Should everyone speak English?

Nostrodamus

Nostrodamus

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7 Mar 2011
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www.cygnus3.com
Look,I am in France and I am the biggest culprit in the world. I hear the French weather forecast on the radio and I don't understand it. I hear what I presume is the coast guard but I have no idea what they are balbbering on about. I hear other boats but have no idea what they are saying. If I use my radio I speak in English and hope they can do so too.
It may be someone is in trouble nearby but if they speak in a foreign language I am as useless as a chastity belt for Katie Price.
Am I arrogant or should I have learnt some French before coming here?
I am going to Spain and Portugal next. What happens then?
Should everyone learn English so they can understand me or should I learn everyone else's language?
 
Twister_Ken said:
Several pro words have their origins in French (Mayday, Pan, Silence) so you should at least know that someone is shouting for help, even if you don't know who or where.
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'Mayday' came from the French 'M'aidez' (help me), or so I'm told. Anyway, I think the great Chabal sums it up quite nicely (and with a touch of irony):

 
If you think French is difficult . . .

I've no ear for languages at all but the basics are appreciated wherever you go.

I spent several months in Portugal (Porto Santo/Madeira mostly). I thought I'd learn the language & bought a book.

It was extremely difficult for me to get beyond yes, no & thank you (& you didn't need a book for that!). I kept making gender errors (never mind pronunciation!) etc and in the end I gave up and went back into colonial mode. :rolleyes:
 
Twister_Ken said:
Several pro words have their origins in French (Mayday, Pan, Silence) so you should at least know that someone is shouting for help, even if you don't know who or where.
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I thought that so recently asked a french person - she said Mayday and Pan were not french to her knowledge but silence was.
 
Also, I think thanks to the internet most people can speak English. Your problem is that the Frech WON'T speak English - totally different issue!
 
Most coastguards will speak English as they are dealing with ships and English is the language used for communications worldwide. Most will give a forecast in English if asked.

It is not that difficult to learn the languages for forecasts. Most forecasts follow set formats and with practice and a list of words to expect it shouldn't be too hard to pick up. In France it is made easier because the VHF forecasts are issued at slightly different times along the coasts and generally you can receive not just your immediate local transmitter one but the ones from either side as well at about 15 minute intervals. This gives you three goes at getting it written down, so that anything missed in the first hearing can be filled in at number two or three, even if you write an unknown word down phonetically and look it up later. The French VHF forecasts are very good IMO and they give a rolling outlook rather than just repeat the same stuff all day until the next full forecast arrives. Without these you have to rely on marina posted forecasts or Navtex or guesswork which IMO would make it very difficult to get out of the marina to marina routine and out into the anchorages. The UK shipping forecast would keep you in harbour most of the time if you were cruising the Biscay coast, yet the local VHF ones would get you out and about, time to buy a marine dictionary!
 
Nostrodamus said:
Look,I am in France and I am the biggest culprit in the world. I hear the French weather forecast on the radio and I don't understand it. I hear what I presume is the coast guard but I have no idea what they are balbbering on about. I hear other boats but have no idea what they are saying. If I use my radio I speak in English and hope they can do so too.
It may be someone is in trouble nearby but if they speak in a foreign language I am as useless as a chastity belt for Katie Price.
Am I arrogant or should I have learnt some French before coming here?
I am going to Spain and Portugal next. What happens then?
Should everyone learn English so they can understand me or should I learn everyone else's language?
Click to expand...

I have difficulty understanding Englishmen when they are balbbering.
 
Robin said:
Most coastguards will speak English as they are dealing with ships and English is the language used for communications worldwide. Most will give a forecast in English if asked.

It is not that difficult to learn the languages for forecasts. Most forecasts follow set formats and with practice and a list of words to expect it shouldn't be too hard to pick up. In France it is made easier because the VHF forecasts are issued at slightly different times along the coasts and generally you can receive not just your immediate local transmitter one but the ones from either side as well at about 15 minute intervals. This gives you three goes at getting it written down, so that anything missed in the first hearing can be filled in at number two or three, even if you write an unknown word down phonetically and look it up later. The French VHF forecasts are very good IMO and they give a rolling outlook rather than just repeat the same stuff all day until the next full forecast arrives. Without these you have to rely on marina posted forecasts or Navtex or guesswork which IMO would make it very difficult to get out of the marina to marina routine and out into the anchorages. The UK shipping forecast would keep you in harbour most of the time if you were cruising the Biscay coast, yet the local VHF ones would get you out and about, time to buy a marine dictionary!
Click to expand...

They also have a VHF channel dedicated to the météo now; from memory 73 where it runs continously.
 
Nostrodamus said:
Am I arrogant or should I have learnt some French before coming here?
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To ask the question is to answer it. ;)

Nostrodamus said:
Should everyone learn English so they can understand me or should I learn everyone else's language?
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Just to the best you can.
Most people everywhere appreciate the effort you put in, and if you're struggling many will 'help you out' with their best effort of English.
I have little sympathy for expats who confine themselves to arrogantly shouting at Johnny Foreigner in English.
 
It is the height of arrogance not to even try to speak to someone in their native tongue when visiting their country.

A few words is all it takes and it works wonders. If you don't try you will be ignored or treated like sh*t, or both. :o
 
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