3 ms·
I've been to Paris recently for a 3 days tech event. I would say that in my experience it is the French people that are often arrogant in that they get pissed /
by _rl8k 10y ago
I've been to Paris recently for a 3 days tech event. I would say that in my experience it is the French people that are often arrogant in that they get pissed / make fun of people who can't speak their language. A friend of mine that was with me and can speak French to a decent level had troubles even ordering stuff in a bar because the girls working there didn't make the effort to understand beyond his foreign accent... and he is half Belgian.
Of course my experience is limited and of course you would expect someone living in France for a long time to learn the language, but it's also a matter of good manners. I, too, would hate to live there if my experience is the norm.
EDIT:
It seems that other people had the opposite experience so take anything with a grain of salt.
- bobwaycott 10y agoEven as a tourist knowing only English, the best ways to ingratiate yourself with everyone is to at least start with a French greeting—especially when walking into shops, cafes, etc. Americans are far too accustomed to employees greeting them. If you walk into a place, some quick, intentional eye contact and a friendly sounding "Bonjour!" go a long way. French shop owners/workers in Paris don't make a point of saying, "Welcome to my shop, may I take your order?" I speak French, but whenever I would get lost in a conversation, I'd simply apologize, explain I'm American, and am having trouble understanding or following (all in French, of course; its worth learning how to say it), then ask if they spoke English or if they could slow down. At that point, they'd express being delighted to speak in English, and I'd keep trying to speak in French. Made for some very fun times with all the people I met. It's also worth learning how to say a few key phrases in the correct rhythm and tone. French isn't spoken with an English-like cadence.
- Grue3 10y agoIf it makes you feel better, I had a similar experience to you.
- 6t6t6t6 10y agoI had that same experience when I lived in the UK many years ago and I was still not completely fluent in English. On the other hand, when I lived in France, everybody loved the fact that I was making the effort to try to speak French. YMMV