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I would also eschew the words eschew and verbosity.In other words, eschew verbosity.
Many people say that there is a higher percentage of English speakers in Portugal than in Spain, which is probably true, but when you are in in the only bar in little village in Portugal your chances of finding an English speaker aren't so great!While in many places this may be true. I am currently working in an ordinary non-camino, non-touristy town in northern Spain and apart from the English teachers at the school where I work, nobody speaks English. The staff at the small hotel where I stayed when I arrived didn't speak English.
Stamp out sesquipedalianism!I would also eschew the words eschew and verbosity.
One of the ten official languages. But it seems true that most Germans and French and almost all Dutch speak English well. Spanish pilgrims and Italian pilgrims not as much. And I've had pellegrinos claim they can't understand Spanish (which I don't believe, because my non-fluent Spanish enabled me to pass the A1 test for Italian). I noticed MANY Korean pilgrims have neither English nor Spanish. (And I don't speak Korean!) I highly recommend to everyone learning another language.The dirty little secret is that English is the official language of the EU. Virtually everyone in Europe under the age of 45 speaks passable English if it is not their native language.
More than once I have witnessed a Spanish waiter or front desk clerk try to switch a conversation from broken Spanish to English. On one occasion I overheard an American struggling to use his high school Spanish to order a meal. Eventually the waiter leaned in and said, "Can we do this in English? It will go much quicker."
Thanks for the new word!Stamp out sesquipedalianism!
@RobertS26 - You should know that when you post on a public forum you will receive a variety of opinions, and all members of this forum have the right to post, unless they break one of the forum rulesThe focus of the OP was whether there is a language barrier on the Camino. The pupose of the post was to relieve the fear that speaking Spanish was necessary to complete the Camino. Anyone who has walked the Camino knows that it is literally 100% unnecessary to speak Spanish to walk the Camino.
Maybe I am not a very attentive reader of this forum because I have not noticed that people are afraid that they won’t find other pilgrims to chat to - at least not on the popular Caminos in Spain.There are lots of posts about the language barrier, but it seems they get mostly advice on learning or coping. Few (seemed to me) mentioned that there really isn't one. Native speakers of English were by far the majority staying in the Dutch-run albergue I worked in, and the majority of others spoke it well.
Just sticking my head up to say that this would certainly be true of the Camino Frances - Spanish is not necessary.Anyone who has walked the Camino knows that it is literally 100% unnecessary to speak Spanish to walk the Camino.
You can manage quite well on the camino Francés without Spanish. On other routes it is a different matter. On the French routes, they don't speak Spanish at all, although I found a lot of French people were happy enough to use English when my French wasn't good enough. English is a lot more widely spoken in Portugal, they have been teaching it at high school level for a very long time but a lot of Portuguese people speak French having lived in France as migrant workers. Younger Spanish people are more likely to speak English especially if they work in hospitality but that is by no means assured. You don't have to speak Spanish in Spain, but it is still a good idea and it is also a good idea to smile and maintain eye contact whenever you are speaking to someone and to be aware of the visual cues they give you. Incidentally, I would really like to see some empirical evidence for the rather definitive statement 'virtually everyone in Europe under the age of 45 speaks passable English'. Is that your impression or do you actually know?I do not speak a lick of Spanish. Yet I have never missed a meal or slept outdoors on five Caminos.
The dirty little secret is that English is the official language of the EU. Virtually everyone in Europe under the age of 45 speaks passable English if it is not their native language.
More than once I have witnessed a Spanish waiter or front desk clerk try to switch a conversation from broken Spanish to English. On one occasion I overheard an American struggling to use his high school Spanish to order a meal. Eventually the waiter leaned in and said, "Can we do this in English? It will go much quicker."
When speaking to someone who is not a native English speaker, remember to speak slowly and not use big words. In other words, eschew verbosity. Also, do not turn your head. The other person needs to see your lips to help them understand what you are saying. And finally, don't use slang. For example, don't say, "I'm down with that." Rather, a simple, "yes" works better.
