Do You Have to Speak the Language To Visit a Country? - Travel Q&A - Wolters World
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Date: 2022-02-04
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Comments and reviews: 10
VERLAN
going to the tourist areas in a city/country isn't expiercing the culture at all. it's like saying going to a shopping mall is where all the locals by their necessities. at most you're just sight seeing, since you won't be able to understand anything if you don't speak any of the language.
you certainly don't have to be fluent, but I'd at least have basic command (which is only a peg above knowing staple phrases) so you can navigate yourself through the country for necessities like asking where a place is, where the washroom is, etc. And it's also the most respectful thing to do if the country does not have English as an official/recognised language. I've always found it rude of people from the anglosphere who get mad at people from other countries not speaking English when they're abroad. You're on their turf, they don't move and shake solely to accommodate your needs.
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going to the tourist areas in a city/country isn't expiercing the culture at all. it's like saying going to a shopping mall is where all the locals by their necessities. at most you're just sight seeing, since you won't be able to understand anything if you don't speak any of the language.
you certainly don't have to be fluent, but I'd at least have basic command (which is only a peg above knowing staple phrases) so you can navigate yourself through the country for necessities like asking where a place is, where the washroom is, etc. And it's also the most respectful thing to do if the country does not have English as an official/recognised language. I've always found it rude of people from the anglosphere who get mad at people from other countries not speaking English when they're abroad. You're on their turf, they don't move and shake solely to accommodate your needs.
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Ral
I'm curious about a language buff's thoughts on Esperanto ( #EsperantoLives. You mentioned that English is essentially the language of tourism which is great to know. Do you see any value in something like Esperanto for the average person which is meant to be easier to learn than just about any other language? By an average person I mean someone who doesn't have financial incentive like an employee in the tourism industry does because it's a job requirement. It's great to learn a little bit of a local language, like phrases for basic things, but it's tough to learn a language to a functional level, and it's strange to not be able to talk to people outside of the tourist amenities (hotels, restaurants, etc.
Thanks for your videos. I'm getting excited about traveling and your information has been very helpful!
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I'm curious about a language buff's thoughts on Esperanto ( #EsperantoLives. You mentioned that English is essentially the language of tourism which is great to know. Do you see any value in something like Esperanto for the average person which is meant to be easier to learn than just about any other language? By an average person I mean someone who doesn't have financial incentive like an employee in the tourism industry does because it's a job requirement. It's great to learn a little bit of a local language, like phrases for basic things, but it's tough to learn a language to a functional level, and it's strange to not be able to talk to people outside of the tourist amenities (hotels, restaurants, etc.
Thanks for your videos. I'm getting excited about traveling and your information has been very helpful!
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Maja
Knowing the language really helps. I wanted to order ice cream in France, but I don't speak French and so I could not order ice cream. Even when I pointed on it they just shrugged, like they didn't understand what I wanted. But then my sister walked in and tried to speak French (she just started studying) and suddenly everyone in the shop spoke English! I experienced that a lot in France.
The opposite happened to me in Berlin, were the entire staff of the hotel I stayed in, first talked to be in English before they noticed I'm actually German, too.
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Knowing the language really helps. I wanted to order ice cream in France, but I don't speak French and so I could not order ice cream. Even when I pointed on it they just shrugged, like they didn't understand what I wanted. But then my sister walked in and tried to speak French (she just started studying) and suddenly everyone in the shop spoke English! I experienced that a lot in France.
The opposite happened to me in Berlin, were the entire staff of the hotel I stayed in, first talked to be in English before they noticed I'm actually German, too.
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WhiteRose
Hi Mark! I'm looking into moving to Europe after High school here in America, do you have any tips on living in Europe or certain country's to live in or recommend? And I'm also trying to stay ontop of my languages I'm trying to teach myself for when moving to Europe. Do you know any ways I can stay ontop of my Languages everyday and be successful in learning them, and stay ontop of my schooling as well?
Love your Videos to!
