Willingness to Respond

[Henneth Annun]

Okay, I've heard around from people that sometimes when they go to another country and try to communicate in that language, they people there will, instead of responding in that language, respond to the person in their [the tourist's] native language.

Has this ever happened to you, or to someone you know?

What do you think about it? Would it be annoying for you, would you be offended, would you see it as them trying to be as accomodating as possible, or something else?

You can also write a little about how your trip was if you want. smile  

[Chaos Blue]

Well, a lot natives of that country'll pretty much tell you aren't from there. And they'll most likely use the tourist's language, especially if they see they're having a hard time. It's more of an accommodation thing than anything else, I think. I also think that if you insist on using the native language, then they'll be a bit more inclined to just use it too, and help you out with mistakes.
I don't take any offense to it, but, sometimes it can feel like they're assuming you don't know their language good enough to carry out the whole conversation, even though that may or may not be the case, like, it's just them trying to help you. I guess you could even politely ask if they keep using said native language, to help you improve. So more communication, (rather than less on the assumption that they're being impolite) is probably better. The only time I've been out of the country was back when I was six to go to the Dominican Republic. I didn't know too much Spanish so my dad acted as a major role as a translator for me. I sure do wish he'dve taught me the actual language growing up though.

Edit: Nice change up on the avi!! . . .Where'd your rottweilers go?? xd  

[ThuckFat]

My family and I have been to a few countries, but till now they have all been countries with languages at least somebody in the family can speak. Thus it wasn't necessary for the natives to try and speak our language.

All except for Germany. We moved here and only the teachers tried speaking English with us. Most classmates had their fun asking me questions I could hardly understand like "Hast du einen Schwanz ?".
That is ambiguous and can be translated to "Do you have a tail ?" (at that time the only translation I knew of Schwanz). Naturally I answered - with a puzzled look on my face wondering why they would ask me such a question - with "Nein". Unaware, that Schwanz colloquially means d**k -_-

Needless to say it was hilarious for them and embarrassing for me as I quickly understood, there could be only one reason I had turned into the laughing stock of the class - as a boy I had admitted I had no d**k.
Wasn't the only time that happened as I was bullied for 3 years up until the bullies dropped out rofl rofl yeah... Dumb ignorant sons a bitches ! mrgreen

That experience ignited my hatred for this country. Only to be further fueled by - Oh I'm going offtopic here ninja

Ermm... yeah. Right ! The question razz
Do natives speak with tourists in the tourists native language ?
If they can and want to help they surely will I guess.  

[Henneth Annun]

Chaos Blue

Well, a lot natives of that country'll pretty much tell you aren't from there. And they'll most likely use the tourist's language, especially if they see they're having a hard time. It's more of an accommodation thing than anything else, I think. I also think that if you insist on using the native language, then they'll be a bit more inclined to just use it too, and help you out with mistakes.
I don't take any offense to it, but, sometimes it can feel like they're assuming you don't know their language good enough to carry out the whole conversation, even though that may or may not be the case, like, it's just them trying to help you. I guess you could even politely ask if they keep using said native language, to help you improve. So more communication, (rather than less on the assumption that they're being impolite) is probably better. The only time I've been out of the country was back when I was six to go to the Dominican Republic. I didn't know too much Spanish so my dad acted as a major role as a translator for me. I sure do wish he'dve taught me the actual language growing up though.

Edit: Nice change up on the avi!! . . .Where'd your rottweilers go?? xd

Thanks! smile My rottweilers are on holiday in my equip menu.

I felt like a change to something snazzier. I think I succeeded. xd

ThuckFat

All except for Germany. We moved here and only the teachers tried speaking English with us. Most classmates had their fun asking me questions I could hardly understand like "Hast du einen Schwanz ?".
That is ambiguous and can be translated to "Do you have a tail ?" (at that time the only translation I knew of Schwanz). Naturally I answered - with a puzzled look on my face wondering why they would ask me such a question - with "Nein". Unaware, that Schwanz colloquially means d**k -_-

That’s funny…the first translation of Schwanz I knew was the one you learned last.