I can't speak for @RobertS26 but I can speak for myself: Both personal impression (and that includes walking and dining with groups of Camino pilgrims with different native languages) and actual knowledge tell me that not "virtually everyone in Europe under the age of 45 speaks passable English". The level of knowledge of English depends not only on age but also on country of education received and on highest level of education obtained and on socio-economic status. Below is an overview from a fairly recent survey by Eurostat (an official agency of the European Union) where statistically representative samples of the population in each countries were asked whether they knew one or more foreign languages (no information about which foreign languages was published but English is likely to be included for the majority).I would really like to see some empirical evidence for the rather definitive statement 'virtually everyone in Europe under the age of 45 speaks passable English'. Is that your impression or do you actually know?
I don’t mean this to be snarky, but in light of your other thread about the importance of context and precision in language, I would point out that “the camino” refers potentially to 45 or more routes criss-crossing all parts of Spain. For people walking those routes, like the Olvidado, the Ebro, the Levante, the Castellano-Aragonés, etc, @Molly Cassidy ’s observation about walking into hotels or bars where no one speaks English is a good heads up.Anyone who has walked the Camino knows that it is literally 100% unnecessary to speak Spanish to walk the Camino.
Anyone who has walked the Camino knows that it is literally 100% unnecessary to speak Spanish to walk the Camino.
I had an amusing moment on that walk I just mentioned. A young man and woman came up a hill to the road I was on; they had baskets. After greetings the man spoke a few sentences and I couldn't understand even one word for some reason, maybe he spoke Aragonese. When I said "No entiendo" he immediately had his phone out and at Google Translate. Some nonverbal cue from the woman, like an eye roll or something, told me that this wasn't the first time he did this and that she was losing patience with his habit. He spoke into the phone and I read that they were mushroom hunting but the wild pigs had dug them all up. I replied "Que lastima" but he immediately held his phone up to me, pointed at it and told me to use it. Somewhat deviously I said "What a shame" and it worked, the translation came out as "Que lastima" and a giggle came out of the woman.and if all else fails use Google Translate!
Thanks for your post Laurie. There is the Camino Francés then all the others where speaking some Spanish although not essential, is definitely recommended.I don’t mean this to be snarky, but in light of your other thread about the importance of context and precision in language, I would point out that “the camino” refers potentially to 45 or more routes criss-crossing all parts of Spain. For people walking those routes, like the Olvidado, the Ebro, the Levante, the Castellano-Aragonés, etc, @Molly Cassidy ’s observation about walking into hotels or bars where no one speaks English is a good heads up.
I tidied to learn a bit of Spanish before I went . It greatly enriched my walking experience and my interaction with both pilgrims and local people. It was winter and there were few walkers. Catalan, Korean, Japanese made up a goodly proportion and none spoke much English if any. Practically none of the locals spoke any English at all. Sure a person can walk the Camino with only English but it misses out on so much. To me anyway. It’s easy to forget that although this site seems huge it represents only a minuscule proportion of the people who do the Camino, and I suspect many nationalities are scarcely represented at all.@RobertS26 - You should know that when you post on a public forum you will receive a variety of opinions, and all members of this forum have the right to post, unless they break one of the forum rules
Yes, it's right that you can complete the Camino without knowing a word of Spanish - on the Norte I met a guy from Taiwan (if my memory serves) that knew neither Spanish nor English, and he managed. But I wouldn't say that English is universally spoken in small towns on the Caminos in Spain and Portugal.
Now that I know what it means, I agree wholeheartedlyStamp out sesquipedalianism!
I missed my bus from Lavacolla to Sarria today because I don't speak the language and people I asked couldn't speak English.
Not to mention that the two Spaniards may in fact have been Catalans, given that you started your walk in Barcelona. In which case, Spanish was likely their second language.Walking from Barcelona to Puente la Reina I only encountered nine other walkers, none were native English speakers. The two Spaniards may have been at the B2 level of English or better.
