Having worked as a flight attendant and
travelled to so many destinations one major issue always arise when you are in
a country where the language spoken is not English, it was a bit fair when you
arrive in your hotel, most of the hotel
staff can speak English and on some occasions we have a colleague that can
speak the local language so we often get around the language issue, but it is a
different case when you go into the city for shopping, restaurants and for
other activities where the locals don’t speak your language(English) ,now the
problem arises.
Furthermore
Are you planning a holiday abroad but don’t speak the local language? What
happen?.
Most people don’t really think about the
potential implications of a language barrier when they pack their suitcases for
warmer shores.
it’s worth bearing in mind that despite common
misconceptions that most people overseas speak English - 82 per cent of the
world’s population don’t! So, the chances of encountering a language
barrier whilst travelling overseas are reasonably high.
Being able to communicate in another
language could prove pretty useful should you get lost and need directions or
want to get a more ‘cultural flavour’ of your destination by visiting more
rural, local restaurants where the menu is not written in English, for example.
Of course in an emergency situation, an immediate conversation in the given
language could become vital.
Despite the idea that it would probably
be quite cool to be able to chat to locals in their language - all of the tips and local advice you will get
on the best places to go.
Meanwhile, there are Common scenarios where you or your
friends/family might come up against a language barrier are: visiting a more
rural local restaurant or location, attending a local festival/event, car
trouble/breakdown/car hire, visiting a pharmacy or falling ill, having an
accident and becoming injured - then finding yourself in need of medical
attention from a foreign hospital (particularly true of families with young
children who can easily be affected by the change in climate/water).
You might lose your
passport, fall victim to an attack or theft and need to communicate with a
police officer or other authorities; perhaps you might misunderstand/offend a
local culture or unwittingly break the law?
All of these are plausible scenarios when
on holiday in another country and should any of these happen to you, being able
to communicate in the local language could suddenly become rather important.
Avoid being confused by
local language and prepare before you travel
, here are a few tips to
help those keen on overseas travel to become more aware of the issues
associated with language
The dos and don’ts:
·
Avoid the ‘shouting ‘ approach: don’t
shout loudly at locals in a slow-paced voice - it may come across as insulting,
after all, they aren’t deaf, they just don’t understand the language.
Instead, try to find someone who speaks a
little English, if you can’t, try drawing pictures to communicate what you’re
trying to say if possible.
·
Watch out for the false
friend: accidently
using a word in English that has a completely different meaning in another
language but sounds similar is known as a ‘false friend’.
http://www.gdaytravels.com
This is a common mistake made by many
people when they attempt to communicate in other languages - but if you happen
to use the wrong word it could leave you a bit red-faced or indeed knee-deep in
‘hot water’ depending on the context.
These scenarios also tend to happen by
coincidence, so there is no strategic way of identifying them. Indeed, the
consequences of a misunderstood conversation will also differ greatly from
country to country and from person to person.
But one thing is for sure, you might get
more than you bargained for if you find yourself in Norway ordering a coffee in
a mugg as
this means mouldy or mildew, or if you ask for a full cup, because that means drunk.
·
Pretending you understand is pointless: did you know that a recent survey found that
one third of us nod and pretend we understand locals abroad even when we
don’t. If you don’t understand, it’s pointless pretending you do because
you won’t help yourself and also you’ll never know what you might have just
agreed to!
·
Don’t use slang, jargon and
abbreviations ‘Raining like cats and dogs’: it might make perfect sense to us
English-speaking folk, but analyse the phrase a bit more and it’s completely
bizarre (since cats and dogs don’t usually fall from the sky like rain) - so
you can probably imagine how idioms like this could leave locals who don’t
speak English in a state of confusion.
The situation is the same for us because
many countries have their own idioms (that even the more fluent language
speaker may struggle to comprehend).
So if someone in Russia says they’re ‘not
hanging noodles in your ears’ (meaning not kidding), or someone from Germany
says ‘to live like a maggot in bacon’ (live in luxury) or if you’re Spanish you
might say ‘give it to someone with cheese (which means to deceive - of course),
you could find yourself in a bit of a quandary!
·
Do your research: it sounds obvious, but always do a bit of
ground research before visiting a new country. Check out local customs, laws
and cultural differences. That way you can be prepared and avoid situations
that might lead to a problem where a language barrier might stand in your way.
Remember the more prepared you are for
any eventuality before you travel, the easier it will be to cope with a
difficult situation should one present itself abroad.
·
Don’t assume everyone speaks
English: probably
the most important tip of all. Never assume that someone will be able to speak English. Why
would they?
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