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English people abroad
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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Don't you feel guilty when you're abroad, like in Germany, Spain, Greece, Italy ect, in that we seem and do expect everyone to speak English. Yet we don't speak thier languages at all. I mean I've been coming to this Greek island over many years and the locals all know me and I have become really good friends with some. Yet they all speak English to us. And it's a tiny fishing village. I mean it's not even a city like Athens. The average European can speak minimum 2 languages, some 4. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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Maybe because English is an international language.. if we had Russian/Cantonese/Hindi or any other languages as international language it will be spoken worldwide. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"If they want to watch the movies they learn the language  "
Have you imagined how wonderful it would be to be able to watch international movie in a language you learnt? |
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On of our best holidays ever was the beautiful country Austria.
The place where we went had virtually no Brits it's was lovely.
Clean and quiet,no yobs running amok every night apart from the German obsession with getting the sunbeds before everyone else it was a fantastic holiday.
Fuerteventura was another place we went right down to Jandia at that point mainly German and Italian tourists. Once again very quiet and clean.
It's hardly surprising that Brits are universally hated throughout Europe as from our experience most seem to act like demented chimp's. Lads on tour 
We love camping but have decided to give it a miss this year due to the shear volume of middle class yobs who will be going.
We really are a bunch of assholes aren't we? |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"On of our best holidays ever was the beautiful country Austria.
The place where we went had virtually no Brits it's was lovely.
Clean and quiet,no yobs running amok every night apart from the German obsession with getting the sunbeds before everyone else it was a fantastic holiday.
Fuerteventura was another place we went right down to Jandia at that point mainly German and Italian tourists. Once again very quiet and clean.
It's hardly surprising that Brits are universally hated throughout Europe as from our experience most seem to act like demented chimp's. Lads on tour
We love camping but have decided to give it a miss this year due to the shear volume of middle class yobs who will be going.
We really are a bunch of assholes aren't we?"
Well the island I'm at the English are the dominant class here, but they do all love us here, we're all very well behaved and respectful to every one. I think it maybe because we're mainly all windsurfers and sailers. It's really mainly only windsurfers and sailers that come here. Unfortunately due to Covid this year and last not many people could make it. Which has a huge impact on the economy. |
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I always make sure I can speak few words of the language of any country we go to.
We used to go to Greece regularly so I took evening classes, I can speak some French anyway, I used Duolingo to learn a bit of Portuguese and some Spanish, I have family in Japan and quite a lot of Japanese friends so can speak a bit of Japanese too. I don't think all British expect everyone else to speak English but I agree that lots do |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"Don't you feel guilty when you're abroad, like in Germany, Spain, Greece, Italy ect, in that we seem and do expect everyone to speak English. Yet we don't speak thier languages at all. I mean I've been coming to this Greek island over many years and the locals all know me and I have become really good friends with some. Yet they all speak English to us. And it's a tiny fishing village. I mean it's not even a city like Athens. The average European can speak minimum 2 languages, some 4. "
I spend lots of time in France and try to speak in French as much as possible - you get treated differently if you make the effort, even if it’s a poor effort. You should at least learn the basics of thank you and please for any country you visit. |
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"Don't you feel guilty when you're abroad, like in Germany, Spain, Greece, Italy ect, in that we seem and do expect everyone to speak English. Yet we don't speak thier languages at all. I mean I've been coming to this Greek island over many years and the locals all know me and I have become really good friends with some. Yet they all speak English to us. And it's a tiny fishing village. I mean it's not even a city like Athens. The average European can speak minimum 2 languages, some 4.
I spend lots of time in France and try to speak in French as much as possible - you get treated differently if you make the effort, even if it’s a poor effort. You should at least learn the basics of thank you and please for any country you visit."
I agree. With Duolingo and similar apps it's not difficult |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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English is the international language. Can those same Greeks speak French, German, Italian and Spanish or do they just use English for any non-Greek person? |
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By *phroditeWoman
over a year ago
(She/ her) in Sensualityland |
"I always make sure I can speak few words of the language of any country we go to.
We used to go to Greece regularly so I took evening classes, I can speak some French anyway, I used Duolingo to learn a bit of Portuguese and some Spanish, I have family in Japan and quite a lot of Japanese friends so can speak a bit of Japanese too. I don't think all British expect everyone else to speak English but I agree that lots do"
This ^^^
We don't have to be perfect at a particular language - just making the effort puts a smile on the locals' faces and it literally opens doors.  |
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By *phroditeWoman
over a year ago
(She/ her) in Sensualityland |
"English is the international language. Can those same Greeks speak French, German, Italian and Spanish or do they just use English for any non-Greek person?"
English is an international way of communicating for sure.
That said, the Dutch for example usually speak 4 languages : Dutch, English, French and German. in addition sometimes Spanish/ Italian
In Germany they learn at least three other languages (in higher education) and at least one or two if you do not go on to A levels.
