Oh Mark!! You are opening a can of worms!

YES of course you should try to learn a few phrases of the language of the country you are visiting .. though it can be hard if the alphabet isn't the same or isn't pronounced in the same way eg Greek or Turkish.

This is just politeness, and a chance to get an insight into a new way of life. Only the most ignorant make no effort to try, and just speak more loudly in English when addressing the locals!!

And that goes double or even more for ex-pats settling into a new country .....

Here Here Mark, I think the locals appreciate it if you try just a few words basic though they may be at least you are trying. Trouble with us British (My Opinion) we are lazy as we expect everyone to speak our language. I know english is the international language but i still think we should give other languages a shot, maybe the education system in UK is at fault as normally the second language learned in school is French or German, other languages eg.Spanish Portuguese Italian can be optional,( saying that they are not always available as an option). I have been trying to learn Portuguese for 3 yrs now and still cant get my head around it, I understand a lot of the written language but speaking it is another thing, maybe one day it will all click into place. Cheers Jayjan

i always try to learn a little of the language wherever i go abroad -the usual please, thank you, good morning, good night, vodka and diet coke.
i think it is only courteous to be able to say a few words. i do cringe at the "brits abroad" who believe shouting will make it easier for the locals to understand them.
i did french at school, and during various day trips/weekends away and the odd holiday in france i am surprised as to how much i recall, although i am nowhere near up to holding a conversation over dinner.
i am currently trying to learn a bit more spanish than the normal phrases -using cds- but find it very hard. i am now looking to go to evening classes as this may instill the discipline to learn.

I have tried learning Spanish via books, Cd's podcasts and am now using an audio book, and as a previous poster said I can understand the written word but the pronounciation causes me problems, In the hotel where we stay the staff are very good and will help me and seem to appreciate my efforts, however outside the hotel I find some people not so patient.

Hasta Luego,

Dave

I try to speak a little Turkish when I am away - I am getting better but only because the people I speak to when I am there insist on teaching me a new phrase every time I say anything even vaguely recognisable as Turkish!

I always try to learn the words of politeness for wherever I go.

I feel it says to the person you are speaking to that you are courteous and they treat you with the same courtesy.

Well, its always worked so far no matter which country we have visited.

Patka

I try to learn the basic phrases as well, its only polite!

Yes Mark, I think it's imperative that we be polite and do that. The locals always appreciate it.

I always learn the basics of please and thank you etc. and know a few more words of Greek from my many visits. The hardest was Chinese for last year and I'm ashamed to say I've now forgotten it!

We always try to use the local language wherever we may be, even if it's only please and thankyou etc. I don't see why we should expect them to speak our language with no effort on our part to return the favour and I do agree that we are very poor when it comes to languages in this country.

However on the other hand in my work I deal with the general public and nothing annoys me more than people who have lived here for years and still can't speak English!! I know there may be cultural explanations etc but it still doesn't seem right.

Pam

I have been trying to learn Portuguese for 3 yrs now and still cant get my head around it, I understand a lot of the written language but speaking it is another thing, maybe one day it will all click into place.

Me too, Jayjan! I think the problem is that I go through my vocab lists/books/CD's a couple of weeks before each trip out there, but then when I get back home there are so many other things to think about that it all gets pushed to the back of the queue. We did have some private lessons when we first started, which gave us a very good idea of the pronunciation (a minefield!!!) but constant practice is very important, particularly for the spoken language. I did try to find Portuguese evening classes but there were only beginners' ones last September. Hopefully there'll be slightly more advanced ones this year so I'll give them a try. Also, in the Algarve you find that even if you order your meal in Portuguese, which I do try to do, the waiters answer you in English!

Next trip 2 weeks away so must make a start, but first there's the garden and allotment to sort out, grandchild staying next (long) weekend, massive ISP/email problems to resolve, lunches with friends, watching the French Open ............ Hey ho, onwards and upwards!

I try to learn the basics please, thank you etc. It was interesting in Turkey a few years ago apparently they do not have the letter "v" in their alphabet? Both our names have a v in them and it was too hard for the hotel staff to pronounce (they liked to remember everyone's name) so we became Mr & Mrs Scotland!

Rob and I learnt spanish..I can also speak a little French and German..I also picked up a few polite phrases in Russian and generally, wherever we go, we try to pick up a few phrases ( but we generally forget them when we get home). Spanish is the only one we really stuck at and we have practiced whilst out in the canaries.

I too like to learn the polite phrases as well although I can only master thank you in Portuguese

When we lived in Spain for a few years my lovely next door neighbour gave me a set of childrens books, the ones with pictures and the words underneath......brilliant! I now look for them in different countries, if I only learn the basics it's appreciated by the locals. Linda x

its taken me 4 yrs to master the basics in Greek..

English is the universal language, so........ why should we bother learning the language of a country we're visiting?

Mark as a Netherlander I am surprised and appalled of you for asking such a question,
English [in one or other guise] may be the international language of shipping/flying/computers & some businesses, BUT only certain English people have the audacity to expect that everyone in another country should speak and understand English
i have been to villages in Cyprus/Greece/Spain /Portugal and a few other places where they haven't spoken English.

slechts headded het been idioten zou denken dat everone spreekt en het Engels begrijpt

wizard

Wizard. I think you have misunderstood Mark. He says that he learns words and phrases of other languages.
I believe you have interpreted his question incorrectly. AmI right Mark? I think Mark posted a topic for discussion not a statement that he believed people don't need to speak other languages because English is spoken internationally.

Being born and bred in Holland we had no choice but to learn another language. It was and still is compulsary at Dutch schools to learn at least the English language in addition to Dutch.

It still does surprise me when visiting European countries that those whose native language is English expect everybody else to understand them and converse with them in English.

People working in the tourist industry in a country where English is not spoken have made an effort to learn to speak English, so there is nothing wrong, in my opinion, to show this respect back to them and learn some simple phrases of their language.

Mark

Just to add: the reverse of course applies.

My eldery parents never had the opportunity to learn English at school. My dad, is currently learning the English language so he can make himself understood when visiting us in England.

Mark

Judith i did understand marks question, as my opening statement said

its taken me 4 yrs to master the basics in Greek..

i have also through business [although not fluent enough to hold a conversation] picked up a little German, French,Spanish,Italian,and Dutch

As an old sod I am of the opinion that if you wish to travel you should make the effort to at least be polite to your host and try and master the pleasantries in the local lingo

wizard