A message for long term expats

[Sysman]

I met an Italian guy today whose German is rubbish. The trouble is that he's lived here so long (30 years) that he's forgotten his own language.

I can relate to that as in my first stint abroad I ended up speaking simple English that the locals could understand, and on a weekend return to the UK my neighbours asked why I was "talking funny".

Fortunately we have the internet nowadays, but please keep up with your skills in your own native language.

<Sysman in Been There Done That mode>

[Francko]

I met an Italian guy today whose German is rubbish.

Ich was not mich.

[HairyArsedBloke]

I know that feeling - and I was in (will be returning to) the Americas. Loads of British expats around so it was not so bad. The problem is that the septic English is very infectious.

[darmstadt]

I don't meet too many Brits here so don't speak that much English when out and about and quite often when I do meet up with British friends or go back for a visit to the UK I sometimes forget the English word for something which can be embarrassing. Also quite often at work the Germans will ask me to translate from German into English and although I know what they mean in German and what they want to say in English, I can never quite put it into the correct words.

[threaded]

One of the odd things about Denmark is that in my day to day doings I meet more people who can speak English than I do when I'm in the UK.

Fill up with Petrol? The guy in my local Shell although Afghani can speak English, his UK counterpart couldn't even speak intelligible Pashtun.

It's not just me either. Danish friends returning from trips to the UK report similar experiences. I really don't get it.

[NotAllThere]

After 8 years away from the benighted shores, I have to make a conscious effort to use correct English. Fortunately, this forum keeps me on my toes.

[meridian]

You're English for Geroge's sake. Don't bother learning the local patois, just talk louder and slower and take every chance to correct Johnny Foreigner's English when you can.

[Sysman]

I know that feeling - and I was in (will be returning to) the Americas. Loads of British expats around so it was not so bad. The problem is that the septic English is very infectious.

I must admit I used Murkin spelling the other day, but in my defence it was a technical discussion about about web colours where the correct keyword is color.

There are also differences which are important if you want to get your message across - for example we might use the word "they" to mean IBM (thinking of the people that make up IBM), where the Yanks will use "it" in the singular (thinking of the corporate identity).

I don't meet too many Brits here so don't speak that much English when out and about and quite often when I do meet up with British friends or go back for a visit to the UK I sometimes forget the English word for something which can be embarrassing. Also quite often at work the Germans will ask me to translate from German into English and although I know what they mean in German and what they want to say in English, I can never quite put it into the correct words.

A similar tale here, but a trick I picked up from an advertising bod was to try and avoid direct translations; go away and understand the problem, then say it in your own language. Not easy for off-the-cuff translations.

At least I get British telly nowadays, which helps, but of course it's one way.

[Mich the Tester]

Ich was not mich.

I bloody hope you weren't.

[Jeebo72]

I met an Italian guy today whose German is rubbish. The trouble is that he's lived here so long (30 years) that he's forgotten his own language.

I can relate to that as in my first stint abroad I ended up speaking simple English that the locals could understand, and on a weekend return to the UK my neighbours asked why I was "talking funny".

Fortunately we have the internet nowadays, but please keep up with your skills in your own native language.

<Sysman in Been There Done That mode>

My mates in Glasgow say the same, aaperently I say weird things like "yes" instead of the proper "aye" and "no" instead of "naw" ... so it does happen ...