Why doesn't all the world just speak English?

[Knock-on]

[tongue in cheek] :devil: [/tongue in cheek]

[race aficionado]

Por que no me da la puta gana! ;)

[Koz]

For everyone to speak English, everyone would have to understand English, and it is a well known fact that native English spoken by the folks from the British Isles is impossible to understand from without.

[pino]

Jamais dans la vie mon ami :p :

[henners88]

I fink its dead rubbish not everybody speaks English. Ya go abroad and all this silly lingo is just confusing! :p

[Corvettian]

Oh, are you referring to the West Germanic language which was introduced to Britain by the Angles and the Saxons (and later heavily influenced by Latin and Old Norse)...? :grenade:

[gadjo_dilo]

Hey...... Why should all of us learn english when most of those whose first language is english don't bother to learn other languages?
:confused:

Language helps us to express our feelings. No offence but from this point of view I don't think that english is a very rich language. But I admit it's an excellent mean of communication.

[donKey jote]

Por que no me da la puta gana! ;)
:laugh:

or:
me cago en la hostia... por que no me sale de los putos huevos, coño ! :andrea:

[D-Type]

Actually, everyone does speak English - it's simply overlaid by a veneer of another language. All you need to do is to address a native speaking V-E-R-Y S-L-O-W-L-Y and LOUD. And you will find they understand :cool:

Serously though, I always feel ashamed at the poor language skills of us Brits in comparison to other nationalities. The only consolation is that the Americans are even more insular - not only do they expect people to speak English, they also expect them to have embraced the American way of life.

[henners88]

Hey...... Why should all of us learn english when most of those whose first language is english don't bother to learn other languages?
:confused:

Language helps us to express our feelings. No offence but from this point of view I don't think that english is a very rich language. But I admit it's an excellent mean of communication.
Is much rather force everyone to have a sense of humour rather than speaking English :D

[henners88]

Oh, are you referring to the West Germanic language which was introduced to Britain by the Angles and the Saxons (and later heavily influenced by Latin and Old Norse)...? :grenade:
That's the one, or at least the only English language I'm familiar with ;)

[donKey jote]

Actually, everyone does speak English - it's simply overlaid by a veneer of another language. All you need to do is to address a native speaking V-E-R-Y S-L-O-W-L-Y and LOUD. And you will find they understand :cool:

I experienced something similar once in England, taking the shortcut home in the middle of the night through the city center (not allowed for cars :erm: ), driving with Spanish plates...
a friendly bobby popped out from behind the corner, and after checking out the empty passenger seat ( ;) :p ), he came to my side and spoke Spanish loud and slowly :
"T-H-I-S S-T-R-E-E-T: N-O D-R-I-V-E-O.... N-E-X-T T-I-M-E: T-I-C-K-E-T-O " :andrea:

[D-Type]

And you understood him - QED ;)

[odykas]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_languages_by_number_of_native_speakers



Mandarin

12.44%



Spanish
4.85%


English
4.83%


Arabic
3.25%


Hindi
2.68%



Based on the above, I believe we should switch to Mandarin.

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Well if a German wants to speak to an Italian quite often they will speak to each other in English. So if you are a young European growing up then the chances are that the second language that you choose to learn is English. If you are a native English speaker the choice for a second language isn't so obvious. Should I have focused on learning German or French, Spanish, Portuguese etc?

[donKey jote]

mandarin and arabic are on my to do list :bandit:

[donKey jote]

If you are a native English speaker the choice for a second language isn't so obvious. Should I have focused on learning German or French, Spanish, Portuguese etc?

Well ANY would be better than none ;) :andrea:

[Brown, Jon Brow]

Well ANY would be better than none ;) :andrea:

I took French lessons at school. :p My girlfriend did A-level German so we can only really communicate in English (the northern version).

[donKey jote]

had you both done Spanish instead... :p

[Brown, Jon Brow]

English dominates EU language curricula, study finds | EurActiv (http://www.euractiv.com/culture/english-dominates-eu-language-cu-news-220783)

This sums up the point I'm making. 90% of children in the EU will have English lessons in school at some point.

When I was at school there was only really space in the curriculum to learn one language. Some took French lessons, some took German, others chose Spanish.

[odykas]

mandarin and arabic are on my to do list :bandit:


Both are quite easy :p :

[donKey jote]

Both are quite easy :p :

I know.
Hindi and Swahili were a bummer though :p

[Brown, Jon Brow]

I know.
Hindi and Swahili were a bummer though :p

Ha! Try your hand at some Cumbrian dialect if you want a challenge.

[donKey jote]

English dominates EU language curricula, study finds | EurActiv (http://www.euractiv.com/culture/english-dominates-eu-language-cu-news-220783)

This sums up the point I'm making. 90% of children in the EU will have English lessons in school at some point.


Sure, but there is a hell of a lot more to language and communication than finding a common "me Donkey, you Jane" pidgin :)

[mason riley]

Yea, why don't the world just use learn sign language, yea?

