As native English speakers, we have often not needed to learn a new language – it is assumed that by being the biggest global superpowers, everyone else must communicate to us in a way we understand, not just for the UK, but for the USA, Australia, New Zealand, and all the other countries that have the English language as their first.
But times have changed, and we no longer go to countries to conquer. We go to experience their country, their lifestyle, and most importantly – their culture. So why should we be the ones they have to adjust for? After all, we're holidaymaking with the intent of enjoying every moment, so we should at least make an effort.
It is polite
“If you talk to a man in a language he understands, that goes to his head. If you talk to him in his own language, that goes to his heart.” – Nelson Mandela. For years, countries have struggled with epidemics of English-speaking tourists wanting to be looked after, cared for, and paid attention to. Generally, such tourists do not even make an effort to research the place before arriving, yet still expect locals to help them out, as if they're entitled to VIP service from total strangers. Hearing their own language from a tourist would probably be as refreshing as the drinks the anglophones struggle to pronounce when ordering.
It doesn’t even have to be extensive. For example, before going to Italy, learning a few basic words such as "Grazie” (Thank you), “Per favore” (Please), and “Buon giorno” (Good day/good morning) made my whole experience so much better. Waiters and waitresses smiled, my tour guide’s face lit up and overall I felt so much more immersed in the Italian culture – just because I did a little research beforehand.
Ignorance is an inconvenience
When on holiday, not knowing a language is not only inconvenient, but it becomes confusing and at times even stressful. During my recent trip to France, upon arrival my family and I knew a grand total of zero words. This was a particularly challenging problem at the train station, where we got on the wrong platform about three times, and if it weren’t for a helpful passer-by, we most likely would have ended up on the other side of Europe! So not only did we become an issue for the locals, but we also made it harder for ourselves. If only we had known to learn some French beforehand!
The rules might be different
You’re in Venice. You see some pigeons and decide to feed them. For some reason, a police officer begins to confront you, mentioning a fine. That’s because it’s illegal to feed the pigeons in Venice! The sign in Italian that you saw earlier would've avoided a frustrated policeman and 50 euros, but you haven't even heard of a Duolingo streak, and 'comprendere' certainly isn't part of your vocabulary.
Or perhaps, you decided to head to sunny Spain, because you heard the Barcelonian beaches were the best. But as you head out from your hotel in just your Speedos to save some time, the hotel owner is shouting some rapid Spanish from behind you. You shrug and carry on with your walk- it's nothing more than gibberish to you-, but as you near the beach, the police stop you and say that walking around in that clothing is illegal, and fine you.
Local customs and rules aren't difficult to find online, and making an effort genuinely goes a long way in a new country. You're likely to save yourself some embarrassment, or even a fine, with very little extra cost to you.
Google Translate
Studies have shown that the accuracy of Google Translate can be as low as 50%. Imagine trying to have a conversation with one of your friends, where you can only understand every other word. Pretty difficult, right? Not to mention its accuracy drops even lower for its audio recognition function, whether it translates from a voice, in real-time. Also, you’ll either end up butchering the pronunciation, or it will be a massive hassle getting it out every time to translate something.
For instance, imagine you're enjoying a night out with some new friends you met earlier that evening in Mykonos and notice of them has some dirt on their shoulder. You instinctively open the tab for Google translate, and tell him: 'απλά σκουπίστε τους ώμους σας' only to receive some strange looks from the group. You told him to 'just wipe your shoulders away', so the strange looks are totally warranted. Although these sort of wildly incorrect translations are always being fixed, you’re much better off finding a more reliable language learning site or app to learn the basics of the language – even if it’s a bigger hassle in the short term, it will most likely be worth it in the long term.
Learning a about a country’s language and culture will not only help you avoid fines and embarrassing situations, but it will enhance your holiday experience and give you an overall sense of satisfaction in learning something new or connecting with the locals. Cultural discrepancies and embarrassing situations are arguably some of the most daunting aspects to consider when choosing a new holiday destination, but with a little research and respect for a country’s language and culture you not only avoid these ‘mésaventures’, but turn them into ‘recuerdos divertidos’ and even get one step closer to leaving behind the tunnel-visioned arrogance of a native English speaker, and perhaps can even enjoy your holiday with some of the locals - times have changed after all, we come in peace, not armies. So why would you not learn a language?
Madhuhaas. G
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