Do you talk in English?

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 14:58

When in the trnc - do you talk in English or do you like to talk in Turkish?



Do you occasionally throw in the odd teşekkür ederim or iyi aksamlar?

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 15:10

Bill

I doubt whether that the majority of the British expatriate community are able to converse within their own regional accents to be understood, let alone adopt to a foreign language!



Richard

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 15:14

Rich - wot you meen? )

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 15:30

Bill

It's all 'strine' for me at present!



Richard

authentichoccie


Joined: 09/01/2008
Posts: 481

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 16:04

I speak Turklish!!!!!!

hattikins


Joined: 17/02/2008
Posts: 2793

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 16:11

I have to say that some of the regional accents do confuse me at times, me speaking the Queens English so well of course. Turkish is a difficult language to grasp though, I struggle on, with the help of my neighbours and the trusted Turkish/English dictionary, but I think if we can at least learn the basics then it's a start. If I can say please, thank you, good morning, good evening, how are you, excuse me and of course, how much, then the rest will come eventually, if not I'll just keep on smiling and waving my hands about as per usual.

My neighbour is trying to learn English too so we try to help each other out, when all else fails we just laugh and say " no problem".

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 16:13

RE msg 1, No1Doyen: (...) When in the trnc - do you talk in English (...)

=> Typical Bill/British arrogance! "Talk in English"..?!

P.S. Don't forget, Bill, fact: more people in the EU speak German than English!

Brinsley


Joined: 04/04/2009
Posts: 6858

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 16:30

Msg 7

Well, whatever the true poll count was, it is true there was a very concerted effort between 1939 and 1945 to accomplish such an outcome!



Richard

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 16:47

Dear Hans



re msg 7



"more people in the EU speak German than English"



You may be confusing the fact that there are more Germans ( and German speakers from Austria ) than folk from the UK / IRL put together..



I VERY much doubt that more folk in the EU know German over English !.. English being the language of commerce, internationally...

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 16:51

RE msg 9, 6xm: I can prove it, dear Mark, but I'll give you a chance to prove me wrong. I'll wait until you have checked your friends at the UN, the UNHCR and what have you to back you up...

letty


Joined: 04/12/2008
Posts: 360

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 17:01

I can read german I just cant understand it.

hattikins


Joined: 17/02/2008
Posts: 2793

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 17:12

So when in TRNC do you speak in English or Turkish ?????

Harold2555



Joined: 19/04/2008
Posts: 1139

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 17:13

Hans



Don't worry about MM, I would love to know the provenance of your statement out of curiosity. Do you mean as a first language by the way?





Harold

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 18:49

re msg 13



you have a lovely turn of phrase ;)

erolz


Joined: 17/11/2008
Posts: 3456

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 19:24

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_the_European_Union#Language_skills_of_citizens



"At 18% of the total number of speakers, German is the most widely spoken mother tongue, while English is the most widely spoken language at 51%. 100% of Hungarians, 100% of Portuguese, and 99.5% of Greeks speak their state language as their mother tongue."



and looking to the future



http://www.euractiv.com/en/culture/english-dominates-eu-language-curricula-study-finds/article-177453



"Over 90% of European schoolchildren learn English at some stage of their compulsory education and this figure is rising, according to a study presented on Friday (21 November) by the Eurydice network on behalf of the European Commission. The report also found that children across the EU are starting to learn foreign languages at an earlier age. "

nurseawful



Joined: 06/02/2009
Posts: 5934

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 19:53

I need elocution lessons before next Friday can someone please help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Nothing wrong with my accent other than nobody can understand me and hubby says I sound like I swallowed a packet of razor blades!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!



Chris

Maz


Joined: 29/03/2009
Posts: 1924

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 20:26

We arrogant English expect everyone to speak our language, and if it is not understood, then we speak louder! However, I feel sorry for the Turkish speakers, as my husband can't even understand accents and dialects in his own language, so why the heck should anyone expect the poor Turkish speakers to do so.



As to whether I say 'iyi aksamlar' - the answer is 'Only in the evening.!



But I confess to being 'cok tembel' and my linguistic skills will start 'yarin'.



I think we should all try, but unfortunately, it is not only a question of 'arrogance' but often some folk are just hopeless at language, just as I don't think I could learn brain surgery overnight!

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 21:33

msg 15

Thanks, Erol Z for for finding data to support my contention that more folk can speak English ( more widely spoken and understood than German) in the EU.





We now await the valiant riposte from our polyglot Dutch friend ! ;)

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 21:45

Polyglot may refer to:



Polyglot (person), someone who aptly and with a high level of fluency uses many languages. The word derives from the Ancient Greek πολύγλωττος (poluglōttos, “'many-tongued, polyglot'”), from πολύς (polus, “many”) + γλῶττα (glōtta, “'tongue, language'”)

Esentepe7


Joined: 19/04/2009
Posts: 34

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 22:15

Silence is golden

mrcyprus


Joined: 26/06/2009
Posts: 270

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 22:44

Always speak the turkish i have picked up.

We are in their country after all.

DutchCrusader



Joined: 19/05/2008
Posts: 11281

Message Posted:
05/02/2010 22:55

I may have caused some confusion; I should have written "P.S. Don't forget, Bill, fact: more people in the EU speak German (MOTHER TONGUE) than English!" I happen to know that many people in the EU speak (some) English. French, German and other languages are usually only for Europeans with a higher education.

mmmmmm



Joined: 19/12/2008
Posts: 8398

Message Posted:
06/02/2010 01:43

re 22



))))))))))))



I guess that's as near as we'll get to a " I was wrong, guv" !