[Daniel]

I experienced something similar once in England, taking the shortcut home in the middle of the night through the city center (not allowed for cars :erm: ), driving with Spanish plates...
a friendly bobby popped out from behind the corner, and after checking out the empty passenger seat ( ;) :p ), he came to my side and spoke Spanish loud and slowly :
"T-H-I-S S-T-R-E-E-T: N-O D-R-I-V-E-O.... N-E-X-T T-I-M-E: T-I-C-K-E-T-O " :andrea:

You should have said "Awright Guvnor!"

[Arska]

Koska monet haluaa säilyttää oman kielensä ;)

[Rudy Tamasz]

Well if a German wants to speak to an Italian quite often they will speak to each other in English. So if you are a young European growing up then the chances are that the second language that you choose to learn is English. If you are a native English speaker the choice for a second language isn't so obvious. Should I have focused on learning German or French, Spanish, Portuguese etc?

Opt for a non-Indo-European language. All Indo-European languages have a lot in common, so there's a chance you'll be able to figure out some bits and pieces based on the knowledge of your mother tongue. When you get to a non-Indo-European environment, no chance.

My girlfriend and I once found ourselves in a supermarket in a suburb of Istanbul. Nobody around us spoke any language but Turkish. We were leaving the country in a couple hours and wanted to spend the rest of the cash we had. We figured we had enough to buy some ten packs of Turkish coffee. At the cash register they turned us back. We went to a different cash register to pay. Same story. And again. And again. And again. Cashiers kept telling us something but we didn't understand. Finally, somebody explained t to us in broken English we didn't have enough money. We thought we had 5,000,000 Turkish lyras (inflation, y'know) and it turned out we only had 500,000. We got the number of zeroes wrong and all bills, million or hundred, looked exactly the same. We bought one pack of coffee and went away. If we knew some Turkish, we'd spare ourselves of this funny embarrassment.

[gadjo_dilo]

My father knew turkish. And tartarian too.
I thought he was joking but I then saw him speaking fluently with such ethnics who pretended my dad was speaking better than them.

[henners88]

Sorry but this is all just a noise. Does nobody here speak English? :D

[Rudy Tamasz]

Sorry but this is all just a noise. Does nobody here speak English? :D

Noh. Ve just stupid turist wiz lot munny. Ve spik, you lissen. Ve order, you serve. Ve not nid English. Munny spik for ve.

[henners88]

Noh. Ve just stupid turist wiz lot munny. Ve spik, you lissen. Ve order, you serve. Ve not nid English. Munny spik for ve.
That's better Rudy, if only everybody spoke as clearly as that. Since you ask though, no my caravan is stable at high speeds thank you very much. :)

[gadjo_dilo]

Sorry but this is all just a noise. Does nobody here speak English? :D
I don't speak English. I can write a little bit but if I try to speak nobody understands me. And I'm too shy to speak, anyway.

[Mintexmemory]

Sorry but this is all just a noise. Does nobody here speak English? :D

Now that is (probably) rich coming from the celtic faction - Sut y mae'n mynd Boyo

[henners88]

Now that is (probably) rich coming from the celtic faction - Sut y mae'n mynd Boyo
I might have lived in Wales for 12 years but my posh English accent is still very easy to understand I can assure you. :D

PS: I've never heard a Welshman say 'boyo' in all the years I've been here. They do say 'butt' a lot though lol. 'Alright butt?'

[Mintexmemory]

I might have lived in Wales for 12 years but my posh English accent is still very easy to understand I can assure you. :D

PS: I've never heard a Welshman say 'boyo' in all the years I've been here. They do say 'butt' a lot though lol. 'Alright butt?'

I knew you were English from previous discussions, just was wondering if you'd gone 'native' like some petrolhead Colonel Kurz ;)

To those who were wondering which second language to learn if you are a native english speaker - decide which country has memebers of the opposite sex you find most attractive (if you had to pick one), decision made.
BTW: C'est une belle blouse, puis-je vous aider à sortir de ce (apparently can be a good ice breaker especially with an obvious english accent - never had 'les couilles a essayer')

[gadjo_dilo]

To those who were wondering which second language to learn if you are a native english speaker - decide which country has memebers of the opposite sex you find most attractive (if you had to pick one), decision made. )

That's interesting.... A lot of my fellow countrymen are surprised that wherever in Europe ( except for UK of course ) they go on holiday the natives pretend they don't know english. But russian is always a solution for understanding. Since russian girls are very pretty ( when they're young ) then....etc. etc.

BTW: C'est une belle blouse, puis-je vous aider à sortir de ce (apparently can be a good ice breaker especially with an obvious english accent - never had 'les couilles a essayer')
Naaahhh...I bet that was the receipt in conquering your girl.... :devil:
Don't think it works these days.

