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 Language Learning Forum : Cultural Experiences in Foreign Languages |  | |
| prz_ Tetraglot Senior Member Poland last.fm/user/prz_rul Joined 4859 days ago 890 posts - 1190 votes  Speaks: Polish*, English, Bulgarian, Croatian Studies: Slovenian, Macedonian, Persian, Russian, Turkish, Ukrainian, Dutch, Swedish, German, Italian, Armenian, Kurdish | Message 25 of 37 08 August 2011 at 3:35am | IP Logged | |||||
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Well, while being in Skopje, to be honest, only my couchsurfing hosts have particularly appreciated this fact. Locals didn't show their appreciation much.
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 newyorkeric Diglot Moderator Singapore Joined 6379 days ago 1598 posts - 2174 votes Speaks: English*, Italian Studies: Mandarin, Malay Personal Language Map | Message 26 of 37 08 August 2011 at 5:58am | IP Logged | |||||
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I don't remember even one time in Italy that someone asked me about learning Italian or offered any help (except for other students who knew I was there to study Italian). I guess Italian is too popular a language for anyone to be surprised that a foreigner speaks it.
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| Tecktight Diglot Winner TAC 2012 Senior Member United States Joined 4976 days ago 227 posts - 327 votes Speaks: English*, Serbian Studies: German, Russian, Estonian | Message 27 of 37 22 September 2011 at 12:25pm | IP Logged | |||||
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Just to say, in regards to Russians being rude to non-native-Russian speakers, though this may be true in some
instances, I don't think the language issue accounts for the rudeness of the metro attendant mentioned on the previous post. In my experience, most Russian service personnel are rude regardless...whether they are speaking to Russians or foreigners. It's actually rather amusing. I suppose I can't blame them. After all, the only difference between them and people who work similar jobs in other countries is that the Russians make no attempt to hide their contempt for their jobs (whereas here in America, say, employees need to slap a smile on their misgivings). 2 persons have voted this message useful | ||||||
| TixhiiDon Tetraglot Senior Member Japan Joined 5464 days ago 772 posts - 1474 votes Speaks: English*, Japanese, German, Russian Studies: Georgian | Message 28 of 37 23 September 2011 at 1:33pm | IP Logged | |||||
Yes, of course I do understand this. I think there's also a bit of a hangover from the Soviet period, when it was rather wise to be suspicious and abrupt with strangers in the public sphere. I too have a few good stories of Russian service that was so appallingly bad there was nothing to do but laugh, and I have to admit I like to tell them now and again to get a cheap laugh, but of course reality is more complicated. I have received warm and friendly service, and even straightforward, efficient, polite service, many times in Russia, and plenty of poor service in other countries (even, believe it or not, in Japan, although probably fewer times than I can count on the fingers of one hand over 15 years). On the whole, though, I think you will be complimented far less often for your Russian in Russia than for your Japanese in Japan. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| xander.XVII Diglot Senior Member Italy Joined 5054 days ago 189 posts - 215 votes Speaks: Italian*, EnglishC1 Studies: French | Message 29 of 37 24 September 2011 at 3:53pm | IP Logged | |||||
Italian isn't popular as studying language at all. Instead, the reason of coldness might be the fact that in Italy there are many immigrants who do not speak Italian or speak it very rudely so maybe people is just indifferent. However it is likely that it will be issue of place where you live in. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Haukilahti Triglot Groupie Finland Joined 4964 days ago 94 posts - 126 votes Speaks: Finnish*, English, Polish | Message 30 of 37 24 September 2011 at 3:57pm | IP Logged | |||||
It is, both abroad and in language schools in Italy. But yes, foreigners in Italy usually speak (some) Italian, so you don't get the admiration you'd get in smaller countries. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| xander.XVII Diglot Senior Member Italy Joined 5054 days ago 189 posts - 215 votes Speaks: Italian*, EnglishC1 Studies: French | Message 31 of 37 24 September 2011 at 4:27pm | IP Logged | |||||
I never realized it was xD Anyway, the fact is that unlike France where many immigrants already speak french , Italian is spoken just in Italy and in those countries(USA,Argentina,Brazil,Australia) which have an Italian community since the beginning of XX century. So immigrants often speak it rudely with a strong accent or with frequent dialect's influence or with terms of their native language, so people don't react admired or amazed with guys speaking Italian. 1 person has voted this message useful | ||||||
| Tecktight Diglot Winner TAC 2012 Senior Member United States Joined 4976 days ago 227 posts - 327 votes Speaks: English*, Serbian Studies: German, Russian, Estonian | Message 32 of 37 24 September 2011 at 5:15pm | IP Logged | |||||
As a whole, yes, you're quite right. Once one learns to take poor service with, as you said, a laugh, the whole thing just becomes another one of those situations to box away to memory. :) 1 person has voted this message useful |
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