilty of it I'm sure in my life just like everyone else... I am a self proclaimed judgmental jerk of a person usually, but we're hypocrites in the sense that we not only expect people who visit our country to speak our language but we expect the rest of the world to speak it too. Also, there are few Americans who are willing to help someone who is at least trying to speak English. Usually we just get frustrated.
In Mexico its totally different.
People don't expect you to speak Spanish, they assume you do most of the time there are a few who assume you don't and will try to speak to you in English if you look like you're from an English speaking country (or rather you don't look Mexican).
If you do speak Spanish but poorly they are more than willing to assist you and be patient with you. They appreciate the fact that you're trying to learn and trying to communicate with them in their own language.
I can't speak to the rest of the world and how they react but I am enough of a bastard to assume I'm right in that other countries would be the same. The reason? (Again I'm assuming here) Americans are assholes... we want everything done our way, and we're very picky and selfish. We don't like to give people a lot of wiggle room. Maybe we're perfectionists, I don't know, but there's less appreciation for other places and cultures than there should be.
So here's where I do a little bit of a plug, promise ill keep it short. If you're going to visit a foreign country and you don't currently speak the language learn it. There are links to the right of this page from Google (usually there is at least one that says something about learning Spanish), another place to go (if you're traveling to a Spanish country) is
Http://www.spanishpod101.com I used them for a while (and still do from time to time to practice and brush up on words)
If you're not going to a Spanish speaking country the company that does Spanish pod does other languages and links are available on their page.
But remember travelers... don't be an ass, at least try when in a foreign country its just proper travel etiquette.
OK... that's the end of our language talk. Here is a list of all the sayings I put here but in Spanish cause its fun.
where is the bathroom? -¿ Dónde está el baño?
What time is it? - ¿Que hora es?
Where is...?- ¿Donde esta....?
Know your numbers - they're written the same but are very different spoken for this consult a dictionary cause I don't want to write them
your directional words;
Left - izquierda
Right - derecha
Straight - derecho
"How do you say...?" - como se dice...?
"What is that/this? - que es eso? Que es esto?
"I don't understand" - no entiendo
"Can you speak slower?" - puede hablar mas despacio?
No comments:
Post a Comment