August 09, 2004
I'm not a tourist - I live here
I do not have a strong accent, but speaking standard German in Austria is more than enough to be treated differently. Sometimes I wish I could be one of them, speak the language as they do, were as grumpy as they are and dissolve in the masses. But Northern German and Viennese German are too far apart to ever hide my accent. If you can't change it, use it. You might win a trip to the city you live in.
Four years ago, I walked straight into an optician's store and politely asked for a visual screening test. "Ich würde gerne einen Sehtest machen lassen." The shop-girl staired at me, walked to her desk, looked into the calendar and asked me in English: "Do you have an appointment?" "Nein, ich habe keinen Termin, aber Sie können durchaus Deutsch mit mir sprechen, das ist meine Muttersprache." (No, I don't, but you might as well speak English with me, it's my mother-tongue.) Shop-girl, mouth-wide open, consulted a colleague. "Ähm, wie lange bleiben Sie in Wien?" (Ahm, for how long are you going to stay in Vienna?) "I LIVE HERE!"
In January 2004 I saw these nice red mugs in the window of Vienna Tourism which were a great souvenir for two friends in Slovenia. "Hello, do you sell these mugs?"
"Yes, how many do you need?"
"Two."
"We are having this competition right now - you can win one mug or a voucher for the casino if you roll the dice."
"Ohhh, the voucher. But I don't go to the casino. (Here comes Ms. Charming!) Can I roll the dice again?"
"Yo, well ... ja. But don't forget to fill in your name and address here - you can win a trip to Vienna!"
"Woooow - great, cool. I'ld really love to come back."
The mug was mine. I wonder who in Germany has won a trip to Vienna.
"And don't forget to take the restaurant guide with you. It might be useful while you are here."
"Thanks. That's great. One always needs a restaurant guide."
I sold my soul for a mug.
I don't really have to learn German anymore, but speaking other languages can be an adventure, too.
"When I came into the office in Vienna the first time, I politely said Hello and introduced myself in German", my Slovene friend U. told me about his language-experiences in Austria. "Hi", the boss answered in English, "nice to have you here." "Danke", U. said, "ich freue mich auch." (Thanx, I am happy, too.) Boss: "Come on, I'll show you around." U.: "Sehr nett, danke." (How nice, thank you.) Boss: "Do you speak English?" U.: "Ja."
When I walked into this store in Ljubljana/Slovenia the other day and asked in Slovene whether they still had this or that in another color, the shop-girl answered in English. "This is very kind of you", I said, "but I am really trying to learn your language."
In France at the hotel reception the guy answered in English when I asked for my room. "Excuse me, sir, I am really trying to speak your language, so you shouldn't answer in English", Ms. Charming said. He got wrinkles on his forehead anyways. The next morning I politely asked in English for the train-schedule. Unfortunately, he didn't know what a "schedule" was. I should have asked for "une horaire" ...
Posted by novala at August 9, 2004 07:21 PMThis was very interesting, to read about a German and a Slovene also being 'Englished'. Thank you.
Gosh, if it happens to people who don't even come from English-speaking countries, then just imagine how difficult it is for English-speakers to speak a foreign language without being Englished back. Often, the only way to avoid it is by being insistent. But communication shouldn't have to be a battle of stubbornness, and behaving in that manner can actually annoy the ignorant local so much that they don't always provide you with the extra information or service that you need. Yes, some people will only be friendly to you if you're willing to allow them to use you at the same time to practise a foreign language on, usually English.
You're left with the choice of on the one hand being someone's language bitch, but getting good service, or on the other hand sticking to your principles of attempting to speak the local language, and being shunned, insulted and despised at every turn.
What fun.
Posted by: David (TEFL Smiler) at August 9, 2004 07:56 PMyou haven't been englished until you've lived in japan, believe me. if you're a native speaker you have to pretend not to be ("sorry, i'm from austria, i don't speak english) if you want to get any japanese practice there.
interestingly, i am never englished in austria. i cannot remember that happening to me a single time; but then, i rarely interact with people in vienna, spending most of my time in villages and small towns.
Posted by: mig at August 10, 2004 08:25 AMYes, but isn't it strange that Austrians tried to speak English with me although I am German? That was kind of funny. And they were still confused when I told them in perfect standard German that we have a common mother-tongue. Maybe that was the problem - I should have put on a strong Northern accent. :-)
Posted by: novala at August 10, 2004 09:00 AMWhen we went to northern Denmark we were "Germaned" on many occasions, which REALLY confused me.
Posted by: kimbofo at August 10, 2004 07:33 PMYes, I've been to Japan, Germany, Austria, Italy, etc., and though I try to speak the language everyone ALWAYS responds in English. And when I ask them to speak in their native language, they talk to me like a toddler.
Frustrating. But funny.
Posted by: tom at August 17, 2004 03:25 AMI don't get "englished" back, but here in France I have everyone guessing on my nationality -
- a hint of german, a drop of dutch?
- from where in the South (of France) do you come from?
- you have such a charming Eastern European accent! (does that exist?)
I guess nobody else hears my Aussie twang.
The worst part about speaking another language with very little accent is that when you make errors (le? la? should i have put that in the subjective? what do you means, autocollanter doesn't exist?) peopel just think you are illiterate.
Especially if you are communicating by email, and your name is more French than the French.
But the biggest advantage is all the marriage proposals I get over the phone - the accent is enough to be interesting but not to much to be off-putting!
Posted by: Melodie at August 26, 2004 08:59 PM