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From: julian@osu-eddie.UUCP (Julian Gomez)
Newsgroups: net.travel
Subject: Re: Re: paris, france
Message-ID: <949@osu-eddie.UUCP>
Date: Sun, 8-Dec-85 16:39:03 EST
Article-I.D.: osu-eddi.949
Posted: Sun Dec  8 16:39:03 1985
Date-Received: Mon, 9-Dec-85 06:30:54 EST
References: <874@ihlpa.UUCP> <13400011@uiucdcs> <2313@amdahl.UUCP>
Organization: Ohio State Univ., CIS Dept., Cols, Oh.
Lines: 32

> I have been in Paris twice this year, once for a few days on vacation, and
> once for two weeks to attend an ISO meeting.  Even though I have forgotten
> the French I learn at school I enjoyed both visits.  I suspect that much of
> the rudeness attributed to the French is legend, and most of the rest is
> caused by people who are not conscious enough about their own inadequacy
> when they expect someone else to speak English because they do not speak
> French.
> Stephen J. Langdon                  ...!{ihnp4,cbosgd,hplabs,sun}!amdahl!sjl

They're rude. I don't expect French people to speak English; it's their
country, after all. So I learned enough French to get by. I had no problems
in the south of France, but in Paris they acted like I was gibbering.

The French are very snotty about their language. A few years ago they
decided that "computer" was impure and that henceforth "ordinateur" was
to be the word. They are now the only language (of a culture with some
technological base) in the world that doesn't recognize "computer." And
on purpose, to boot.

American English is my native language and I've understood the accents
from people literally all over the world without any problem. Of
course, in contrast to the French, I was willing to put some effort
into listening to them and attempting to figure out what they meant. I
have never adopted the attitude that since they don't speak English
like a native they have nothing to say.  In direct contrast to
Parisians, who are quite happy to take my money but not my words.
-- 
"If Chaos himself sat umpire, what better could he do?"

	Julian "a tribble took it" Gomez
	Computer Graphics Research Group, The Ohio State University
	{ucbvax,decvax}!cbosg!osu-eddie!julian