On our trips, we have made more mistakes than we are proud to admit. These missteps have cost us time, money, and peace of mind. I supposed this comes with travelling. However, we decided to start this blog to help other people avoid making our mistakes, as well to share some of our travel strategies.
Our Travel Philosophy
We don't have a lot of money which has shaped our travel philosophy. Our travel philosophy is also always changing and being updated. Currently I would describe our philosophy as:
“To travel and experience a new country or area as safe, cheap and entertaining as possible. All the while looking as little like a tourist as possible.”
If this interests you please take some time and read through our articles. As well, we would also like to learn from you. Please make comments or suggestions on our site. Anything is welcomed.
Articles we have written. The most recent are at the top of the list:
Safe travels,
Andrew and Courtney.
Introduction remains copyright of the author agc_cwm, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.
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]]>Talking to local people while travelling.
In most countries, you may speak to someone whose first language is not English. It is a reality of every travel experience: getting directions, asking for help, ordering food, or even striking up a friendly conversation. Speaking to locals when you travel can be an educational and rewarding experience.
Generally, there are two situations that arise from these interactions:
Both of the conversations are in English, so why is it that one man leaves happy, while the other leaves unsatisfied? The man who leaves happy has learned some skills that have helped him to effectively communicate in English with people who have learned English as a second language.
For almost three years, we have been teaching English conversation in Japan, and our students range in age (from 3-70+ years) and English language ability (from beginner to advanced). By teaching English conversation, we have learned a few important skills that help us to more effectively communicate while we are travelling in countries where most people have at least some English ability (however limited). It requires a little patience and awareness, and a lot of humility, but it is possible, and will result in less frustrating and more rewarding travel experiences.
Here is what we have learned so far:
DO be conscious of your accent.
Many non-native English speakers spend more time talking to other non-native English speakers. As we’ve travelled, we’ve seen people with various mother tongues speaking to each other in their common second language, English. Everyone has a different accent when they speak, so be aware that your accent may be difficult for others to understand. Even native English speakers with different accents have difficulty understanding each other at times. For us, as Canadians from the east coast, our accent is apparent in words containing ‘ou’ (insert “oot and aboot” Canadian accent joke here, eh). In these cases, we know ahead of time that it may be difficult for others to understand, and we are prepared to try a different word if necessary.
DON’T use idioms or slang.
Personally, we never used a lot of slang when we lived in Canada, aside from the omnipresent ‘eh’. I don’t know if it was because we weren’t cool enough or what, but we just never did. But we did use a lot of idioms. It’s quite amazing how many idioms native English speakers use on a regular basis. We learned quite quickly that it is difficult for non-native English speakers to understand idioms and slang. If we start throwing around quotes from the Simpsons in class, the students will have no idea what’s going on. Likewise, it is difficult to satisfactorily explain the meaning of idioms and slang, as the literal translation is often much different from the intended meaning. In general, idioms and slang are best avoided when speaking to non-native English speakers. For example, instead of saying “It costs an arm and a leg” (you can see how the literal meaning of these words might complicate the situation), say “It’s expensive”. The language may not be as colourful, but at least you’ll be understood.
Click here for an exhaustive list of English idioms.
DO be aware of word linking.
When native English speakers talk, we link words together. By linking the words, it allows us to speak faster and makes our sentences flow more smoothly. Every native English speaker links words together differently, but because we all do it, we are usually able to understand each other without too much difficulty. For an example of linking, try reading this sentence out loud, in regular native English speaker speed and intonation, and really listen to what you hear:
Depending on your accent, it may sound a little bit different. For us, as east coast Canadians, it sounds something like this:
Comparing the two questions, you’ll see how different the former is from the latter. Of course, this is just one example of linking; native English speakers do it with almost everything they say, to one extent or another. This can be quite confusing for non-native English speakers. Be conscious of how you link words together. Slow down and enunciate accordingly. But, while it is important to speak slowly and enunciate clearly, it is just as important to do these things in a NON-condescending way. You know what we’re talking about. Use common sense.
DO use simple vocabulary.
