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Editor’s note: This is a post by the other original Location Independent Professional – Jonathan – who’s been elusive and mysterious on this blog until now. He’s an artist not a writer (or so he says), so go easy on him!
When I get nervous I tend to speak faster and my voice seems to raise by a few octaves. I just about manage to get away with this when I am conversing with a fellow English speaker, but how can I expect someone with limited English language skills to understand me?
Not only that but I’m one of those people who feels rude and embarrassed about not being able to speak their language – which makes me even more nervous, even higher-pitched and even less understood!
Unlike Lea, I don’t pick up languages after just a few lessons and since becoming location independent 18 months ago I have had to really think about how I communicate with other people when I can’t speak their language and they have a limited understanding of mine.
These are a few of the things I’ve learned about how to communicate when you’re both speaking a different language…
Try hard to learn the basics
As I said, unlike Lea, I need several lessons to learn just one verb in the present tense, never mind learning when to use it! But wherever we go I still try to learn the very basics like numbers, greetings and basic food items. At the very least, try to remember your manners and learn the words for please and thank you.
Speak *really* slowly and enunciate each word
A lot of people (read: me!) think they just need to speak louder and a little slower to be understood in a foreign country. Instead, try speaking slower and enunciating each word so that the beginning and end of the word can be heard – don’t roll your words into one unintelligible sound that even your wife sometimes can’t understand.
Use a calculator or mobile phone to display numbers
No matter what language someone speaks, unless their alphabet is totally different and you’re off the beaten track somewhere, they will usually recognise and understand roman numerals and numbers. Always keep a calculator or mobile phone with you so you can ask them to type in the numbers for you when you’re trying to understand a price.
Listen to the other persons vocabulary
It’s no use speaking with clipped words, local slang from back home or even pigeon English to communicate, if the person just doesn’t understand you; this will get you no-where and you’ll both get frustrated.
Instead, during the course of your conversation listen out for the words the other person uses and the vocabulary they know, to get an idea of the words and phrases that they will be understand. Then make sure you stick to the phrases they’ll know, if you want to have any chance of being understood.
Resort to a phrase book when you have to
Although it might be the horror of *real* traveller’s everywhere – who would rather wander around lost for hours on end than show themselves to be foreign by getting out so much as a guidebook or a phrasebook to ask for help – there are times when a phrasebook or dictionary can be really, really handy (when you’re lost in with a taxi driver who speaks no English and doesn’t know where he’s taking you, for example).
Being able to point and show can help get you out of a difficult situation where you simply don’t have the words or gestures to do it otherwise.
And don’t forget, a smile in most countries communicates an awful lot too :)
here in china, carrying a map around with you really helps, because you just need to point to where you want to go (instead of trying to make the poor taxi driver understand your broken mandarin). also, an electronic dictionary will probably be more helpful than a phrasebook, because of the tricky tones and pronunciation.
Great stuff Jonathan -
in fact the idea of speaking to a non-native English speaker in “standard” English is a good idea anywhere. One of my students has just returned from an international conference in Trondheim and she says that it was almost impossible to understand the English native speakers as they spoke as if they were with their mates down the pub.
This situation is so common that there is a company in Paris teaching English native speakers how to to speak in these situations as companies have realised that sending someone halfway around the world to do a presentation no-one understands is a very costly mistake.
Jonathan, I sometimes have better luck understanding non-native English speakers than native English speakers! I have had interesting conversations when traveling and attempting to speak the local language. Thus far I have found that most people appreciate your willingness to try and will help you to be understood. Have you ever gotten into trouble with hand gestures or other culture specific etiquette?
Don’t forget to always learn how to ask directions to the bathroom and the airport!!
The point of having a calculator or phone is great. I was in Europe last fall – France and Germany, and had my iphone with me. I was able to keep images of the map of Paris on there to help get around and knew that i could use it for numbers if needed, though I knew those fairly well. Often times if you are polite and patient people will gladly help you out and work through any language barriers.
PS – I love your site, though I am not fully location independent, I do travel about 6 weeks out of the year and usually keep up with work projects. Great site!
Terrific, and world-tested, advice. When I travel, I’m amazed at how pleased people are when you make an effort to learn and use their language, even while you are still learning. Cheers!
Another great little tool is this small booklet:
http://www.graf-editions.de/pointit/point_it_eng.html
It has literally hundreds of pictures in it, yet it is very small and convenient. After using it a couple of times it becomes very easy to use (once you know what pictures are where :) ).
Also, instead of carrying around maps (and thus having to buy them :) )
I use my digital camera to make a picture of the map of the relevant part of the city I need to go to, using google maps or so. Then I just carry around my pocket digital camera when I go out, and I can read teh map off of the screen of the camera. Works like a charm :)
Firstly, apologies it has taken me so long to respond and secondly, thanks for all the comments – very encouraging, this being my first post on our LIP blog.
@Ana – Great point about the electronic phrase book, especially in your neck of the woods with the complex language patterns.
@Chris – Thanks for your kind words about my first post. The whole not speaking in slang and broken English is something I’ve really had to work on since we left the UK – maybe I should sign up for one of those courses in Paris :)
@Karen – Totally agree, people do appreciate you having a go even if you don’t have all the right words and it can also be an ice breaker and lead to a few giggles too. I haven’t got into trouble with gestures etc but I do find random words that I have picked up in different countries popping up at the wrong time – when we arrived in Thailand I found my self saying to the immigration guy ‘Ce Ce’ – no idea why Spanish popped in to my head instead of English!!
@Maria – Thanks Maria – that’s good advice.
@Josh – iPhone, now you’re just showing off Josh ;) Thanks for the kind words about the site.
@Becky – Thanks Becky. You’re right, even learning the basics like hello, goodbye, please and thank you, mean a lot to people
@Walter – Thanks for the additional tips Walter, especially the booklet you mentioned. I’m going to check out the link you posted, it sounds like a great little tool
LOL now you can see why languages aren’t his strong point?!?! I think he meant to say “Si, si” as Spanish for “Yes, yes”, rather than “Ce, ce” ;-)
Damn it :(
Haha, I was wondering what kind of Spanish he was talking about, but this explains :)