So who's made an effort ...

to learn the language of the countries they visit?

I've been to Italy almost a dozen times but haven't learned anything
beyond a few phrases.

It does seem gradually there's more and more Italians who speak English
though.


I know there are language schools and such but there are other things
I'd rather do than go to class. Definitely not a slow traveler.

Maybe typical American arrogance, to expect others to cater to them,
including learning English -- though arguably, Southern Europeans would
do well to learn English to enhance their marketability in various
professions (not limited to tourism trades).

In news wrote:

Maybe typical American arrogance, to expect others to cater to them

Hmm?

What language(s) would you suggest that Americans learn for travel?

Latin-American style Spanish is the only one that makes any immediate
sense for most Americans.

International travel is a very expensive proposition for Americans, who
can't simply hop in their cars and find themselves across an
international border within a few hours, other than those of Canada or
Mexico.

I can get to Thunder Bay, Ontario in Canada in about 6 hours, and other
than adding an "eh" at the end of some sentences, can get away with
English as it's spoken here.

Driving to the nearest city in Mexico would take me 2 days.

Anything else requires air travel, which is neither cheap nor convenient
these days.

I studied French and German in school, and have had little opportunity
to use either. I was able to read signs, menus and the like when I
traveled in Austria and Germany, but neither language was of much use in
The Netherlands or Norway.

--
St. Paul, MN

Bert wrote:
In news wrote:

Maybe typical American arrogance, to expect others to cater to them

Hmm?

What language(s) would you suggest that Americans learn for travel?

Latin-American style Spanish is the only one that makes any immediate
sense for most Americans.

Not unless you want to GO there! (I prefer Europe, thank you.)

I studied French and German in school, and have had little opportunity
to use either.

Of course, that's true of any language but English, here (except maybe
Spanish, in the Southwest). Other than regional accents (which can
sometimes be perplexing) the U.S. is such a large piece of real-estate
that you seldom encounter any language but English. (And "use it or
lose it" is certainly true of foreign languages - even for people who
are FROM other countries, but settle here, where English is a "must".)

Am Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:21:36 +0000 (UTC) schrieb Bert:

I studied French and German in school, and have had little opportunity
to use either. I was able to read signs, menus and the like when I
traveled in Austria and Germany, but neither language was of much use in
The Netherlands or Norway.

In the Netherlands you can get around with German, the two languages are
not so different from each other and most dutch people understand basic
German. You will also be able to read menus or roadsigns.

Norway is a different story, but most of the people there speak pretty good
english (like in most of Scandinavia).

Regards,

Frank

On Fri, 12 Apr 2013 08:46:44 +0200, Frank Hucklenbroich
wrote:

Am Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:21:36 +0000 (UTC) schrieb Bert:

I studied French and German in school, and have had little opportunity
to use either. I was able to read signs, menus and the like when I
traveled in Austria and Germany, but neither language was of much use in
The Netherlands or Norway.

In the Netherlands you can get around with German,

In the Netherlands you'd be better off using English, Germans aren't
popular...

Frank Hucklenbroich wrote:
Am Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:21:36 +0000 (UTC) schrieb Bert:

I studied French and German in school, and have had little opportunity
to use either. I was able to read signs, menus and the like when I
traveled in Austria and Germany, but neither language was of much use in
The Netherlands or Norway.

In the Netherlands you can get around with German, the two languages are
not so different from each other and most dutch people understand basic
German. You will also be able to read menus or roadsigns.

Norway is a different story, but most of the people there speak pretty good
english (like in most of Scandinavia).

I can figure out a little of the Scandinavian languages between my German
and study of their ancestor Old Norse, but it seems most Scandinavians
speak really good English.


--
Erilar, biblioholic medievalist with iPad

On Fri, 12 Apr 2013 13:19:09 +0000 (UTC), Erilar wrote in post :
:

I can figure out a little of the Scandinavian languages between my German
and study of their ancestor Old Norse, but it seems most Scandinavians
speak really good English.

But if you can speak a few words, they love you!


--
Tim C. Linz, Austria.

In article ,
Martin wrote:

I can figure out a little of the Scandinavian languages between my German
and study of their ancestor Old Norse, but it seems most Scandinavians
speak really good English.

Most speak and write better English than those born in England :-)

When they show some big European soccer matches in the US, like the
World Cup, Euro Cup or the Champions League, they have on a guy who may
be Scottish who is very hard to follow for Americans.

ANd then they have on a former German soccer player and though there is
a slight accent, he's easier to follow.

Also think that Arsene Wenger of Arsenal speaks English more eloquently
than Ferguson, the Man. U manager. Funny too, because my understanding
is that Wenger barely spoke English when he first took over Arsenal.

In Frank Hucklenbroich
wrote:

Norway is a different story, but most of the people there speak pretty
good english (like in most of Scandinavia).

I was startled by the fact that the Norwegians I had a chance to talk to
spoke what was essentially American idiomatic English, often with very
little accent.

--
St. Paul, MN

Bert wrote:

In Frank Hucklenbroich
wrote:

Norway is a different story, but most of the people there speak pretty
good english (like in most of Scandinavia).

I was startled by the fact that the Norwegians I had a chance to talk to
spoke what was essentially American idiomatic English, often with very
little accent.

Your Norwegian accent might be pretty smooth if you had exposure to
Norwegian language media daily (including popular music), with
subtitles... and had it backed up with lessons from an early age at
school.

D

--
(*) of the royal duchy of city south and deansgate
www.davidhorne.net (email address on website)
"[Do you think the world learned anything from the first
world war?] No. They never learn." -Harry Patch (1898-2009)