An amusing piece in the Times: Parlez vous any other language at all? The reporters tried calling various public bodies and speaking different languages to see what response they would get. The National Association of Head Teachers didn't have anyone who could speak French but the Cabinet Office comes out quite well, having someone on hand who could speak Dutch. The Catholic Media Office did at least have someone with GCSE Latin.
This stunt reminds me of an occasion when I was in a supermarket in Belgium. The girl at the checkout was about 18. She spoke to me in Flemish, changed to French, then realised from my accent that I was English, so spoke to me in fluent English with only a trace of accent. In England, speaking a foreign language fluently is regarded as a skill comparable to being a chess grandmaster.
(And I even got a lolcats picture on the blog!)
11 comments:
A memory I have of a visit to Belgium is having a coffee in cafe where one the staff spoke French, the other replying to her in Flemish - and so their conversation continued with each perfectly understanding the other but not speaking their language!
Language is important in Belgium. Many years ago, when my late sister was a member of the community of the "Dames anglaises" in Bruges, I arrived at the station and asked the way in French. (I am a linguist and my French is fair). My interlocutor looked at me intently and asked, "vous etes francais?" "Non, anglais". "Then we shall speak English".
Father, it is fun to see that as I, being currently in Miami for the next two weeks, have the same sensation. Being a native Portuguese speaker, here in the South of Florida people speak English, Spanish and Portuguese mixed. You can start something in one language and end in another, or even mix words, and everybody will understand... And I even had some Italian in the mix!
The family story is that my German (& Jewish) mother-in-law met a priest while traveling on a train in Europe - the only language they shared was Latin, in which they conversed merrily for miles.
In my experience the Flemish generally do not understand French (or perhaps pretend not to). However, when I speak French in Wallonia I am frequently asked if I am Flemish. In France my pronunciation is often met with "Vous êtes allemand/suisse/autrichien?". It must be my Scots accent.
Try Switzerland - you can reasonably expect the average shop assistant in a major city to speak all four official languages of the Confederation, and English !
Mind you - I always maintain that I can't speak French; but in Paris I've never been accused of being English - it's usually Belgian or (for some reason I can't work out) Egyptian - so I'm not entirely convinced that they can speak French properly either !
A friend from Switzerland (the French bit) organised 'une soirée toute française' for those of us who haven't spoken a word since A-Levels, which is some 10 years ago for me. Once I got warmed up, it came back in a steady stream. I think more people should do that.
And I especially loved the end of that article when, after struggling throughout the conversation, the Catholic official was met with 'Pax vobiscum' and immediately responded 'Et cum spiritu tuo'.
"Michelle"'s comment reminded me when I was visiting Hungary. I went to a church in Budapest and, without thinking, went into a confessional box. I went straight into my confession (in English) and was met with a long silence. Suddenly, from the other side of the partition came the words: "Pater Noster". I complied (in Latin) and departed. [Yes, I did go to confession in England at the earliest opportunity, just to be sure.]
This reminds me of a friend of mine, who, despite being as English as they come, was repeatedly taken for a German when on holiday in France.
In the end, he came up with the solution:-
'Vous etes allemand?'
'Niet!'
Dominic Mary's mention of "Egyptian" prompts this contribution, Fr. Whilst in Cairo, I was warned by friends NEVER to respond to the local vendors when they try to engage you in conversation. It was, said my friends, a ploy to ascertain what nationality you were. Once the vendors had gleaned that, they adopted that language and rapidly (and loquaciously) bombarded you with pleas to buy their wares. They were very accomplished and fluent in all the major languages. My first day out shopping proved the case: I was assailed, mercilessly, by everyman and his dog trying to sell me everything, including the Sphinx. I was accosted in English (I said nothing), German (nothing), French (nothing), Spanish (nothing). The second day, I decided that enough was enough. When again assailed by the hawkers, I responded. In Hungarian. I was followed out of the bazaar by furious locals, upset that I had bested them, showering me with incredible invectives and expletives (so I was told), in Arabic !!!
"In England, speaking a foreign language fluently is regarded as a skill comparable to being a chess grandmaster."
CZECH ?
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