One was Basque (his name was changed to a Basque version of Ignacio when he was three after Franco died and it was possible). He lived in Catalonia so I suspect he also spoke Catalán. The other was a young man who lived in Huesca and used an albergue in the Pyrenees foothills occasionally as a base for hiking in the area.Not to mention that the two Spaniards may in fact have been Catalans, given that you started your walk in Barcelona.
I have a little Spanish and found it made for a much richer Camino experience. This was more in relation to speaking with people in the small villages we passed through, most of whom had little or no English. We had exchanges and got insights that would not have been possible without some Spanish. I agree that many of our fellow pilgrims were either native speakers or had a reasonable command of the language.There are lots of posts about the language barrier, but it seems they get mostly advice on learning or coping. Few (seemed to me) mentioned that there really isn't one.
Native speakers of English were by far the majority staying in the Dutch-run albergue I worked in, and the majority of others spoke it well. Last year was a slow year—less than two hundred thousand certificates issued. More than 8654 of those were from English-speaking countries. More statistics at https://catedral.df-server.info/est/peregrinaciones2021.pdf
Perfectly put. I couldn’t agree more.First time on the Frances I spoke very little Spanish and survived. I didn’t go hungry or without a bed. A number of my occasional companions were German and even when it was me in a sole minority they switched to English for my benefit. Ironically the lingua Franca is ingles.
A decade later and after a great deal of effort (Language learning is a job for the adolescent brain really) I’m ‘functionally’ fluent in Spanish. A comfortable B2. You wouldn’t want me defending you in court or completing your tax return; but day-to-day I can communicate well.
I’ve learned Spanish not because it’s necessary for me, but because it’s interesting; it transforms the nature of the relationship I have with native Spanish speakers, and because at my age and being retired one really needs to have an intellectual challenge; IMHO.
A tip: confuse the locals so they’re not 100% sure you’re English (or whatever you are). I’m getting on a bit and I’ve got one of those ‘well used’ faces - rugby, sun, alcohol and being happy I suppose. I don’t dress like an endurance racer in the evening and I typically wear a traditional boina. A Spaniard approaching me doesn’t automatically know what to make of me - this bloke looks English; but he wouldn’t be wearing that hat if he was, I’ll open up in Spanish. When they do and I reply in a not totally unconvincing accent - I can almost see them thinking ‘well, whatever he is he’s not Spanish; but strangely I seem to understand him, I’ll carry on in Spanish …’
I’m so very pleased.
Well I think they’re rather attractive; although Mrs Henrythedog and your dear wife are of the same opinion.Perfectly put. I couldn’t agree more.
I too am a proud boina wearer when walking in Spain. To my wife’s horror!
Well I think they’re rather attractive; although Mrs Henrythedog and your dear wife are of the same opinion.
As most know, even a feeble attempt to communicate in Spanish will take anyone a long way.I do not speak a lick of Spanish. Yet I have never missed a meal or slept outdoors on five Caminos.
The dirty little secret is that English is the official language of the EU. Virtually everyone in Europe under the age of 45 speaks passable English if it is not their native language.
More than once I have witnessed a Spanish waiter or front desk clerk try to switch a conversation from broken Spanish to English. On one occasion I overheard an American struggling to use his high school Spanish to order a meal. Eventually the waiter leaned in and said, "Can we do this in English? It will go much quicker."
When speaking to someone who is not a native English speaker, remember to speak slowly and not use big words. In other words, eschew verbosity. Also, do not turn your head. The other person needs to see your lips to help them understand what you are saying. And finally, don't use slang. For example, don't say, "I'm down with that." Rather, a simple, "yes" works better.
When I walked the Primitivo, I, with my trusty high school Spanish, had to act as interpreter for Italians and Germans who had no Spanish and wanted to make reservations or ask directions. They had assumed that the Spanish people they encountered would know enough English for them to get by, but the fact is that, in rural areas, most people know only Castilian and/or Galician.