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Hi Mark! I'm looking into moving to Europe after High school here in America, do you have any tips on living in Europe or certain country's to live in or recommend? And I'm also trying to stay ontop of my languages I'm trying to teach myself for when moving to Europe. Do you know any ways I can stay ontop of my Languages everyday and be successful in learning them, and stay ontop of my schooling as well?
Love your Videos to!
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george
Thanks so much for the tip on one of your other videos on the Budget airlines. I showed a friend of mine planing to fly from Honduras to London this summer and rather than flying straight to London I showed him that flying to Madrid and switching to Ryan-air from Madrid to London would save him almost $900 for his wife's and his tickets. And I'm saving almost $300 with my son using Ryan-air from Madrid to Copenhagen. Thx so much!
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Thanks so much for the tip on one of your other videos on the Budget airlines. I showed a friend of mine planing to fly from Honduras to London this summer and rather than flying straight to London I showed him that flying to Madrid and switching to Ryan-air from Madrid to London would save him almost $900 for his wife's and his tickets. And I'm saving almost $300 with my son using Ryan-air from Madrid to Copenhagen. Thx so much!
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Maggy
I used to think I could only visit countries of which I can speak the language. But I would miss so much of the beautiful world. I have been to many other countries now and I always had no or only little problems with speaking English. And if the other person doesn't speak English (which happens, but not very often) you have you hands and foots to communicate. :D I also have a dictionary with me most of the time.
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I used to think I could only visit countries of which I can speak the language. But I would miss so much of the beautiful world. I have been to many other countries now and I always had no or only little problems with speaking English. And if the other person doesn't speak English (which happens, but not very often) you have you hands and foots to communicate. :D I also have a dictionary with me most of the time.
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NordikFilm
I clearly remember waiting in the line outside a McDonalds in Zurich, Switzerland in 2010. A very nervous american collage kid from GA (tagged with an adress on his backpack) asked me if I could help him order from the menu. I told him that they actually speak english at McDonalds in Switzerland.
Mr Wolters are you afraid of flying after what happend to the Germanwings and FlyDubai flights?
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I clearly remember waiting in the line outside a McDonalds in Zurich, Switzerland in 2010. A very nervous american collage kid from GA (tagged with an adress on his backpack) asked me if I could help him order from the menu. I told him that they actually speak english at McDonalds in Switzerland.
Mr Wolters are you afraid of flying after what happend to the Germanwings and FlyDubai flights?
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Runar
It is impressive how much you can communicate with hand signals. In Berlin a macaroon shop the owner didn't speak English (or Norwegian) Still it was no problem and had a great service. Just point and show how many fingers and so on. Same in Berlin at a chili wurst-restaurant. Had one of my best (and cheapest) meals with great service, even if we didn't speak the same languages.
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It is impressive how much you can communicate with hand signals. In Berlin a macaroon shop the owner didn't speak English (or Norwegian) Still it was no problem and had a great service. Just point and show how many fingers and so on. Same in Berlin at a chili wurst-restaurant. Had one of my best (and cheapest) meals with great service, even if we didn't speak the same languages.
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Prang
Hello! My travel question is how can I record the video as well as your video on this channal when I am on a solo travel in USA next month. I wanna take not only pictures but also video for memerizing my experiences. It will be replayed whenever I miss all the beautiful time along the journey. Thanks for ans it
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Hello! My travel question is how can I record the video as well as your video on this channal when I am on a solo travel in USA next month. I wanna take not only pictures but also video for memerizing my experiences. It will be replayed whenever I miss all the beautiful time along the journey. Thanks for ans it
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yt
i always try to learn a little bit of the language when visiting another country - and then I went to Prague. omg czech has some unpronounceable words! i speak german pretty well already (my h. s. german teacher made us say german tonguetwisters, but czech is like 2-3 levels harder to pronounce.
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i always try to learn a little bit of the language when visiting another country - and then I went to Prague. omg czech has some unpronounceable words! i speak german pretty well already (my h. s. german teacher made us say german tonguetwisters, but czech is like 2-3 levels harder to pronounce.
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