"Oh, they all speak English - you'll be fine!" they said. I'm not sure where these people were when they lived in Germany, but in this area, they don't. I would say 25% speak English, 50% are muddling along with minimal phrases and vocabulary, and the rest don't have a clue. Either I live in a pocket of native speakers who refuse to learn English, or the whole country is having one over on me.
Don't get me wrong - I firmly believe I should learn the language of the land, and have been studying to that end. Heck, I came here with an inkling, at least, of sentence structure and vocabulary thanks to Frau Guckian at Union High. That doesn't change the fact that more often than not, I find myself in a cold panic staring at a person who has innocently engaged me in a language which is not my own. This person is usually asking me something as innocuous as "what bus stop are you traveling to" or "would you like ketchup with your fries", but, nonetheless, the panic. Heaven help me if they're actually saying "excuse me, miss, you're bleeding from your ears".
You might find yourself talking to someone today who has little command of the language. Please, give them a little break. You talk very quickly - you use a lot of words that aren't in the standard language dictionaries - you have and accent. This person has not failed to pick up the language out of spite, laziness, or apathy. It's HARD, and takes oh-so-much time. Be patient, and think of your friends in Germany...
1 comment:
So very true. However, in your case, I still think they might be pulling one over on you! :)
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