For me, the bigger question is: why would you want to spend weeks walking through another culture without being able to hold a basic conversation with the people you meet? But of course different people walk a camino for different reasons, and exploring culture is not a priority for some.
And never order a large beer.First time on the Frances I spoke very little Spanish and survived. I didn’t go hungry or without a bed. A number of my occasional companions were German and even when it was me in a sole minority they switched to English for my benefit. Ironically the lingua Franca is ingles.
A decade later and after a great deal of effort (Language learning is a job for the adolescent brain really) I’m ‘functionally’ fluent in Spanish. A comfortable B2. You wouldn’t want me defending you in court or completing your tax return; but day-to-day I can communicate well.
I’ve learned Spanish not because it’s necessary for me, but because it’s interesting; it transforms the nature of the relationship I have with native Spanish speakers, and because at my age and being retired one really needs to have an intellectual challenge; IMHO.
A tip: confuse the locals so they’re not 100% sure you’re English (or whatever you are). I’m getting on a bit and I’ve got one of those ‘well used’ faces - rugby, sun, alcohol and being happy I suppose. I don’t dress like an endurance racer in the evening and I typically wear a traditional boina. A Spaniard approaching me doesn’t automatically know what to make of me - this bloke looks English; but he wouldn’t be wearing that hat if he was, I’ll open up in Spanish. When they do and I reply in a not totally unconvincing accent - I can almost see them thinking ‘well, whatever he is he’s not Spanish; but strangely I seem to understand him, I’ll carry on in Spanish …’
I’m so very pleased.
second catalans and third basques. Maybe learning a local language helps to learn others. In that study Portugal is 9th.I think it’s relatively easy to do a Camino even if you don’t speak Spanish. That said based on a recent study, Spain had the second lowest level of English across EU countries, is 25th across 35 European counties and globally is 33rd of 111 countries so may of that what you will. Galicians have the best level of English in terms of region, with Vigo being the star.
Yes good point! Sorry can’t link as behind paywall!second catalans and third basques. Maybe learning a local language helps to learn others. In that study Portugal is 9th.
Surprising and interesting. I wonder if you’re right (about why)?second catalans and third basques. Maybe learning a local language helps to learn others. In that study Portugal is 9th.
Was surprised to see Gran Canaria and Tenerife amongst the lower English speakers given so many UK folks holiday and live here! Then I remembered that’s it mainly folks from the north of England which explained it, and they don’t speak ‘pwopa English’ like is southerners do!Surprising and interesting. I wonder if you’re right (about why)?
Don’t draw wrong conclusions from this index. It does not measure the level of English of a population. It measures the level of English of a self-selected group who took a specific test. See this information about the EF English Proficiency Index:Was surprised to see Gran Canaria and Tenerife amongst the lower English speakers
In general I think that it is right that many Dutch people speak and to a higher degree understand English. That probably has partly to do with education in school, English lessons are obligatory. An important factor that knowledge is kept alive is that movies, tvseries, newsitems and so on are not "dubbed" but subtitled.I can't speak for @RobertS26 but I can speak for myself: Both personal impression (and that includes walking and dining with groups of Camino pilgrims with different native languages) and actual knowledge tell me that not "virtually everyone in Europe under the age of 45 speaks passable English". The level of knowledge of English depends not only on age but also on country of education received and on highest level of education obtained and on socio-economic status. Below is an overview from a fairly recent survey by Eurostat (an official agency of the European Union) where statistically representative samples of the population in each countries were asked whether they knew one or more foreign languages (no information about which foreign languages was published but English is likely to be included for the majority).
Pilgrims who don't speak passable English tend to shy away from predominantly English-speaking groups - despite all the lovely anecdotes where the group as a whole may switch language to accommodate a non-speaker or where there are people who do interpretation for him/her.
