chartpolski 23,518 Posted May 11 Report Share Posted May 11 2 minutes ago, mackem said: My kids speak flawless Cantonese,my missus speaks English and French as mother tongues.I was in a fake designer handbag shop an hour outside Istanbul the other week,the guy in charge spoke Turkish,English,French and German,brits don’t feel the need to learn I think as most people wherever you go in the world want to practice their English. I was bartering for this in the old suq in Jeddah in my poor arabic and the guy wanted SR300, then my son spoke to him in arabic , showed him photos of his Saudi wife and his son and suddenly the price was SR100 ! Cheers. 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shaaark 10,751 Posted May 11 Report Share Posted May 11 (edited) 50 minutes ago, jukel123 said: The brits seem very embarrassed to try even basic words in foreign countries. I don't mind having a go and can get by in French and Spanish. My Mrs refuses to utter a single foreign word. I kid her on that she thinks she's an upper class English woman to posh to speak to the natives. I don't mind making a complete arse of myself in a foreign language, I've had a lifetime experience of making an arse of myself. Takes me a while to get back to English when I get home. I'm still in gracias ,por favor and driving on the right mode for a few days. Dos cervezas, porfavor, amigo!! Edited May 11 by shaaark 3 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chartpolski 23,518 Posted May 11 Report Share Posted May 11 Just now, shaaark said: Dos cervezas, porfavor, amigo!! Bueno !!!! 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mushroom 12,921 Posted May 11 Author Report Share Posted May 11 42 minutes ago, jukel123 said: I hailed a taxi in Madrid and told the driver in Spanish we wanted to go to the airport. He understood and with a 'si senor' he sped off. I sat back smugly, thinking I was an international jet setter. Unfortunately he misunderstood my lousy Spanish and took us to the 'puerto' (port) and not the 'aeropuerto' (airport). Doh! Madrid is landlocked mate, right in the center of the country at about 2000ft above sea level Bet that journey set you back. Nearest port is Probably Valencia about 300mile away 2 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mushroom 12,921 Posted May 11 Author Report Share Posted May 11 32 minutes ago, chartpolski said: My two children went to school in the Middle East in an English/ American school curriculums and learned Arabic as their second language, but when my son went to boarding school in England for his final few years, he was taught German, for some reason that escapes me ! My two nieces who are New Zealanders we’re taught Japanese and Chinese as second languages. Id say these days, just in my opinion, mind you, the languages a youngster would need are, in order of importance are; English, Chinese, Spanish, ( because of the South American countries that speak it), Arabic, Japanese, French. One of my late sons fiance’s was South African and she spoke Afrikaans, Arabic, English, French, Italian, and the Xhosa “click language.she was an interpreter at the British Embassy…….I had a labourer In Saudi who was Somali, he spoke his own language as well as English, Arabic and Italian …… funny old world , isn’t it ? Cheers. Once got a taxi here in Barcelona and the Indian lad had an engineering masters, spoke 7 languages (4 were tested on the journey) and still made more dosh driving a Joe Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jukel123 8,017 Posted May 11 Report Share Posted May 11 (edited) We had a holiday in London about 15 years ago. The Mrs is into street photography and wanted to go to Brixton Market to take photos of people about their daily business. I wasn't comfortable as soon as I got off the tube and I insisted on taking her camera off her neck as she was an obvious target for a run by thief. She wanted to go into a Jamaican cafe and we sat outside and had jerk chicken and a Caribbean soft drink. The rasta guys were happy to have their photos taken as long as no illegal activity was on film. There was a bit of dealing going on. I went to pay the bill and the lad wanted twenty five quid. The grub was advertised as less than half that and I said nice and relaxed " no you got that wrong mate it's only twelve quid" Twenty five quid he demanded. The bloke spoke in a completely indecipherable twang so I said 'language problem.' Luckily I had exactly twelve pounds on me so I just left the money on the counter and walked. Fortunately that was the end of it. You kind of expect a bit of "tourist price" but 25 notes! I don't think I've ever felt so uncomfortable anywhere in the world. Passers by seemed to immediately know we were outsiders and were constantly weighing us up. Maybe it was my cloth cap and clogs. Edited May 11 by jukel123 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
lurcherman 887 13,140 Posted May 11 Report Share Posted May 11 Я очень хорошо говорю по-русски, достаточно, чтобы помочь мне, когда я буду в Москве. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chartpolski 23,518 Posted May 11 Report Share Posted May 11 10 minutes ago, mushroom said: Once got a taxi here in Barcelona and the Indian lad had an engineering masters, spoke 7 languages (4 were tested on the journey) and still made more dosh driving a Joe I normally throw a “left fielder” in when I get a taxi home here in Newcastle by asking the driver where he’s from and telling him in his own language that he better not rip me off ! Cheers. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jukel123 8,017 Posted May 11 Report Share Posted May 11 15 minutes ago, mushroom said: Madrid is landlocked mate, right in the center of the country at about 2000ft above sea level Bet that journey set you back. Nearest port is Probably Valencia about 300mile away No I managed to make myself understood when I figured out we weren't going to airport. I gave up on the Spanish and flapped my arms like wings. Si comprende he said. When all else fails...mime like f**k. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