English language contains over a million words. The average adult native English speaker, knows only 40000-60000 of those words. A person whose first language is not English will likely know even fewer than that. This means we have the ability and responsibility in the conversation to use the language that will maximize comprehension. Ways to do this are to choose the most common words, e.g. gigantic vs. really big. But, DO NOT insult their intelligence; have respect for the English ability of the person you are speaking to, as they have likely worked hard to reach that level. If they have been able to help you out, it will boost their confidence. Again, everybody wins.
DO be patient, flexible, and friendly.
If you say something and are not understood, just try again. Change your question: use simpler grammar or vocabulary until you get your point across. Break more complex questions down into a few less complicated questions. Remember to keep trying until you are successful. For example, I can ask, “How long have you been giving tours?” or “How long have you given tours?” or “When did you start giving tours?” If this doesn’t work, I change the question and ask, “How long have you been a tour guide?” or something like that. As you can see, there are a number of different ways you can ask the same question. Just keep smiling, and keep trying. Definitely…
DON’T just say the same thing, only louder.
It is likely that the person you are speaking to probably heard what you said the first time. They just didn’t understand what you said. You can usually determine by the facial expression of the person you are talking to what the situation is. If they heard you the first time, saying the same thing to them again at a higher volume will only frustrate them, you, and anyone you are travelling with.
DO be aware of the type of English generally spoken in the country.
Be it American, British, Australian, or otherwise, there are some words that can vary depending on the type of English generally used where you are visiting. Click here for an extensive list of vocabulary differences between British and American English.
DO learn the proper pronunciation of cities and sightseeing spots.
When we first arrived in Japan, we were pronouncing Japanese cities the way we did in Canada. Kobe was “KO-bee”, Osaka was “o-SACK-a”, Kyoto was “key-O-do”. When we asked “How do we get to key-O-do?”, no one understood where we wanted to go. We quickly learned that what we were saying was a total massacre of the actual pronunciation. Kobe is “KO-bay”, Osaka is “OH-sah-kah” (long ‘O’ at the start), Kyoto is “KYO-to” (2 syllables). Now, whenever we go to a new place, we try to learn the proper pronunciation of the places we want to go. It makes life a lot easier if find ourselves lost!
DO try to learn polite words and some basic vocabulary in the local language.
We hope no one is expecting us to master Spanish for a week’s vacation in Spain. If so, we are in deep trouble! If you have the time and resources to learn the language before you leave, fantastic! It’ll make your life easier. Most people don’t have enough time, though. We’ve had to compromise. We learn the polite words and some basic vocabulary. These ones are a good place to start:
By doing this, we hope to make the other person feel comfortable talking to us, and they appreciate us making the attempt to learn and use their language. And even if we speak their language horribly, it makes them feel better about their ability to talk to us in English.
Failing the above techniques, try the following:
DO use obvious gestures.
Our everyday conversations involve a lot of gesturing anyway. Gestures give emphasis to what you are saying. If you can’t communicate your point with words, try gestures. A word of warning, however: be aware of gestures that might be considered offensive in the country where you are travelling. Research this before you leave to avoid embarrassment, or worse, threats of violence.
Gestures: The Do's and Taboos of Body Language Around the World by Roger E. Axtell is an excellent source of information on gestures. Look for it in your favourite library, bookstore, or online retailer.
DO use visual aids.
I was in Spain once, and a group of us were trying to take the subway to La Sagrada Familia. The man at the transit counter couldn’t speak English (or wasn’t going to speak English that day... who knows). We gave him a subway map, a postcard of the church, and a quizzical look. He understood immediately what we wanted to know. He proceeded to circle where we were and where we wanted to go on the map. We were soon on our way, got there with no problems, and enjoyed a quick climb to the top. As the saying goes, a picture is worth a thousand words. We could have tried to gesture or describe the site, but the postcard was much quicker and easier. If you don’t have a postcard, but know what the place looks like, you could try to draw where you want to go.
By using these techniques, we hope that you can communicate effectively with local people when you travel. Remember, just because someone doesn’t speak English doesn’t mean they are any less intelligent or worthwhile as a person. It just means they don’t speak English!
We’d love to learn from you too! If there are any techniques that you find helpful that we haven’t thought of, please let us know.
Safe travels,
Andrew and Courtney
Does anyone here speak English? remains copyright of the author agc_cwm, a member of the travel community Travellerspoint.
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