Some country results surprised me - both because they are better than expected and worse than expected. The yellow and blue markers indicate percentages of the relevant age groups: 24-34 and 35-44. For Spain for example, 60% of the 35-44 year olds said that they knew at least one foreign language and for the younger age group in Spain the percentage is a little higher.
(Click to enlarge)
View attachment 137129
I don't know Dutch but a little German vocabulary and I think that a Germanic language has it easier (lernen, beginnen, trinken, kommen, etc) than a latin one.In general I think that it is right that many Dutch people speak and to a higher degree understand English. That probably has partly to do with education in school, English lessons are obligatory. An important factor that knowledge is kept alive is that movies, tvseries, newsitems and so on are not "dubbed" but subtitled.
This and a number of other reasons play a role, such as the size of the domestic market and the importance of foreign markets for a country and in which languages foreign trade is conducted. That is quite different for a country like the Netherlands compared to a country like Spain.In general I think that it is right that many Dutch people speak and to a higher degree understand English. That probably has partly to do with education in school, English lessons are obligatory. An important factor that knowledge is kept alive is that movies, tvseries, newsitems and so on are not "dubbed" but subtitled.
You are right in this but my experience is that German people are less at ease with speaking English. An important reason is, like I said in my previous post, that they don't hear it it as much in their daily live as everything on television or in cinemas is dubbed. In the Netherlands we not only hear English a lot but the meaning is also provided in the subtitles. Dubbing of course has its advantages, but this effect of using subtitles is an advantage of its own.I don't know Dutch but a little German vocabulary and I think that a Germanic language has it easier (lernen, beginnen, trinken, kommen, etc) than a latin one.
I wish there were more people like you wishing to learn a language other than your native tongue…besides being able to converse with others, you learn more about other cultures.Growing up we lived in Europe for while and my parents spoke no language other than English. They relied on me to help them with basic questions and directions. I was only 7 and was learning German at school. Years later, I took German in high school and at the university and when I was deployed to Germany in the early 2000's my experience was this: although many Germans could speak English, they often commented that I could not possibly be American as no Americans ever bothered to learn German even if they were there several years. I have felt it my duty to represent my country by trying not to portray the stereotype that those from the US do not think that learning another language is important.
When we first walked the Camino in 2016, I had spent a year studying on Duo Lingo. It was hardly enough, but we got by. My husband learned NO Spanish before we went and wished that he could converse with people. Over the years now, we've studied in Spain for several weeks a few times and we have a weekly Spanish lesson together here at home through a school.
Our progress is painfully slow, but we are determined to speak and understand well enough to have meaningful conversations with Spaniards beyond ordering food or booking a room. As a hospitalero, I am able to check people into the albergue and explain guidelines and resources now in 3 languages (English, Spanish, and even German although my formal study was 40 years ago). I am able to have simple conversations on the phone and I also still rely heavily on Google Translate for pilgrims from France, Korea, Russia, Italy, etc.
It is a personal decision to try to learn another language because I want to be accepted as more than a tourist and pilgrim. Each person must make their own decision in that regard, but my husband has had several interesting experiences that happened by not knowing the language very well. He's taken the wrong bus or train more than once and thank goodness for the school-aged daughters and grandchildren of proprietors who are often called in to translate just as I once was when he is at the market.
Either should be fine. For comparison, in English, some people say "Excuse me" and some say "Pardon me". In both cases they are just polite ways to get your attention and preface a request they are about to make.as a simple curiosity, walking up to the counter, would it be friendlier to say "perdoname" than "Desculpe"...
Here's an article that should be useful:A question: Just a matter of semantics, really. While working on my Spanish (in duolingo), one of the phrases I'm being taught is "desculpe"- as in "Desculpe, Tu Habla Ingles?". Then, while looking at another site, it showed that desculpe more meant "Can I have your attention?" and, pardon me would be "Perdóname".
I could imagine, in every day Spanish, me saying "Can I have your attention?" might sound rude. I'd hope for forgiveness... but, as a simple curiosity, walking up to the counter, would it be friendlier to say "perdoname" than "Desculpe"...
