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anonymous
Q: Why English language hating French suddenly starts to speak English in China?
When I was in Paris as a tourist,French people are so rude when i ask them questions in English. Even in tourist information center, they were so rude and answering with me in French.
However, in China French people suddenly starts to speak English. Wow, so impressive!
Wow, another anonymous post. So impressive! I'm going to guess that your English is crap and that you didn't realise what ticking the anonymous box meant.
It is the easy access to cheese in France that fuels the French peoples hatred to the English language. Put them on a rice and rat meat diet and they no longer have the energy to refuse speaking English.
DrMonkey:
Yet they keep building more McDonalds in France. Something's fishy.
French guy talking... Let's make a list, I love lists.
- People won't assume you are not French by your appearance ie. being Asian and French is so common nobody even take note. I take the train with my wife, a lady start to talk with her in French, assuming my wife was French. Because, yeah, maybe a million of French Asians in a population of 60 millions.
- French tends to be very attached to their language, it's one of the top element to define yourself as French. Many French might tell you "In France, we speak French" with an angry look. Yup, it's rude, arrogant, unfair, close-minded and snobbish. But then that would be unfair for the rest of the world if we were not all that, with all our qualities. That's how we roll.
- French administration does a great job of being mono-lingual. All movies, video games and books have to be translated, double language displays are rare outside Paris and the major touristic attractions. So in France, you can go from cradle to grave with minimal exposure to English. It makes people seriously lazy about speaking English. It's improving slowly, some government websites and even services have English versions. It's not like in Finland yet...
- Despite the loss in business with that stubborn attitude, we still manage to be the most visited country in the world for tourism (as of 2013), and it was like this for *years*. So it does not push people to question themselves.
- Language teaching in France is not good at all, compared to what is done in Germany and Northern Europe.
- There's a love & hate affair with anything labeled as Anglo-Saxon (historical reasons)
- Eventually, when abroad (which includes China), many French see that the rest of the world is more likely to speak English than French. At least for survival purpose, English becomes suddenly fine. But no worries, we will speak it with a heavy accent is and typically Frenchisms.
- Obviously, the French living abroad have to do some effort with language, or they would not be abroad.
So yeah, we suck at English, we are doing a great job at keeping the way it is now (and being underperforming in otherwise good businesses). I can't tell ho much people admit the problem.
DrMonkey:
About language and identity in France, the first paragraph of this Wikipedia article "French People" does it justice
The French (French: Français) are a nation and ethnic group who are identified with the country of France. This connection may be legal, historical, and/or cultural. Descending from peoples of Celtic origin, later mixing with Romance and Germanic origin, and having experienced a high rate of inward migration since the middle of the 19th century, modern French society can be considered a melting pot. France was still a patchwork of local customs and regional differences in the late 19th century, and besides the common speaking of the French language, the definition of some unified French culture is a complex issue. The French have equated their nationality with citizenship, regardless of ethnicity or country of residence. Thus, to be French is to be a citizen of France, regardless of one's origin, race, or religion, making France a generic territory where people are bound by the French language.
sorrel:
during my last visit to France, i used my minimal heavily accented French to speak to locals.
I was met with smiles and courtesy, even on the street where i was mistaken for a local and asked for directions and had to explain i was also a visitor.
Sounds like the OP is just trolling what with this and the other anon questions.
dokken:
sorrel i have changed my mind. you were right anonymous posts are getting annoying
Yeah French people are not friendly if you speak English in Paris.
They will look at you like you are doing something against the law.
However they don`t have that choice in China. Otherwise they will be isolated so they do their best to speak English.
In France they will not bother to speak in English.
Maybe you should have made an effort to speak some French? Not everyone speaks English, you know.
Also, what DrMonkey said.
They don't hate English, they expect you to learn a few words in French when visiting their country, how is this abnormal?
The French might have equated their nationality with citizenship, regardless of ethnicity or country of residence however we still a lot of Black French people in France are doing the shitty jobs.
French people make Black guys do the shitty jobs then they say that they are equal.
What kind of nonsense is that?
Also French people should do some effort to learn other languages such as English, Chinese.
So i recommend all Chinese to answer in Chinese to French people in China when they ask the some questions. It will be a good answer to their double standards.
DrMonkey:
Sure, we force people to do shitty jobs : with 12% of the work force unemployed, people can afford to be picky. You know, jobs like engineer, doctors, layers, mayor, deputy, minister... It's not like if education was freely available in France.
TedDBayer:
Gee, I didn't know Chinese people could speak French. It's hard enough to find Engish speakers.
Englteachted:
DrMonkey, Do not even bother with this troll. I can't believe admin is allowing this. If people choose to go to France in order to work their way up from the bottom then it is their choice.
Could this post have anything do to with the recent agreement betwen the French and Chinese Governments to hunt down rogue Chinese officials hiding in France with their ill gotten gains ?
DrMonkey:
With our tax system, I don't think we are very attractive to corrupt officials. Even if they just buy assets, land tax is hefty in the fancy areas like The Riviera. But glad to help in the hunt anyway.
When some Chinese talks to me in English and I don't want to talk, I speak French. I really don't know much,,cheverolet' coupe" ?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iUCDhvbQFmU
Steve Martin, Pink Pather hamburger
