Re: Speaking English Elsewhere

[David Dubin <David_Dubin -at- NOTES -dot- PW -dot- COM>]

I was stationed in Germany three times, Korea once, and Vietnam twice and
found that reasonable people anywhere will make an attempt to communicate
with each other regardless of the language barrier. In Germany and the rest
of central Europe (with the single exception of France, especially in Paris)
if you engage someone in conversation in English, and if they can speak even
a few words of English, they will attempt to speak to you. If they cannot
speak English, they will tell you so. Most Europeans born after the 1950s
were taught English in school and , although many have not had a chance to
use it, take great pride in the fact that they have some degree of fluency in
it.

While vacationing in Holland, I was able to understand much of what I heard
and read because I am fluent in German. When I began a conversation with the
Dutch, I would begin asking if they spoke German. Most, noting either my
pointed toe cowboy boots or my "white sidewall" haircut,  would verify that I
was an American and would then ask if I would not rather speak English. They
did not like to use German unless they really had to in order to communicate.

Regardless of where I was stationed, I attempted to learn the language. In
Vietnam, I became familiar with the language for survival purposes. When I
was stationed in Korea in '86, I tried to learn the language and, eventually
was able to speak Korean at about the 3rd grade level. This greatly pleased
the Koreans with whom I served (and those in the market places) and I was
accorded much more respect than most of my fellow officers who made no
attempt to learn it.

I guess it goes back to the basic fact that we should treat others as we wish
to be treated and remember rule number one:
Just because you speak English louder, it does not mean that foreigners will
understand it better.

david dubin -at- notes -dot- pw -dot- com
This has been one man's opinion, yours may vary with mileage, age, or
disposition.