A question: Just a matter of semantics, really. While working on my Spanish (in duolingo), one of the phrases I'm being taught is "desculpe"- as in "Desculpe, Tu Habla Ingles?". Then, while looking at another site, it showed that desculpe more meant "Can I have your attention?" and, pardon me would be "Perdóname".
I could imagine, in every day Spanish, me saying "Can I have your attention?" might sound rude. I'd hope for forgiveness... but, as a simple curiosity, walking up to the counter, would it be friendlier to say "perdoname" than "Desculpe"...
A very good point indeed. If you’re learning specifically for use in Spain, clearly it’s Castilian you want. A number of US resources I’ve looked at in the past are Mexican Spanish, but just described as ‘Spanish’.Please remember that Spanish is spoken in many countries and its usage is a bit different in all.
I think that this possible problem in usage is exaggerated by the Spanish learners who are being taught all the possible ways they might go wrong. Oddly, I learned the verb "coger" in Venezuela many many years ago and thought nothing of it. I only heard about its other implication from this forum! Maybe I was ignorant then, or unknowingly foul-mouthed, but maybe it has become more of a "thing" that it should.Using the incorrect second person plural pronouns would still be understandable, but a Spaniard asking where they might catch (coger) a ‘bus in Mexico would get some funny looks.
i learned »the real Spanish » from two youngsters…with a twist of Mexican Spanish that many Madrilenos didn’t often understand. it was sometimes a hoot.A very good point indeed. If you’re learning specifically for use in Spain, clearly it’s Castilian you want. A number of US resources I’ve looked at in the past are Mexican Spanish, but just described as ‘Spanish’.
Using the incorrect second person plural pronouns would still be understandable, but a Spaniard asking where they might catch (coger) a ‘bus in Mexico would get some funny looks.
There are often multiple different ways of saying the same - or very similar - things in Spanish (two directly interchangeable imperfect subjunctives anyone?) - it’s best to keep it simple to start with.
The Spanish - especially younger ones - use many contractions and shortenings; loads of colloquial and regional words and a surprising number of mild and quite creative obscenities in daily conversation.
I agree entirely. A peregrinos basic needs around greetings, transport, food and accommodation can probably be covered in a couple of dozen plug-and-play sentences which would be understood perfectly well in any Spanish speaking country.I think that this possible problem in usage is exaggerated by the Spanish learners who are being taught all the possible ways they might go wrong. Oddly, I learned the verb "coger" in Venezuela many many years ago and thought nothing of it. I only heard about its other implication from this forum! Maybe I was ignorant then, or unknowingly foul-mouthed, but maybe it has become more of a "thing" that it should.
In English, a classroom of 13-year-olds might snicker and titter when someone uses certain words that are actually completely appropriate in context.
Thanks. It was very helpful. BUt, I didn't really need another way to say excuse me (con permiso). I'll have to remember to begin every sentence with "Lo siento" (I'm sorry) and get it out of the way... as in "I apologize in advance for what I'm about to do to your language"Here's an article that should be useful:
Sorry & Excuse me in Spanish - Disculpe, Perdón, Lo Siento - Tell Me In Spanish
Disculpe, Perdón and Lo siento are the Spanish words that we use when we want to say ‘sorry’, ‘pardon’ or ‘excuse me’. However, the fact that these phrases share thewww.tellmeinspanish.com
I always thought of desculpe as more of "excuse me" and perdóname (or just perdón) as more of "pardon me". We say "excuse me" all the time to get people's attention without it seeming rude (I hope).A question: Just a matter of semantics, really. While working on my Spanish (in duolingo), one of the phrases I'm being taught is "desculpe"- as in "Desculpe, Tu Habla Ingles?". Then, while looking at another site, it showed that desculpe more meant "Can I have your attention?" and, pardon me would be "Perdóname".
