Discussion
Not from me, but it is my feeling too.
We all know that when a Japanese person tells you that your Japanese is johzu, it means that it's shit.
But what does a Japanese person tell you when they consider you bilingual? Nothing. They say nothing. They stop talking to you altogether. They now expect you to be able to read their mind.
@sisterratched LOL. So, there are a lot of misunderstandings about this.
Yes, French people usually don't like when Anglos speak (terrible) French with them, but that's not because they're offended that you butcher their holy language.
Usually, it's because their English is better than your French, so communication will be more effective in English.
Also, sometimes, some English speakers don't really have anything to say to you, they just want to practice their French on you, and ⤵️
@David @sisterratched French Canadians would like a word lol. France French people are well known for switching to English when talking to someone with a French-Canadian accent.
@mariellequinton I plead not guilty. (honestly, I never heard that before)
@David Quelle horreur!! Actually, yes, Parisians are hard work, but elsewhere they are genuinely keen to help you improve your French, for whatever reason.
@sisterratched The reason is pretty obvious. Paris has dozens of millions of foreign visitors (most of them not Europeans, a lot of them speaking English) so if they indulged people, they'd spend their days doing it.
On the other hand, in the rest of France, in addition of people being overall nicer, encountering people from the other side of the planet is more rare, and a possible exciting experience.
The way the interaction starts matters a lot. ⤵️
@sisterratched that's kinda considered rude. We're not a free language tutor or anything, we're a random person you found in the street.
That also happens in Japan too. Usually an old guy wanting to practice their English with you, or a middle-aged woman wanting to practice her French. My first months in Japan, I was nice and naive and I would humor them until I realize that they really have nothing to say to me, they just want to "practice their language." ⤵️
@David Golly, that IS rude!
@sisterratched I strongly believe that language is a tool to be used and not a skill to be perfected, so nowadays, I have zero tolerance for these people. (I have pretended not being able to speak English because I was French with some old Japanese guy before... that or replying in Japanese to them)
Now, I understand learners of the language need practice, but the goals and expectations of the interactions need to be clear and explicit from the beginning, otherwise one person is using the other
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@David As opposed to the French, who are always delighted if you try out your hopeless high school French on them. 🤣