Please, use easy to understand language replying this message board...

[thenosyone]

Hi, all

Would everybody, replying on this message board, please help us by trying to keep it understandable.

In Europe we have so many different languages.

I have travelled in Holland, Belgium, France, England, Scotland... Don't want to upset my Scottish friend by forgetten to mension here country and Wales. All country's where I was able to speak one of there languages... You need a "supperbrain" to even try to repeat some Welsh (native?) words. lol
I have traveled in Germany, language I only understand but don't speak.
I have also traveled in Spain, Italy, Greece, Hungary, Tchechie, Slovakia, Poland and Russia, all country's with a language I don't speak.
Communication overthere starts on my side in English, responce sometimes English or German or not at all.
At that moment its with hands and body language and the use off drawings and maps.
What I want to tell with this is ....
[
b]Language barriers does not stop Europeans from visiting other country's.[/b]

Possible there are at this moment people reading this forum with lesser knowledge of the English language.

Working my way true this forum, sometimes even a large dictionary doesn't help.
English dictionary's overhere are likely printed in the UK, well mine are anyway, there is a difference between the English and American use of the language.  Proverbs, "slang words" and expressions are difficult if not at all, to find in a dictionary.

With all respect for those replying in this message board, can we keep things simple.

To all, who have taken the time reading this topic and to all who are replying in this message board...  Thanks 

 

[Jim Dick]

Hi Thenoseyone,

Sometimes we even have a hard time understanding some of the expressions in our own language. ;D I'm not sure where the misunderstanding on your part at times is but I'm sure if you just ask for clarification someone would be happy to oblige. RVing can have a language of it's own and many could benefit from further explanation but, if nobody asks for it, it probably won't be given. Don't be afraid to question something you don't understand. We are all framily here and want to be sure everyone gets the answers they need.

 

[thenosyone]

Hi Jim

Thanks for the responce.

I allready ask to explain a word witch I didn't found a matching explanation in the dictionary. Had the answer in minutes...
But, I will only ask if I can't find it myself...

My concern in this is that there are other people in Europe with less knowledge of the English language than mine and less dictionary's at their hand.  There are off coarse many with better English and no dictionary's...    lol   
Problems in reading the replies could put people of the forum.
Just my idea is that easy language would make it more understandable to them.
Most words people can find in the dictionary.    Proverbs, slang and expressions are very difficult to trace.
A lot of people ( including all visitors) don't post, and will not ask to explain things they do not understand.

 

[Tom]

Thenosyne

I think you're asking for the impossible. Language anywhere is what is used every day in that location and rarely is that language used everywhere else.

I was raised in a bilingual home (Welsh/English) although all my education from age 4 onwards was in English. I lived in Wales for 32 years and spent the last 10 years of that working for an American company. I was in daily contact with my U.S. colleagues and had some appreciation of the differences in spelling and meaning of words between the UK and the USA when we moved to California 25 years ago. 35 years later I still find "Amerispeak" (American English) words that I don't understand or that I use in the wrong context. I often have to explain UK English words to people here.

While I worked and travelled in Europe I sure didn't have the ease of communicating across different languages that you suggest Europeans have. Most printed business documents had to be printed in the three "international langauges" - English, French and German. At least one European country I can think of refused to speak in any other language even if they were able to.

I allready ask to explain a word witch I didn't found a matching explanation in the dictionary.

That might have been a deficiency in your dictionary, possibly because you were using a UK English dictionary. When I answered that question, although I knew the context in which the word is used in the online world, I checked a dictionary for a definition. It turned out that the dictionary definition was somewhat different, but everyday use was correct for the context in which it was used.

I second Jim's suggestion that you ask for clarification if you're unsure.

 

[Steve CDN]

One should never hesitate to ask for clarification or elaboration on any posting in the RV Forum.  Misunderstanding can happen from the use of technical words, words used in connection with the RV lifestyle or just colloquialisms.

No one here is above providing additional information and some can even provide translation into other languages if necessary.

So continue your participation and feel comfortable to ask a follow up question to anything on the Forum.

We will be pleased to help!

Do you have any examples of specific postings or terms that were unclear?

 

[Jim Dick]

    Proverbs, slang and expressions are very difficult to trace.
A lot of people ( including all visitors) don't post, and will not ask to explain things they do not understand.

I understand what you are saying but can't tell you how we'll get around it. As others have stated it's virtually impossible to have a "simple" language when many of the terms, as in our case, are unique to the RV world. I only hope that those that do lurk but want to have clarification will ask. I know there are a lot that won't but it's the only way they will understand what is being said. Again, if you have anything specific be sure to let us know.

 

[thenosyone]

Thenosyne

While I worked and travelled in Europe I sure didn't have the ease of communicating across different languages that you suggest Europeans have. Most printed business documents had to be printed in the three "international langauges" - English, French and German. At least one European country I can think of refused to speak in any other language even if they were able to.

Is my English that bad? 
I read my topic again, nowhere can I find that I made any suggestion that Europeans have the ease of commutations across different languages. 
To succeed, the will to communicate in other country's here in Europe, has to come from both sides.

 

[Tom]

Is my English that bad?

I wouldn't suggest anyone's English is bad. The fact that you think I interpreted your message in a way you didn't intend is a little ironic, given that you're telling folks here to say things in a way that you can understand  ;D

My words "communicating across different languages" accurately reflect what you were suggesting - that Europeans are able to communicate with each other even though they do not necessarily speak each other's language. If I had said "communicating in different languages" it would not have been correct.

 

[thenosyone]

????????

 

[Tom]

What don't you understand?