How do you live in France without speaking French?

[mint]

[quote user="Clair"]I think there is a difference to be made between those who want to learn, even only for emergencies, and those who live in their own little enclave and have no desire to or need to learn.

I have met a couple who have been in France for nearly 3 years and are totally at ease living here with very very limited acquired language.
He goes to the café and nods enthusiastically at whatever is said, he says "oui! oui!" a lot and gets by with it...[:-))]
She goes into the shops and talks loudly and points a lot and thinks the whole thing is hilarious!

I have managed to avoid them for months... [:P][/quote]

Perceptive post, Clair.  I know lots of Brits like these people.  One couple in particular have been here over 3 years, are unable to say "bonjour" in a way you'd find passable.  Get someone at the bank or friends to write out cheques for them (despite me giving them a sample cheque to guide them and all the words from one to a hundred to help).

They have the most lovely French neighbours with whom I have a laugh and a chat when I visit.  These French people have given them no end of help, not to mention produce from their garden and they have never even have had the neighbours in for a coffee or apero.  How ignorant is that?

I am no longer angry, gone past that, just wish people like that would stay away from me.  Moi, I tried to avoid them like the plague.

[suein56]

[quote user="sweet 17"]

They have the most lovely French neighbours with whom I have a laugh and a chat when I visit.  These French people have given them no end of help, not to mention produce from their garden and they have never even have had the neighbours in for a coffee or apero.  How ignorant is that?

I am no longer angry, gone past that, just wish people like that would stay away from me.  Moi, I tried to avoid them like the plague. [/quote]

And do you find yourself apologising to your lovely French neighbours for the ignorance/rudeness of these (hopefully few in number) Brits - 'cos I do.

Sue

[Kitty]

[quote user="Patf"]you do need a dictionary if you ever have to go into hospital here.[:(][/quote]

A few years ago when on holiday in Brittany, I was rushed to hospital one evening (by 6 pompiers) and, when on the stretcher, I called to my mother to get my Robert dictionary (1000 plus pages).  Just as well because I was in hospital for 3 days without any visitors (my mother was looking after my 4 children) and it was the only thing that I had to read.

[Chancer]

I got dragged into translating for one of these types at my dentists, I explained what the dentist had offered to do and that this guys bridge would need to be sent away, what would happen when it was returned etc, he was offered an appointment the next day but that wasnt good enough, he started shouting at me in his loud "communicating" voice to insist that he was seen straight away as he wanted to go to the UK for the weekend.

Why he didnt use a dentist there I dont know as his car had been  registered insured and mot'd there for the previous several years.

Anyway when I translated for the dentist that he shouldn't act that way and demand instant treatment, that he wasn't in the UK now etc, the guy just laughed loudly and said "tell him I will be back this afternoon" and walked out.

I felt really bad about it which got worse and worse as the day went on and so I had to go back the next day, after rehearsing with my dictionary, (it was my first year and my french was not very good but at least I tried) and apologise on his behalf and say that "I hope that you dont think all UK immigrants are like that"

Editted

Re dictionaries:

I stopped carrying mine very soon after moving here, it was a bit of a psychological crutch and I found that without it when I finally learnt what words meant, by asking for synonyms etc they tended to stick in my head, it also stunted conversation too much.

I found myself hospitalised last July without  a dictionary and was in fact  in and out 7 times thereafter for other operations, it was really the kickstart that my learning needed, that and the fact that my Skybox went tits up at the same time and I have had only French TV since.

I am lucky in that I live on my own and now have a non English speaking French girlfriend, for most people who come here as couples no matter how good their intentions are to learn the language, communicating daily in English works against them and I believe that they are probably less motivated than someone in my position or a younger single person coming here to work.

[Tourangelle]

This has never happened to me, in the nearly ten years I have been here, I suppose it depends on where you live.  I think I'd be quite entertained if it did. 

[Jill<br><br>Jill (99)]

[quote user="Clair"]I think there is a difference to be made between those who want to learn, even only for emergencies, and those who live in their own little enclave and have no desire to or need to learn.

I have met a couple who have been in France for nearly 3 years and are totally at ease living here with very very limited acquired language.
He goes to the café and nods enthusiastically at whatever is said, he says "oui! oui!" a lot and gets by with it...[:-))]
She goes into the shops and talks loudly and points a lot and thinks the whole thing is hilarious!

I have managed to avoid them for months... [:P][/quote]

Perhaps there are people who live in France in the same way that you mention who will read this topic and see just what the French and those who do make the effort to speak French think about them.  Perhaps then they might make more effort to communicate.  I can't actually see the point in living in France if you live in an enclave and don't mix with the French people.  Also, those who don't mix with the French are not actually living in France.  Surely, being in France is about  being part of a French community.  Mixing with French people, speaking French and getting to know about real French life is what it is all about.  No disrespect intended to those of you who are trying to learn French.  Although I'm quite at home chatting with my French friends and others, reading books and dealing with many subjects, I'd certainly have to do some research for certain subjects - such as plumbing, for example.  It's nice to be able to go to a small butcher for example and discuss what you could do with certain cuts of meat, for example.  It just adds to the interest of being there.