I could imagine, in every day Spanish, me saying "Can I have your attention?" might sound rude. I'd hope for forgiveness... but, as a simple curiosity, walking up to the counter, would it be friendlier to say "perdoname" than "Desculpe"...
My hope, as well. I hope a smile and a bit of simple courtesy will make up for my linguistical challenges. AS someone has already pointed out, I'll keep it simple, try to follow the customs I see and always remember to smile.I always thought of desculpe as more of "excuse me" and perdóname (or just perdón) as more of "pardon me". We say "excuse me" all the time to get people's attention without it seeming rude (I hope).
*THIS* -- I can barely understand the point of travelling across the world to jump into a conga line of people who speak my own language, grab the rope and shuffle along with them from one standard pilgrim meal to the next without paying attention to the surroundings (people. art, music, architecture...). My in-laws travel in monolingual groups on "sight-seeing tours" around the world, and yet they have learned almost nothing and come back with little more than "this was pretty" or "the food was terrible, so foreign!". What is the point? There are so many easier ways to fail to engage with the distant locale than to go there and ignore it.I have a little Spanish and found it made for a much richer Camino experience. This was more in relation to speaking with people in the small villages we passed through, most of whom had little or no English. We had exchanges and got insights that would not have been possible without some Spanish. I agree that many of our fellow pilgrims were either native speakers or had a reasonable command of the language.
I read that permiso is used in crowds and places like the bus where you are trying to get through.Just one more random comment — on the metro or bus in Spain, I inevitably here “permiso” or “con permiso” when people are trying to get through. Maybe it’s an “anticipatory” request rather than saying sorry, and perdón and disculpe are more after you’ve bumped into someone.
I thought of this thread during my walk yesterday. I hope there aren't many that let lack of speaking Spanish stop them from their adventure. I will struggle with the language. I have stories of my time in Germany and the funny things that happened as I tried to learn the language. They are more of the spices that give flavor to my memories.My hope, as well. I hope a smile and a bit of simple courtesy will make up for my linguistical challenges. AS someone has already pointed out, I'll keep it simple, try to follow the customs I see and always remember to smile.
I won't be fluent in Spanish, by May. But, I hope to have those key phrases I know I'll use down. One big one being "¿puede hablar más despacio, por favor?"
I've always envied those people to whom languages seem to come easy. It never has, for me. Add to this the fact that I'm hard of hearing (hope to have my hearing aid before I travel) and I really struggle.
I think most who give advice on "learning" do know that the language barrier issue isn't usually a big problem. The advice is given because it is a sign of respect that you are at least willing to attempt to speak the local language. I have tried to learn a little Spanish off and on for years - and for the most part - it doesn't stick. I still make attempts to speak a little Spanish when I can. I also encourage others to do the same. At least TRY. But I also understand learning a second language is not easy for everyone - I live 45 miles from the Mexican border - and I still struggle a lot despite having ample opportunity to practice (they speak to fast for my slow brain to process).There are lots of posts about the language barrier, but it seems they get mostly advice on learning or coping. Few (seemed to me) mentioned that there really isn't one.
I'm like you in that it doesn't seem to stick. There's lots of classes on offer...on line and at the library. But, being in regional Australia, there's little chance to practice it, day to day.I think most who give advice on "learning" do know that the language barrier issue isn't usually a big problem. The advice is given because it is a sign of respect that you are at least willing to attempt to speak the local language. I have tried to learn a little Spanish off and on for years - and for the most part - it doesn't stick. I still make attempts to speak a little Spanish when I can. I also encourage others to do the same. At least TRY. But I also understand learning a second language is not easy for everyone - I live 45 miles from the Mexican border - and I still struggle a lot despite having ample opportunity to practice (they speak to fast for my slow brain to process).
