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Which are the most useful languages to travel?
I wrote:<< Spanish: Spanish-speaking countries, in the US, in Italy, Greece and Japan(lots of Brazilians, SAs, etc. who understand Spanish better than English or Japanese) >>
YOU WROTE: The most widely spoken forein languages in Greece is English and French not Spanish. As a matter of fact Greece is a member of Francophonie. Just where did you get this piece of shit?
I WRITE BACK: Could you be a bit more civil, svp? I've been to Greece and I agree that Spanish is not WIDELY spoken, BUT I did interpret there and Spanish-speakers go there. I should have been more specific.
ABOUT THE SECOND PART:
I found MANY Spanish speakers in Japan and have also met Japanese who majored in the lSpanish. I lived in Japan a long time (and I ain't old), so I think I can write about this.
YOU WROTE: In Italy, you can use Spanish but they would answer back in Italian since the two are mutually intelligible.
I WRITE BACK: I would tend to agree with you. That's just underlines my point. Spanish travels well in Italy. If you don't speak Italian you can speak Spanish. I remember being asked to speak Spanish, not English on the phone. HOWEVER, I don't know if everyone here thinks this way about them being mutally intelligible. I actually like the sound of Italian a little better than some accents in Spanish, but that's just me.
I speak French, used to live there as well (when I was an "ado"), so you need not get upset about Francophonie.
About Spanish: Spain is an interesting country. Argentina has an interesting vibrant culture. Everyone who learns Spanish is not learning it to converse with illegal immigrants from Mexico or Central America (but hey, it helps.)
<< Spanish: Mexico, Central America, Caribbean countries, South USA, South America, Spain, Andorra, South France, North Africa, Equatorial Africa and Philippines. >>
it should have been French in Northern Spain not Spanish in Southern France. You're really silly Sam.
Spanish is dead in the Philippnies and is rapidly giving way to French in Equatorial Guinea.
There are far more websites in French than in Spanish. Spanish dominates the beauty pageants in the internet.
If you travel you should visit France, because it's a incredible country, the most visited of the world, beautiful places, very great history and mysteries (Da Vinci Code film explain well it), and dynamic attractions, France is the Europe's heart, all the western culture are summarized in this country.
Especially, the most beautiful capital of the world is here, Paris:
() http://education.france5.fr/developpement-durable/profs/img/diaporama/etre_citadin.jpg
() http://fr.trekearth.com/gallery/Europe/France/photo522074.htm
() http://www.ligueparaidf.org/images/paris_.jpg
Other places, enjoy it:
1/ Village
http://www.livresphotos.com/IMG/jpg/yann-arthus-bertrand-france_1.jpg
2/Coeur de Voh, New-Caledonia (Nouvelle-Calédonie)
http://nmap1.6.free.fr/dotclear/images/arthus_bertrand_002.jpeg
3/ Dinan, Brittany (Bretagne)
http://www.brittany-cottage.me.uk/images/Dinan.jpg
4/Arles, Provence
http://www.memo.fr/Media/arles_aerienne_logo.jpg
5/ Mont Ventoux, Cerdagne
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/0/03/Lavender_field_and_Mont_Ventoux.jpg/800px-Lavender_field_and_Mont_Ventoux.jpg
6/ Calanques, Provence Marseille
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Calanques.jpg
7/ Albi, Midi-Pyrénées
http://gallery.myff.org/gallery/39399/Albi%25201.jpg
8/ Nice, Provence
http://gallery.myff.org/gallery/39408/vieux_nice_vu_du_chateau.jpg
9/ Minerve, Herault Languedoc
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/57/Minerve_-_panorama.jpg/800px-Minerve_-_panorama.jpg
10/ Mâcon, Burgundy (Bourgogne)
http://www.leparcmacon.com/images2/vue-aerienne-macon.jpg
11/ Vineyards (Vignobles)
http://www.skurnikwines.com/winery_labels/fileGFfmL.JPG.high.JPG
http://www.degustateurs.com/forum/uploads/LBF38/D86F5_quenardchignin_vineyards.jpg
12/ Ile d'Yeu, Vendée
http://www.ile-yeu.fr/Images/ruelle.jpg
http://www.villagesdefrance.free.fr/dept/dept_images/ph85_iledyeu.jpg
13/ Bonifacio, Corsica
http://www.nimbustier.net/photos/2005/05/2005-05-22-006.jpg
http://tasuki.tasuki.org/pics/photo/2005-07-05-bonifacio.jpg
14/ Mont St Michel, Normandy (Normandie)
