[QUOTE="theone86"]
There are plenty of stories of Parisians acting rudely and of them acting kindly, like in any big city it depends on whom you run into. I've got plenty of stories of people acting both ways towards me in Chicago. Besides, how do you think people in American cities would start reacting if someone came up to them and only spoke French? How many times do you hear Americans criticizing people for not learning English? When people come to the U.S. there's an expectation that they speak passable English, the French have the same expectations. I think with Paris especially there are a lot of tourists who pick up a phrasebook and try to scrape by with next to zero knowledge of the language, to the French that seems very arrogant.
m0zart
I don't think I've EVER been rude to someone who comes to the US and doesn't speak passable English, so I am not sure you are correct about that one. I have actually ran into folks more often than not who could not speak passable English, and I was as helpful as I could be. In fact, I think most Americans WOULD be that helpful, unless they are the thuggish kind.
We might laugh about it later. But I haven't seen Americans bullying or insulting folks to their faces, or sending them to the gutters when asking for help, for not being perfect English speakers.
Now I admit that was one anecdote, but I've certainly heard a lot more than just one anecdote. I've also had tacit admission from many Parisians and French living outside of Paris that this is in fact a problem. Almost half of a team I recently worked with were French from our office in Paris and they readily admitted the issue would exist, even warning me about it before when I was scheduled on a trip (which was ultimately cancelled). My boss of five years was Parisian, and talked about the situation readily with me and others. Belgians in our Belgian office even spoke about it. So I seriously doubt they wouldn't find it in good taste when it's on their lips as often as it is on just about anyone else's.
The bottom-line for me is that if someone came to me and said "I am about to travel to Paris, and I was wondering if my lack of French skills would be an issue", I woudl have to say "To the best of my knowledge, based on what I've heard about the situation, the answer is yes and you should probably be prepared for it." I feel like that would be an honest answer -- it certainly is the honest answer I've been given by those who haven't just heard but know. So I gave that honest answer here, and I stand by it, even if it offends the life out of a few folks. It doesn't mean that everyone will do it to them in Paris, but it's enough of a problem that they will probably experience it.
Now, if you've experienced that issue in America because of whatever accent or language issues you claim to have, feel free to give that same adivce to people who are planning to visit the US. I won't be offended in the least.
Anecdotal, again, I see a pattern developing. Just because you might not act rudely towards someone who can't speak English doesn't mean other people wouldn't be. Besides, most tourists who come to America speak passable English. It's a pretty common courtesy to at least know a little of the language of the country you're visiting or travel with someone who does. I think the problem a lot of French have is that everyone they know who travels to the U.S. knows English, but it seems like every American they see in France is, like I said, reading out of a phrasebook and they find that disrespectful.
Uh, yeah, and I've also heard from plenty of Parisians who say this isn't a problem, that if you run into some bad eggs it might happen but there are plenty of people who are fine about it. You see how anecdotes work?
In my experience, when I ask a judgemental ass for advice I expect the sort of advice that judgemental asses usually give.
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