I think it is fun to learn another language and it offers an insight to their culture and way of life. For example some languages have multiple words for something where other languages do not even have one. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"English is the international language. Can those same Greeks speak French, German, Italian and Spanish or do they just use English for any non-Greek person?"
Oh wow I have one Greek friend who can speak like 4 languages. They don't just speak English. |
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"I always make sure I can speak few words of the language of any country we go to.
We used to go to Greece regularly so I took evening classes, I can speak some French anyway, I used Duolingo to learn a bit of Portuguese and some Spanish, I have family in Japan and quite a lot of Japanese friends so can speak a bit of Japanese too. I don't think all British expect everyone else to speak English but I agree that lots do
This ^^^
We don't have to be perfect at a particular language - just making the effort puts a smile on the locals' faces and it literally opens doors. "
It really does.
It can lead to some hilarious mix ups too. I told a Spanish person our 14 year old daughter was 40  |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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You know what they sh have really done before bui the Euro tunnel? Well I think they should have built a bridge to link the UK(including Ireland) to mainland Europe. Thus we can travel to France via train, car cycle and feet. You know its only 20 miles between Dover and France (the shortest route). Because the euro tunnel is so expensive. I've been through it on route to Amsterdam. Because without a physical means to get to Europe, England still doesn't feel a part of Europe. And is still an island. As John Dunn once said 'No man is an island unto himself'. |
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By *landAnnCouple
over a year ago
Inverness |
"On of our best holidays ever was the beautiful country Austria.
The place where we went had virtually no Brits it's was lovely.
Clean and quiet,no yobs running amok every night apart from the German obsession with getting the sunbeds before everyone else it was a fantastic holiday.
Fuerteventura was another place we went right down to Jandia at that point mainly German and Italian tourists. Once again very quiet and clean.
It's hardly surprising that Brits are universally hated throughout Europe as from our experience most seem to act like demented chimp's. Lads on tour
We love camping but have decided to give it a miss this year due to the shear volume of middle class yobs who will be going.
We really are a bunch of assholes aren't we?"
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Hmmm... the post title was English People abroad.... but now it's about Brits.....
Interesting.
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I always give it a try and learn some phrases before leaving, it’s handy to know some basics incase someone stops you or just so you understand signage, menus and alike. When you try and they understand, they will correct your pronunciation which I like.
Failing that phrase book is always in my bag and if that fails, I have been known to draw to make myself understood. |
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I’m not English but I’m Multilingual here baby. Learn one European language that’s Latin based and you soon pick them up.
However I don’t think English abroad behave that badly as a whole.
Trying my very best to learn Arabic but failing.
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By *yron69Man
over a year ago
Fareham |
For all the Brit Bashing I was on holiday near Lake Garda in Italy with my black wife.
The Austrian and German tourists muttered and scowled as we walked past. The Italians were ok except for their Mussolini and Hitler wines!
I don’t think we are hated as much more liberal than themselves. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"For all the Brit Bashing I was on holiday near Lake Garda in Italy with my black wife.
The Austrian and German tourists muttered and scowled as we walked past. The Italians were ok except for their Mussolini and Hitler wines!
I don’t think we are hated as much more liberal than themselves."
I have spent some time working across Austria in the past for a company that teaches English short courses in the state schools. Many people do seem to hold racist views and in one town near the German border they have a large Turkish population. They are segregated to one area and not treated very well by the locals, including the children that were born in Austria. I was a bit shocked at the attitudes I witnessed. |
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By (user no longer on site) OP
over a year ago
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"For all the Brit Bashing I was on holiday near Lake Garda in Italy with my black wife.
The Austrian and German tourists muttered and scowled as we walked past. The Italians were ok except for their Mussolini and Hitler wines!
I don’t think we are hated as much more liberal than themselves.
I have spent some time working across Austria in the past for a company that teaches English short courses in the state schools. Many people do seem to hold racist views and in one town near the German border they have a large Turkish population. They are segregated to one area and not treated very well by the locals, including the children that were born in Austria. I was a bit shocked at the attitudes I witnessed."
I thought historically Turkish people have integrated into Austrian society over a hundred years. But I never knew there was a race issue. |
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By (user no longer on site)
over a year ago
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"For all the Brit Bashing I was on holiday near Lake Garda in Italy with my black wife.
The Austrian and German tourists muttered and scowled as we walked past. The Italians were ok except for their Mussolini and Hitler wines!
I don’t think we are hated as much more liberal than themselves.
I have spent some time working across Austria in the past for a company that teaches English short courses in the state schools. Many people do seem to hold racist views and in one town near the German border they have a large Turkish population. They are segregated to one area and not treated very well by the locals, including the children that were born in Austria. I was a bit shocked at the attitudes I witnessed.
I thought historically Turkish people have integrated into Austrian society over a hundred years. But I never knew there was a race issue. "
Austrians are also very “sniffy” about Hungarians even though they were part of the same Empire and many families inter married. I think history has coloured Austria’s view of Turkey as they once conquered Austria. The ideal for Austrians are that they should be tall, athletic, suntanned, blond and blue eyed. |
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