Brits don't speak foreign languages

A recently published study tells that 64% of all the Britons can speak
only English.

In Markku Grönroos
wrote:

A recently published study

Which?

tells that 64% of all the Britons can speak only English.

If they don't travel, or restrict their travel to English-speaking
areas, they shouldn't encounter any difficulties.

--
St. Paul, MN

On 29/11/2011 16:31, Bert wrote:
In Markku Grönroos
wrote:

A recently published study

Which?

tells that 64% of all the Britons can speak only English.

If they don't travel, or restrict their travel to English-speaking
areas, they shouldn't encounter any difficulties.


Even if they don't. In my experience, citizens of most Euro countries
speak better English than I do. For example,in Germany, Holland, all
Scandinavian countries slip effortlessly to English if you start trying
to express yourself in the local language. Even France, although they
pretend that they don't!

On 2011-11-29 12:19:09 -0600, mikeos said:

Even if they don't. In my experience, citizens of most Euro countries
speak better English than I do. For example,in Germany, Holland, all
Scandinavian countries slip effortlessly to English if you start trying
to express yourself in the local language. Even France, although they
pretend that they don't!

When the ferry arrived in Oslo from Denmark, and the border people
motioned me aside for questioning, I carefully remembered what the
barman on the ferry told me: how to say "do you speak English" in
Norwegian.

I rolled down the window, the border person guard to me in a language I
did not understand, I carefully recited "do you speak English" in what
I thought was Norwegian, and the border guard responded: "what? what
did you just say?". In English. Hilarious!
--
Dan Stephenson
http://web.mac.com/stepheda
Travel pages for Europe and the U.S.A. (and New Zealand too)

On 2011-11-29 12:19:09 -0600, mikeos said:

Even if they don't. In my experience, citizens of most Euro countries
speak better English than I do. For example,in Germany, Holland, all
Scandinavian countries slip effortlessly to English if you start trying
to express yourself in the local language. Even France, although they
pretend that they don't!

Something else. I live in Texas in the USA. There are lot of
Spanish-speaking people here, and it is amazing to sometimes hear them
interleave Spanish and English continuously through their speech, so
that half the words in each sentence are in Spanish and the other half
in English. Or one Spanish sentence followed by one English sentence.
Amazing!

Question: for the non-English people in Europe, does this kind of thing
happen, too? I wonder in particular about the Irish who speak the
Irish gaelic language.
--
Dan Stephenson
http://web.mac.com/stepheda
Travel pages for Europe and the U.S.A. (and New Zealand too)

On 03/12/11 12:39, Dan Stephenson wrote:
On 2011-11-29 12:19:09 -0600, mikeos said:

Even if they don't. In my experience, citizens of most Euro countries
speak better English than I do. For example,in Germany, Holland, all
Scandinavian countries slip effortlessly to English if you start
trying to express yourself in the local language. Even France,
although they pretend that they don't!

Something else. I live in Texas in the USA. There are lot of
Spanish-speaking people here, and it is amazing to sometimes hear them
interleave Spanish and English continuously through their speech, so
that half the words in each sentence are in Spanish and the other half
in English. Or one Spanish sentence followed by one English sentence.
Amazing!

Question: for the non-English people in Europe, does this kind of thing
happen, too? I wonder in particular about the Irish who speak the Irish
gaelic language.

It happens in India.

'Hinglish' of often said to be the language of Bombay...

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

--
William Black

Free men have open minds
If you want loyalty, buy a dog...

3.12.2011 15:56, William Black kirjoitti:
On 03/12/11 12:39, Dan Stephenson wrote:
On 2011-11-29 12:19:09 -0600, mikeos said:

Even if they don't. In my experience, citizens of most Euro countries
speak better English than I do. For example,in Germany, Holland, all
Scandinavian countries slip effortlessly to English if you start
trying to express yourself in the local language. Even France,
although they pretend that they don't!

Something else. I live in Texas in the USA. There are lot of
Spanish-speaking people here, and it is amazing to sometimes hear them
interleave Spanish and English continuously through their speech, so
that half the words in each sentence are in Spanish and the other half
in English. Or one Spanish sentence followed by one English sentence.
Amazing!

Question: for the non-English people in Europe, does this kind of thing
happen, too? I wonder in particular about the Irish who speak the Irish
gaelic language.

It happens in India.

'Hinglish' of often said to be the language of Bombay...

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

You mean Mumbai.

Duh here we go again
Do the british use toilet paper ?
Do the irish drink beer ?
Are there cars in London ?



"Dan Stephenson" a écrit dans le message de groupe de discussion :
2011120306391017347-stephedanospam@maccom...

On 2011-11-29 12:19:09 -0600, mikeos said:

Even if they don't. In my experience, citizens of most Euro countries
speak better English than I do. For example,in Germany, Holland, all
Scandinavian countries slip effortlessly to English if you start trying to
express yourself in the local language. Even France, although they pretend
that they don't!

Something else. I live in Texas in the USA. There are lot of
Spanish-speaking people here, and it is amazing to sometimes hear them
interleave Spanish and English continuously through their speech, so
that half the words in each sentence are in Spanish and the other half
in English. Or one Spanish sentence followed by one English sentence.
Amazing!

Question: for the non-English people in Europe, does this kind of thing
happen, too? I wonder in particular about the Irish who speak the
Irish gaelic language.
--
Dan Stephenson
http://web.mac.com/stepheda
Travel pages for Europe and the U.S.A. (and New Zealand too)

Something else. I live in Texas in the USA. There are lot of
Spanish-speaking people here, and it is amazing to sometimes hear them
interleave Spanish and English continuously through their speech, so
that half the words in each sentence are in Spanish and the other half
in English. Or one Spanish sentence followed by one English sentence.
Amazing!

Question: for the non-English people in Europe, does this kind of thing
happen, too? I wonder in particular about the Irish who speak the
Irish gaelic language.

Irish is close to dead. The phenomenon you describe does happen with
Welsh, which is very much alive.

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Jack Campin, 11 Third Street, Newtongrange, Midlothian EH22 4PU, Scotland
mobile 07800 739 557 http://www.campin.me.uk Twitter: JackCampin

On 04/12/2011 12:38, Jack Campin wrote:

Irish is close to dead. The phenomenon you describe does happen with
Welsh, which is very much alive.

Very true, about 40% of Welsh people use it as their first language.