shaaark 10,751 Posted May 11 Report Share Posted May 11 5 minutes ago, jukel123 said: We had a holiday in London about 15 years ago. The Mrs is into street photography and wanted to go to Brixton Market to take photos of people about their daily business. I wasn't comfortable as soon as I got off the tube and I insisted on taking her camera off her neck as she was an obvious target for a run by thief. She wanted to go into a Jamaican cafe and we sat outside and had jerk chicken and a Caribbean soft drink. The rasta guys were happy to have their photos taken as long as no illegal activity was on film. There was a bit of dealing going on. I went to pay the bill and the lad wanted twenty five quid. The grub was advertised as less than half that and I said nice and relaxed " no you got that wrong mate it's only twelve quid" Twenty five quid he demanded. The bloke spoke in a completely indecipherable twang so I said language problem. Luckily I had exactly twelve pounds on me so I just left the money on the counter and walked. Fortunately that was the end of it. You kind of expect a bit of "tourist price" but 25 notes! I don't think I've ever felt so uncomfortable anywhere in the world. Passers by seemed to immediately know we were outsiders and were constantly weighing us up. Maybe it was my cloth cap and clogs. f***ing HATE all that tipping nonsense, why, they're getting paid anyway!! My old man used to run two taxis for the last 8 years before he retired. c**t even tried to charge me to take my eldest son back to his mother's, just over half a mile, after his boxing training one night!! Lol. Needless to say, we didn't talk for a while, after I called him a money grabbing c**t, and a few other expletives!! Lol Quote Link to post Share on other sites
chartpolski 23,518 Posted May 11 Report Share Posted May 11 2 minutes ago, jukel123 said: We had a holiday in London about 15 years ago. The Mrs is into street photography and wanted to go to Brixton Market to take photos of people about their daily business. I wasn't comfortable as soon as I got off the tube and I insisted on taking her camera off her neck as she was an obvious target for a run by thief. She wanted to go into a Jamaican cafe and we sat outside and had jerk chicken and a Caribbean soft drink. The rasta guys were happy to have their photos taken as long as no illegal activity was on film. There was a bit of dealing going on. I went to pay the bill and the lad wanted twenty five quid. The grub was advertised as less than half that and I said nice and relaxed " no you got that wrong mate it's only twelve quid" Twenty five quid he demanded. The bloke spoke in a completely indecipherable twang so I said language problem. Luckily I had exactly twelve pounds on me so I just left the money on the counter and walked. Fortunately that was the end of it. You kind of expect a bit of "tourist price" but 25 notes! I don't think I've ever felt so uncomfortable anywhere in the world. Passers by seemed to immediately know we were outsiders and were constantly weighing us up. Maybe it was my cloth cap and clogs. One time my missus was off on her travels at around Xmas time and my son came over from Saudi to see me. We got a taxi to my brothers for Xmas dinner, had a great time and got a taxi home . The driver didn’t have the meter on and tried to charge twice as much as the first journey ! I was not having that and told him I’d fight him, I win, pay nothing, he win I pay twice what he was asking . My son was a diplomat in the British Consulate in Saudi at the time and was aghast at what was happening! ! The driver quickly backed down and I gave him the same fare as the outward journey because I’m not a c**t ! Turns out he lives in the next street to me and I regularly see him and he is always, as they say? “nice as ninepemce”…. Cheers. 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jukel123 8,017 Posted May 11 Report Share Posted May 11 1 minute ago, shaaark said: f***ing HATE all that tipping nonsense, why, they're getting paid anyway!! My old man used to run two taxis for the last 8 years before he retired. c**t even tried to charge me to take my eldest son back to his mother's, just over half a mile, after his boxing training one night!! Lol. Needless to say, we didn't talk for a while, after I called him a money grabbing c**t, and a few other expletives!! Lol I don't think he wanted a tip. He was just trying to extort money out of me. Could have turned nasty, luckily it didn't. Is your old man Scottish? 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jukel123 8,017 Posted May 11 Report Share Posted May 11 1 minute ago, chartpolski said: One time my missus was off on her travels at around Xmas time and my son came over from Saudi to see me. We got a taxi to my brothers for Xmas dinner, had a great time and got a taxi home . The driver didn’t have the meter on and tried to charge twice as much as the first journey ! I was not having that and told him I’d fight him, I win, pay nothing, he win I pay twice what he was asking . My son was a diplomat in the British Consulate in Saudi at the time and was aghast at what was happening! ! The driver quickly backed down and I gave him the same fare as the outward journey because I’m not a c**t ! Turns out he lives in the next street to me and I regularly see him and he is always, as they say? “nice as ninepemce”…. Cheers. That was a perfect lesson in diplomacy. Look and learn son. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
mel b 2,393 Posted May 11 Report Share Posted May 11 I find that anyone that can't speak the Kings English , is just a savage , that has no business trying to converse with me . 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
TOMO 26,145 Posted May 11 Report Share Posted May 11 3 hours ago, chartpolski said: My two children went to school in the Middle East in an English/ American school curriculums and learned Arabic as their second language, but when my son went to boarding school in England for his final few years, he was taught German, for some reason that escapes me ! My two nieces who are New Zealanders we’re taught Japanese and Chinese as second languages. Id say these days, just in my opinion, mind you, the languages a youngster would need are, in order of importance are; English, Chinese, Spanish, ( because of the South American countries that speak it), Arabic, Japanese, French. One of my late sons fiance’s was South African and she spoke Afrikaans, Arabic, English, French, Italian, and the Xhosa “click language.she was an interpreter at the British Embassy…….I had a labourer In Saudi who was Somali, he spoke his own language as well as English, Arabic and Italian …… funny old world , isn’t it ? Cheers. When I worked in ibiza I got to know a couple of lucky lucky lads from Senegal...both of them spoke French German Spanish English...and of course Senegalese... And my Australian mate I lived with learned Spanish so quickly it helped he had a Spanish girlfriend one winter and by spring he was likeca local ...my boss at the club said to me he has the accent and everything.....few year later he lived next door to a chinky restaurant...and he started picking that up as well...he definitely had an aptitude for it... I just speak spanglish...lol 1 1 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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