Language Barrier

Jun 142011

“Americans who travel abroad for the first time are often shocked to discover that, despite all the progress that has been made in the last 30 years, many foreign people still speak in foreign languages” – Dave Barry

Fortunately for me, Dave Barry is incorrect in this case, otherwise I’d be having a really tough time over here!

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About 5 years ago I had an awesome experience working on a study in the far western region of the Sahara Desert, I was there for a little over a week. While I was there colleagues and I spent part of an afternoon in a small village near St Louis Senegal. We were trying to talk with a village elder, but with little success. His native tongue was Woloff (sp? it’s been a while) and like many educated Senegalese he spoke French as well, along with just a little bit of English.

Keep in mind, this is a man who lives in a hut where he sleeps on a dirt floor and doesn’t have access to indoor plumbing, yet he’s fluent in 2 languages and knows a little of a third. He was justifiably surprised that none of his American guests could speak anything except English, and I was justifiably embarrassed by that fact.

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We all have out talents, there are things that we’re just inherently good at, things that come easily to us. For me, foreign language skill is NOT one of those things! Fortunately, or maybe not, I did not have to meet any language requirements to graduate from high school or college. After suffering through a year or two of French class in junior high school, I avoided any further language classes, and now I’m paying for it.

What’s really embarrassing is that my lack of confidence is keeping me from getting out and enjoying Germany. There is a train stop literally right outside my hotel door, the city of Stuttgart is there waiting, yet my inability to communicate is paralyzing me and I haven’t traveling outside the limits of the hotel and convention center complex since I arrived.

Tonight is really should get over it and hop on that train, camera in hand, and go somewhere, anywhere, in the city. Two days from now I’ll be heading to Paris for the final part of my trip and it would be a damn shame if I haven’t gotten over this damn language barrier by then…

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http://www.gillianhefer.blogspot.com A Daft Scots Lass

God, I’d be out there exploring with my German dictionary in hand. Go for it! You have NOTHING to loose and one day you’ll say ‘I wish I had….”

Remember to go enter Caption My Freak Photo Competition
June

There’s an iphone app for that! Get it!
Aurore

I agree get a Greman/English phrase book, a map and go. People are amazingly sympathetic and helpful when they see you even attempting to speak their language. It won’t be perfect but as long as you can get your point across. Enjoy it.
http://iveylane.blogspot.com Ivey Lane

YES, there IS an app for that! or a book! Get your ass out of that damn hotel and get out there!! Learn this one phrase — Einschuldegang bitte, sprechen sie English? (Excuse me please, do you speak English?) The first part is pronounced “Eye-n shoold uh gong” “bit-uh”

Most of the folks our age and younger do speak some English because they are required to take it in school and like most people throughout the world, they are also helpful and nice. Also, almost every hotel will have information on the city in English because it is the international language.

Don’t be embarrassed. It is what it is.
http://www.lustsofajezebel.com Jezzy

I said it on your first day there. Get a translator app on your now-working Iphone and go.play.outside!

xoxo
Jezzy
http://topaz-gemology.blogspot.com Topaz

Dictionary, map, cash and a smile

There’s got to be some great places to eat, and always a cab to bring you back to your hotel!
(another tip – carry a business card from your hotel – best way to get directions back, just in case)
Sara

Hi. Most germans speak excellent english. Now Paris….i live there send me a mail,if you want some tips.
http://hubmanshangout.com Hubman

Ok ok, I got the iPhone app! And I ventured out twice today, I even went into a German market and bought a drink, I’m very proud of myself!

Tomorrow, it’s time for the Ubahn and trip to the city center!

Sara- yes, every German I’ve spoken with had excellent English skills, good thing!
http://anothersuburbanmom.blogspot.com Another Suburban Mom

I am glad you are expanding those horizons, but I can’t wait for you to come home.
http://www.thewritingbuddha.com Buddha

I know exactly what you mean. I’ve had those moments where you’re in a foreign country and feel a bit paralyzed by the language barrier. You feel lost. You worry that someone will take advantage of it and empty your wallet. What if you end up a bad part of town? Thing is… you have to go exploring. You might not ever find yourself in that part of the world or that town… again and regret is a bitch.

The Barry quote reminds me of a Malaysia Airlines flight I was on once on the way to Kuala Lumpur. I was extremely buzzed and was flirting with the flight attendant in the back of the plane. I asked her who the best passengers were – and the worst. She smiled and said, “The best are the Americans.” She smiled, again, and paused… “The worst… are the Americans.” We’re like a big kid in a candy store. We don’t mean to be ignorant. We just expect everyone to speak our language because they do at home and America is massive. We roam from state to state and English is spoken everywhere. It’s a little daunting when you’re in Japan or Germany and what you’re hearing certainly isn’t English.

Have fun in Paris; I’ve always wanted to go there.