http://www.anse-du-brick.com/images/Zoom/Mont%20St%20Michel.JPG
15/ Bayonne, Pays Basque
http://www.yatoula.com/fond_ecran/800x600/paysages/bayonne.jpg
http://www9.euskadi.net/zentroa/rutas/images/bayona_2.jpg
16/ Domme, Dordogne
http://fr.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:Domme_sky_view.jpg
17/ Carcassonne, Aude Languedoc
http://dolphyns.free.fr/images/Cathares/Carcassonne.jpg
http://leonor.unblog.fr/files/2006/08/Carcassonne.jpg
18/ Valence, Alpes Drôme
http://jc.dindinaud.free.fr/a-cartes/images/cp/valence_vue-aerienne.jpg
19/ Aix, Provence
http://elaouadiahmed.free.fr/dreams-world/Image87.gif
20/ Collioure, Catalogne
http://barjaweb.free.fr/SITE/ecrits/JDHS/collioure_vue.jpg
21/ Versailles, Yvelines Ile-De-France
http://mlefeuvre.club.fr/scienceslettres/Le%20chateau%20de%20Versailles.jpg
22/ Cévennes forest, Auvergne
http://gites.cevennes.free.fr/images/maziere-gd.jpg
http://www.bienmanger.com/images/48/verfe/cevennes.jpg
<<<<Which are the most useful languages to travel around the world? English is one of them, but I want to study two more. >>>>
Europe is the most visited pole of the world, France by its geographical position is almost one compulsory journey for the tourists who want to go in Spain, the United Kingdom, Germany, or Italy.
I think also French is one of the languages otherwise the most important to travel in Europe.
French is only important if you want to travel to France because all French are too arrogant and nationalistic to speak a foreign language
<<French is only important if you want to travel to France because all French are too arrogant and nationalistic to speak a foreign language>>
Absolutly not ! It's a stupid cliché...
There was a study--done much more scientifically than most of our ramblings here--that rated French as the second most important language in the world:
http://www.andaman.org/BOOK/reprints/weber/rep-weber.htm
As for travelling in France, I found the stereotypes completely false. I used very basic, high school French (and stuck to present tense), and was treated well by the French. And Belgians. And especially by Francophones outside France and Belgium, who were happy not to have English automatically foisted on them. Same thing in Quebec.
And yes, I was able to use French with non-Francophones when their English was not up to snuff--I had interesting conversations with Spaniards, Italians, Dutch, and Japanese(!) in French.
As the European Union grows, so will French's position in it as one of its three working languages (along with English and German).
As well, Spanish will lose a lot of ground once the United States inevitably declares English the official language (which it already is, de facto).
I have other point of view: you can see population of EU + NAFTA + Japan (European Union + North American Free Trade Association + Japan). The languages spoken in these 3 Economic Organizations are:
1. English: some 390 million people
2. Spanish: some 200 million people
3. Japanese: some 130 million people
4. German: some 100 million people
5. French: some 80 million people
"French is only important if you want to travel to France because all French are too arrogant and nationalistic to speak a foreign language"
K. T. replies:
Sooooo, FRENCH is important, you concede this point.
As for the French being arrogant-yes, some have too much pride in their language and culture, BUT I'm American and we're a prideful lot as well imo. I'm not saying this is a quality, it's simply not a point for tears or anger.
I have met some French people who speak English. From my experience, I've only heard one French person who spoke without a trace of his original language, but maybe that's because there is some idea that it's okay to speak English, but NOT so well that one's origin is disguised. Then there's that hateful "h" sound...LOL!
When my girlfriend Audrey Tautou speaks English to me, I have to say that I can barely notice her accent. Oh la la!
(Da Vinci Code film explain well it)
I think France is great, but I can't say the same thing for the Da Vinci code.
What? DId you say your girl friend is Audrey Tautou? That whore must be decieving me!
Expect no more movies of her in the future.
She also shows off her English skills in "Dirty Pretty Things."
I wonder if Melissa Therieau speaks English?
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