Advice about coping with a language barrier is really helpful to those who are worried. Yes - lots of people speak English as their primary language, and English is a common second language amongst pilgrims. That said - some people speak neither Spanish NOR English. And there isn't always someone around to help translate. So - yes - I reassure people that language barrier isn't a big issue if you speak English. But I also encourage others to try to learn at least some basic phrases and I also advise strategies to cope when you are struggling to cope to communicate. I had quite a few times I struggled to communicate. Of course - there was also the time that I was able to teach a Spanish speaking only person how to use the washing/drying machines - that was interesting. And then there were the times when local Spanish residents had full many minute conversations to me despite me trying to tell them (in Spanish) that I don't understand Spanish
It’s a whole different world, isn’t it? I had quite a few experiences in no-English environments.When I walked the Camino Frances I rarely stayed at the 'Brierley stops', staying in the small villages instead.
Interesting stats; but "knowing one or more foreign languages" does not mean, that such is English!I can't speak for @RobertS26 but I can speak for myself: Both personal impression (and that includes walking and dining with groups of Camino pilgrims with different native languages) and actual knowledge tell me that not "virtually everyone in Europe under the age of 45 speaks passable English". The level of knowledge of English depends not only on age but also on country of education received and on highest level of education obtained and on socio-economic status. Below is an overview from a fairly recent survey by Eurostat (an official agency of the European Union) where statistically representative samples of the population in each countries were asked whether they knew one or more foreign languages (no information about which foreign languages was published but English is likely to be included for the majority).
Pilgrims who don't speak passable English tend to shy away from predominantly English-speaking groups - despite all the lovely anecdotes where the group as a whole may switch language to accommodate a non-speaker or where there are people who do interpretation for him/her.
Some country results surprised me - both because they are better than expected and worse than expected. The yellow and blue markers indicate percentages of the relevant age groups: 24-34 and 35-44. For Spain for example, 60% of the 35-44 year olds said that they knew at least one foreign language and for the younger age group in Spain the percentage is a little higher.
(Click to enlarge)
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Of course not. As it says in the quoted post: where statistically representative samples of the population in each countries were asked whether they knew one or more foreign languages (no information about which foreign languages was published but English is likely to be included for the majority).Interesting stats; but "knowing one or more foreign languages" does not mean, that such is English!
But never trust machine translation for anything important. That said, Google is by far better than Bing (which Facebook unfortunately uses). But https://DeepL.com is usually better than Google.That's when Google Translate comes to the rescue.
In the context of Spain being the champion, what does this modifier signal? Does “alirón” here mean to signal some kind of “purity” of the players? I’m not “getting it”.Totally out of the OP but now that we are in the middle of the Qatar championship and the Spanish followers could sing "alirón España es campeón", very few people in Spain know that the "racial" word "alirón" comes from English "all iron". When a good iron vein was discovered in the mines near Bilbao, the English man in charge sent a telegramm to headquarters with these words included.
Also, the word "guaje" that is an informal but very popular word for boy/kid in Asturias, comes from English "wages", because they earned wages (not salaries) when working in the coal mines.
It is just to make a ryme. "Alirón España es Campeón!!". And nobody knows what Alirón means.In the context of Spain being the champion, what does this modifier signal? Does “alirón” here mean to signal some kind of “purity” of the players? I’m not “getting it”.
More about the term hereAlirón
It is just to make a ryme. "Alirón España es Campeón!!". And nobody knows what Alirón means.
Initially, started in Bilbao to its team the Athletic for the reason I explained before. And is there where it is still more used
But it is also used by other Spanish team followers including "la selección".
In Guadalajara, I met a fellow from Alabama who had lived there ten years. Often when he spoke, a Mexican would give a blank stare. I'd have to figure out from his Alabama accent how the words were spelled and say them again with local pronunciation.Ask about the time a California surfer student translated a question ...in English...from the Turkish student to the Chinese teaching assistant and back again. Simply because their accents were so different that they couldn't understand each other. Or ask me to understand a Glaswegan television announcer on UK TV. (Hint: I couldn't).
In my humble opinion: Don't let lack of language keep you from your Camino. But don't get offended if most people along the way don't speak/understand your language.
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