Stuck here on BH Monday

[NotAllThere]

Here (in CH) you have the choice

Sprechen Sie lieber Englisch oder Hochdeutsch?

Given the choice, they normally go for English rather than German.

Yep! In fact, I've known of a couple of Swiss whose dialects were sufficiently different that they found it easier to speak to one another in English.

I have leant - after a year in Frankfurt - to not be polite and first ask if they speak english. If you do that they will respond with a no and try to end the conversation there.

As do the French. My approach with foreigners, is to try first in their language. Usually, they find it so painful, they switch to English pretty quickly. But they're more helpful than if I'd just spoken English in the first place.

Don't be polite to Germans, they don't know of the concept and only get confused.

There is no exact word in German for "courtesy".

btw. NotAllThere: are you in one of the two big pharmas in Basel?

Yes

[ace00]

Now I just speak to them in a slow simplyfied english and then everything is usually fine.

Yes, that works. Just speak s-l-o-w and very LOUD in English.
They understand. If they look confused, talk louder and point. They're only being awkward.

[ThomasSoerensen]

[QUOTE=NotAllThere;615341



Yes[/QUOTE]

N******* or R****?

[darmstadt]

Since we have a few in the vacinity:
Anybody fancy a weekend at the Stuttgart Bier fest? I am trying to organise a couple of guys from here to go. You would be welcome if you turned up but we would need to arrange somewhere to meet.

I was going to go along to the Canstatter Wasen but decided against it. If you don't get tickets (which are quite expensive) then you're looking at queing for a couple of hours until someone decides to leave and you can buy their tickets from them.

[The Lone Gunman]

I was going to go along to the Canstatter Wasen but decided against it. If you don't get tickets (which are quite expensive) then you're looking at queing for a couple of hours until someone decides to leave and you can buy their tickets from them.

I have been going to the Cantstatter for 5 years and have never had a problem. Never needed tickets. Is this some special show?

[darmstadt]

I have been going to the Cantstatter for 5 years and have never had a problem. Never needed tickets. Is this some special show?

I presume you were talking about this:

http://www.cannstatter-volksfest.de/

A couple of the beer tents you can get in for free but others you need reservations. As it is I can't make it as I have this:

http://www.bezirksvereinmartinsviert...rtinskerb.html

[The Lone Gunman]

I presume you were talking about this:

http://www.cannstatter-volksfest.de/

A couple of the beer tents you can get in for free but others you need reservations. As it is I can't make it as I have this:

http://www.bezirksvereinmartinsviert...rtinskerb.html

That looks like fun. Are you in any of those pictures? One chap is a dead ringer for a mate of mine from Blackpool.

Yes to the cannstatter volksfest. There is only one tent I have not been in and have never needed a ticket, unless tickets were needed when I was elsewhere.

There is more than one weekend to go at. We havent decided which we are doing yet. I am also doing Oktoberfest. Again, anyone care to join me?

[Sysman]

Here (in CH) you have the choice

Sprechen Sie lieber Englisch oder Hochdeutsch?

Given the choice, they normally go for English rather than German.

Aye, but don't forget the backup question:-

"Spechen Sie lieber Englsch oder Französisch?"

[Francko]

Yep! In fact, I've known of a couple of Swiss whose dialects were sufficiently different that they found it easier to speak to one another in English.

As a matter of fact there are four equal national languages. But one is more equal than the others...