[SGWilko]

English dominates EU language curricula, study finds | EurActiv (http://www.euractiv.com/culture/english-dominates-eu-language-cu-news-220783)


Isn't that so as to meet the minimum benefit payment criteria for when they all come over here...... ;)

[That was a joke, BTW]

[SGWilko]

That's better Rudy, if only everybody spoke as clearly as that. Since you ask though, no my caravan is stable at high speeds thank you very much. :)

The Top Gear crew will be along shortly with any luck to rid the A-road system of your menace....!!!!! ;)

[Daniel]

Isn't that so as to meet the minimum benefit payment criteria for when they all come over here...... ;)

[That was a joke, BTW]

Racialist!

[that's a joke, BTW, you're being xenophobic![that's also a joke btw, I understand that you were just having a joke]]

[SGWilko]

Now that is (probably) rich coming from the celtic faction - Sut y mae'n mynd Boyo

Who's coat is that jacket?

[SGWilko]

Racialist!

[that's a joke, BTW, you're being xenophobic![that's also a joke btw, I understand that you were just having a joke]]

Slow down, I can't read my dictionary that quick!!!!!Is x before or after a????

[henners88]

Who's coat is that jacket?
Lay back and Prestatyn.

[Mintexmemory]

Lay back and Prestatyn.

Is this the way to Bangor

[Tel 911S]

I was doing a lot of European championship rallies in the 80s , & when I would speak to any Germans they would always speak back to me in English that was much better than my German . That did tend to reduce the amount of German that I would try .
But at the end of that decade , there were a lot of East German crews coming out on events , [ the fall of the wall etc ] , and most of the East Germans could not speak English as well , so I would get to practice my [ admittedly not brilliant ] German on them .
They would say that they were forced to learn Russian as a second language , but really wanted English as it was the language of "Pop music "
So the excuse for the English of not learning other languages as well as they should have , is that we were being polite & helping other nations to practice their English .

[Knock-on]

Had a cracker in France last week.

As some of us know, the national sport of France is to not understand French spoken with an English accent.

So there I was in the the hotel and the waitress wanted to check my room number for entry to breakfast. Now, my room was actually 111 which even I can't cock up.

So my Un, Un, Un rolled in in perfect Surrey French to be greeted by a shrug a d a redeem and for my Chambre. Un, Un, Un a second time received the same response and at this point the Frenchman behind me got the hump and snapped at the woman in accented English "you know he's saying 111."

The look on her face was priceless as she went bright red and waved me in :laugh:

[Tel 911S]

I have always found most French people to be very helpful if you try a bit of French speaking .Even in Paris [ like most capitol cities , the people are more rude ] they have usually tried to help if you speak French first .
And I know my French is not very good .

[SGWilko]

I have always found most French people to be very helpful if you try a bit of French speaking .Even in Paris [ like most capitol cities , the people are more rude ] they have usually tried to help if you speak French first .
And I know my French is not very good .

Most citizens are like this - make a little effort to speak their language and they are much more likely to help.

[555-04Q2]

Julle mense is nie reg in die kop nie :p :

[Roamy]

Por que no me da la puta gana! ;)

hey what does "Puta" mean ????

[donKey jote]

depends on the context :andrea:

[A.F.F.]

I have always found most French people to be very helpful if you try a bit of French speaking .Even in Paris [ like most capitol cities , the people are more rude ] they have usually tried to help if you speak French first .
And I know my French is not very good .

Me too.My french gotta be the worst but when I opened the conversation with french, they volunteerly changed to english :D

[pino]

Paesano, believe me, your Italian is much better :p :

[Spafranco]

It would be real cool to speak outer Mongolian. I could pick up babes in chat rooms like Napoleon Dynamites brother. Sheeeesh

[Rudy Tamasz]

It would be real cool to speak outer Mongolian. I could pick up babes in chat rooms like Napoleon Dynamites brother. Sheeeesh

Accents can be very sexy at times.

[Mark]

Paesano, believe me, your Italian is much better :p :

You're English has improved greatly since you started posting here :)

[pino]

You're English has improved greatly since you started posting here :)

Yours too :p :

[Donney]

:rotflmao:

[Mark]

Yours too :p :

Thanks, my French however, is worse :(

[SGWilko]

Thanks, my French however, is worse :(

My French is merde, apparently.

[markabilly]

I can not imagine why I would want to learn a foreign language cause I can't even speak English very well.....even in texican

[henners88]

I can not imagine why I would want to learn a foreign language cause I can't even speak English very well.....even in texican
I can't speak English very well and I'm English.

[Mark]

You've got a Welsh flag. EXPLAIN YOURSELF ;)

[donKey jote]

he married a dragon? :andrea: :p

[SGWilko]

he married a dragon? :andrea: :p

I feel his pain!

[A.F.F.]

Paesano, believe me, your Italian is much better :p :

Next time we meet, I will only speak Italian. I have a new dictionary. They opened a new pizzeria nearby and I stole the menu ;)

[Lucy]

Heh... I can't imagine as well, but it would be sooo easy :)