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Sundae · 08-01-2011, 04:20 AM

I have Tourist Lingo in French, German, Spanish* and Italian.
Which means I can say Please, Thank You, Sorry/ Excuse Me (essential to a Brit) Hello, Goodbye and order drinks and food reasonably well. My Dutch is on an even lower level, but I can at least say Hello in Dutch - I am then replied to in English, to my relief. But the Dutch like you if you make the effort, whereas the French are appalled if you mangle their language.

I should have tried to keep up my French. I've lost pretty much all of it.
I was taught by a native French-speaker from the age of ten and was reckoned to have a good accent because of it. I spent some time in France - attended a French school - and got on quite well. But I was appallingly homesick - something I never expected. I think that gave me a real fear of ever leaving my country. I know many people who dream of moving abroad - I am definitely not one of them. I could handle Wales. Maybe.

Although moving to Toledo has its own appeal...

* ETA my Spanish is Catalan, which is slightly different to standard Spanish. I learned it in holiday resorts/ from tourist guides, as opposed to having language lessons.

08-01-2011, 04:20 AM	#2
Sundae polaroid of perfection Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: West Yorkshire Posts: 24,185	I have Tourist Lingo in French, German, Spanish* and Italian. Which means I can say Please, Thank You, Sorry/ Excuse Me (essential to a Brit) Hello, Goodbye and order drinks and food reasonably well. My Dutch is on an even lower level, but I can at least say Hello in Dutch - I am then replied to in English, to my relief. But the Dutch like you if you make the effort, whereas the French are appalled if you mangle their language. I should have tried to keep up my French. I've lost pretty much all of it. I was taught by a native French-speaker from the age of ten and was reckoned to have a good accent because of it. I spent some time in France - attended a French school - and got on quite well. But I was appallingly homesick - something I never expected. I think that gave me a real fear of ever leaving my country. I know many people who dream of moving abroad - I am definitely not one of them. I could handle Wales. Maybe. Although moving to Toledo has its own appeal... * ETA my Spanish is Catalan, which is slightly different to standard Spanish. I learned it in holiday resorts/ from tourist guides, as opposed to having language lessons.