If only our places had been switched…you might have been saved the shame. xd  

[ThuckFat]

XWraith_LordX

That’s funny…the first translation of Schwanz I knew was the one you learned last.

If only our places had been switched…you might have been saved the shame. xd

Yeah it's a pity I don't learn the vulgar words of a language first like everyone else does confused  

[Henneth Annun]

ThuckFat

XWraith_LordX

That’s funny…the first translation of Schwanz I knew was the one you learned last.

If only our places had been switched…you might have been saved the shame. xd

Yeah it's a pity I don't learn the vulgar words of a language first like everyone else does confused

Meh, mostly I just learn a few here and there because everyone else knows them. Spanish and Japanese insults seem to be the most common.  

[Einllikoach]

A few times ago I occurred to encounter some English-speaking tourists who were speaking to me as they were reading from a text-book (some of them actually did, in front of my face), insisting to keep it going even when I said they can simply turn to me in English, instead of wasting our time.
However, what angers me the most was that some of those told me - in English - they don’t want me to mislead them with my English and therefore I should respond them in Hebrew only. Brilliant. stare

XWraith_LordX, marvelous avatar! ;Ð  

[Henneth Annun]

Einllikoach

A few times ago I occurred to encounter some English-speaking tourists who were speaking to me as they were reading from a text-book (some of them actually did, in front of my face), insisting to keep it going even when I said they can simply turn to me in English, instead of wasting our time.
However, what angers me the most was that some of those told me - in English - they don’t want me to mislead them with my English and therefore I should respond them in Hebrew only. Brilliant. stare

XWraith_LordX, marvelous avatar! ;Ð

Did you then start a long complex speech in English that made them drop their jaws at your perfect and amazing your English was? surprised

---

Thanks! It actually matches your avi too I think....hehe.... xd  

[Einllikoach]

XWraith_LordX

Einllikoach

A few times ago I occurred to encounter some English-speaking tourists who were speaking to me as they were reading from a text-book (some of them actually did, in front of my face), insisting to keep it going even when I said they can simply turn to me in English, instead of wasting our time.
However, what angers me the most was that some of those told me - in English - they don’t want me to mislead them with my English and therefore I should respond them in Hebrew only. Brilliant. stare

XWraith_LordX, marvelous avatar! ;Ð

Did you then start a long complex speech in English that made them drop their jaws at your perfect and amazing your English was? surprised

---

Thanks! It actually matches your avi too I think....hehe.... xd

Eh, no, not really; I have done that at start, but apparently it didn’t worked well.

--

Oh, yes, I was thinking about that. They look a bit as they were taken out of a Cabaret show or something.  

[Nosuri]

It happened to me quite often when I was in Japan. I talked to people in Japanese and they would talk back in English. English is neither my first nor second language, but they guessed it was for some reasons.

I never surrendered to speaking English though, (well, my spoken English is worse than my spoken Japanese...), and the interaction went like this:
Me: always Japanese
Person A: always English.
I think it would have been fun to see from an external point of view! I do understand they just wanted to be nice and help me out, so it's not a big deal, I just felt a little disappointed at the missed opportunity to practice conversation and because my Japanese apparently was still not good enough. sad  

[lili of the lamplight]

It has happened to me in Germany, and my feelings about it are varied. Usually, it was vaguely annoying but not offensive.

The only time I was really offended, it had more to do with the conversation and what the other person said than which language he said it in.  

[Caotic Crys]

i think it would be polite. but if you asked them something in their language then it would be nice for them to respond in that same language.  

[Prince Rilian]

I think they're just trying to be helpful.

Only country I've been besides USA is Canada. There were some french speakers there but most people spoke english, so not much problem.

When I talk to people in USA in their first language, they answer in their language.  

[Hermonie Urameshi]

I have only been to Canada when I was really young and knew nothing of foreign languages. I would be slightly offended if I spoke well enough, if I couldn't, I would probably be happy about at first. And I would totally act as if I didn't understand English if I was speaking in another language wel

l enough. xd