What language barrier?
We’re all part of Europe, aren’t we? It’s all one big country but just with a few different states, isn’t it? Isn’t it just like America but without the celebrity sex tapes?
Having settled down on my new foreign terrain, it was time to attack the language problem. The first thing I noticed, walking around, eyes wide open, was the plethora of language schools. That’s a positive sign. First, plenty of work, therefore, plenty of dirty lucre. Second, some of these guys must speak English. I mean, how much are they spending on private language education? They must be Keats, Byron and Wordsworth all rolled into one big English speaking crepe……………
The answer is a resounding Non, Nein, Nie, etc……
I’m thinking I’ve gone back in time. The few friendlier looking folks that I approached for a bit of help, directions, medical advice, etc maybe had heard of a language called English, but that’s as far as their knowledge went. Not to worry, let’s ask some of the angst ridden teens who deal with English on a daily basis at school.
“Excuse me……..” ….giggle…. “Err sorry but do you speak English? …..giggle giggle…..” Err, do you know any English at all? “Ingleeeeeesh?…..giggle….hontfed ur sishs w sis kishsi ndneo” “Aha, thanks”
It kickstarts the grey cells into gear. Are they taught anything in their English lessons? Is it a contact thing? Is it that they don’t have many foreigners? Is it laziness? Is it just not important to them? Am I talking outloud? Doesn’t matter, they won’t understand me anyway.
To be fair, my first experiences were partly my fault. I had bothered to learn the impressive amount of sod-all of their language before I came in strutting like a peacock. So, I had to learn to deal with the language barrier in a bit of a softer way. I’m in their country, not mine. I don’t speak any of their language, so why I am taking the moral high one. Once they realise you aren’t taking the mickey, they genuinely try to speak. Maybe it’s a confidence thing, maybe it’s just too difficult but either way at least they’re trying.
I found myself in the vortex of trying to remember my language education at school and, basically, just how rubbish I was at it. These guys actually need this language, maybe they don’t want to learn it necessarily but they are in a position of being forced to, to an extent. That can’t be a nice feeling. No-one forced me to knuckle down and learn a language because it would improve my job prospects. I’m wondering how much they resent the fact that they have to do it and how much they resent me for not having to learn their language. But then, having to teach it to them is no day at the beach either. Perhaps I should be forced to learn their language instead of having to teach mine. Yes, that’s the solution. Yeah – damn cowardly foreigners. You try moving to some backward town in Wales and start teaching them Ukranian! Go on, try and teach me a language, any language at all……….. I dare you.
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