I'll be there in a week or so. I will have my 6x7 and a tripod. Then off to Spain. The wife is getting a little tense, but I am getting excited. I hope I bring enough film.
Originally Posted by Steve Smith: I wouldn't bother trying that in Paris!
I agree. The minute a Frenchman knows you are English, or even speak English, you will probably get a load of sh__!!! Historically the French and the Brits never got on too well. Sometimes I do wonder how they can sit together in the EC - and with the Germans as well!!! Moderation and tolerance must be taking effect.
Please note: this note is only intended as a joke and not in any way inciting racial hatred. I love English cheese, French wine and German sausage.
I was being more specific to Paris than France. I have found Parisians to be very intolerant of the English. My experience of the rest of France is more positive so long as you try a bit of their language.
I have had some great conversations with me speaking French and the French person replying in English. Seems odd at first but each party is hearing his/her own language being spoken slower than usual. The problem with most foreign languages is not the speaking but the listening. This method eliminates that!
I was being more specific to Paris than France. I have found Parisians to be very intolerant of the English. My experience of the rest of France is more positive so long as you try a bit of their language.
I have had some great conversations with me speaking French and the French person replying in English. Seems odd at first but each party is hearing his/her own language being spoken slower than usual. The problem with most foreign languages is not the speaking but the listening. This method eliminates that!
Steve.
Fine if you can go that far with your French. I know barely enough to read most menus, train and bus timetables and to rent a room in a hotel. Apart from these, it would be impossible to find a Frenchman to understand my French!!!
Actually, my experience has been the opposite. No matter how much I tried to speak French to Parisiens, they ALWAYS spoke English with me. Even when I responded in French. It was very frustrating to me, as I wanted to improve my French. That being said, perhaps the locals would rather speak your language than hear their own being butchered. English, after all, is a very easy language to speak poorly (and we are generally quite tolerante of it). However, outside of Paris I found that I HAD to use French because so few people were comfortable speaking it (this is outside of tourist centres).
The real problem was being in Spain, trying to speak Spanish, and having a mix of French and Japanese (I used to live in Japan) come out instead. Oy!
Actually, my experience has been the opposite. No matter how much I tried to speak French to Parisiens, they ALWAYS spoke English with me. Even when I responded in French. It was very frustrating to me, as I wanted to improve my French. That being said, perhaps the locals would rather speak your language than hear their own being butchered.
Perhaps they were trying to get me to speak English too for the same reason. As I was still learning French then (I'm hardly fluent now) I wanted to persevere with it.
Wow, Im glad Im not the only one. I keep spitting out German when I try to respond to the French. I don't know how that will go over.
I find that I can think in French much better in France than when I am in England. I have a friend who is a teacher of French in one of our High Schools. When she tries to talk to me in French I get confused but I know that if I was asked the same questions by a French person in France I would be more likely to understand.
I sometimes come out with the odd bit of German during French too. Luckily, I don't know much!
Actually, my experience has been the opposite. No matter how much I tried to speak French to Parisiens, they ALWAYS spoke English with me.
No kidding. You know what's even more insulting? When you are a NATIVE FRENCH SPEAKER but your accent is not exactly like theirs, they will start speaking English to you.
"Cousins Québécois" my a**! They can't make a bloody effort to understand French that's not from Paris.
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