Troisieme Age

[Dick Smith]

No, CB, not aimed at you. Is m of f 'mother of four' or 'man of the future'?

I mean the many, many people (at least in our part of France, who are very happy to sell to/help the Brits...

[Patf]

Anne - I've had the same experiences as you with doctors and vets. Our

doctor never attempts english and last time I went to see him although

my french is ok I still couldn't convey my problem clearly. He didn't

understand and  I couldn't understand him. So it ended I should

take paracetamol. But it's getting worse and I'm going to put something

in writing to prepare for next time. But our vet speaks better english

than me. He did some of his training in England. Don't despair - as

Kathy said it sounds as if you are doing well. Pat.

[YCCMB]

That's OK then Dick, I won't have to offer to meet you in the car park later!![:$] It was matter of fact ( although it might've been murderer of foreigners, but it would NEVER have been mother of four, and had it been man of the future then the chances of it being mother of four become even slimmer!!)[:D]

[Dick Smith]

I'm having a trying sort of day!

I thought for a minute that Sunderland might beat Chelsea, then I thought they might get a draw, then...

[YCCMB]

[quote user="Dicksmith"]I'm having a trying sort of day! I thought for a minute that Sunderland might beat Chelsea, then I thought they might get a draw, then...[/quote]

 

Yes, I can see how that would be considered "trying". Are you on any form of medication for this problem??

[Miki]

Look out...........duck.............................bluddy pigs going over again [:)]

Come on Dick, José struck a deal with Mick to let Sunderland stay in

the game and stop the crowd from going home early. Unlike Arsene whose

attitude was to send Middlesbrough fans home very early !

Just joking of course and have got to say, Sunderland put up a pretty

good account of themselves. At lunchtime today we ate with two Man Utd

though and through people and I told them that I thought this match was

so similar to an F.A  Cup Tie, when the underdog has absolutely

nothing to lose and so will play with an abandon that causes so many

cup upsets. Very glad to get through it with 3 points and so, upwards and

onwards.............................

Medication.....Dick....oh yes, Fullers make it !

[Dick Smith]

As it happens the medication was a couple of bottles of Fullers' finest. Didn't help.

[Miggimeggi]

[quote user="KathyC"]

Hi

I had thought that my reply was supportive of older people and I don't see why you think that people who have learnt a bit of  French at school have to be described as superior beings. [/quote]

Sorry Kathy, am afraid that I was guilty of generalising and was not aiming the remark at you.  Sometimes I smart a bit at the French speaking Brits I meet here and often those who comment on this forum, who seem to assume that those of us who are not fluent are so out of some kind of arrogance  and the expectation that the world should be willing to accommodate us.    Of course I have met Brits who have no interest in or intention of learning any French and who really do expect that every French shop assistant should be fluent in English just in case the odd Brit pops in for a packet of crisps. There are  many of us, however, who do try but just don't have the gift and who still love it here and do our best not to burden others .  Before I retired I was a really good freelance bookkeeper and administrator and made my living helping small business people who had no gift for figures and paperwork - that came really easily to me, each to their own I suppose.

Anne

[Teamedup]

Thanks Miggimeggi that is sort of what I was hoping someone would say. I know all about it being hard to learn, I have no ear what so ever for the language and it was VERY hard for me. Saying that I tried, and sounds like you are trying too. And isn't that all any of us can do.

I have seen the likes of this bloke post in the past and now I have met one in the flesh and he told me that most of the brits he knew were like him. I was really hoping that he was not really 'the norm' as he would have had me believe, and now I know.

I still would not like to be old in France. I really do not fancy juggling with two languages in my dotage.And that is why we are moving back to get installed before we really are old. We are not abandonning France at all, and will be holidaying there regularly, great place to holiday, and we have too many places to visit and friends to see, to not do so.

[Le Scouse]

[quote user="Teamedup"]

Well I found this bloke astonishingly arrogant and how patronising is it for him to expect everyone to serve his need for english only spoken in a non english speaking country.

[/quote]

Where is it written that you have to learn the language of the land if you move there? If you can get by, waving your arms, nodding your head and pointing at things then fine..ignorance is bliss.. i've watched french TV.. it's rubbish. and most of the chatter in queue at the local boulangerie is meaningless pointless twaddle

Whats the worst that can happen?  Someone with too much time on their hands starts a pointless thread about you on a forum

The UK is filling up rapidly with asylum seekers and other nationals who have no intention of learning english, or in integrating into UK society..

If I was that gentleman of 66 and somebody (English or French) was to call me arrogant for speaking only English, I would politely remind them that if it was not for the English, they'd all be speaking German !!

[bixy]

There are a number of interesting points arising from this thread. Firstly about language learning at an older age. It is undoubtedly more difficult, and I speak as both a mature learner of French and a former teacher of English as a foreign language. I had one eighty year old, an Iranian, who I taught for seven years. I don't think he new any more English at the end of that time than at the beginning. As he pointed out, and as I agree, the problem is remembering. Incidentally, my experience of many years of teaching foreigners in the UK is that they are very keen to learn English and the Daily Mailign concept of the scrounging asylum seeker is very far from the truth.

The second point concerns being a 'burden' to the French. One farmer uses my barn, another uses my field, both for free. I buy wood from the farmer and he also finds other ways of parting me from my money. I've spent horrendously huge amounts of money buying stuff, using local services. I wonder how I'm being a burden to the French.

Third point - English people in France who speak no, or very little English. I know a number of people like this and they seem to manage marvellously well! Yes they do on occasion seek out French people who can speak English but picture this scene. You are in the UK and some poor French soul who cannot speak English is struggling. You help out with your French and save the day. How do you feel? Happy to help? Having a warm glow from helping someone in trouble? Or irritated at these idle French people who can't be bothered to learn English? I rest my case.

Fourth point. People with nothing better to do than start pointless threads. That's all of us isn't it?

Patrick

[Tresco]

 ......I would politely remind them that if it was not for the English, they'd all be speaking German !! (Le Scouse)

Le Scouse, there is no polite way that you could phrase that, but i'd love to hear about the response of the first person you try it out on.

[tmto]

A double-edged sword, that phrase: while studying in the United States I was told that on a couple of occasions - it was apparently meant in a jokey way, although I found it very insulting.

[Weedon]

Being able to speak a particular language fluently doesn't automatically provide you with the human spirit required to get on with your neighbours in a foreign country.

I freely admit to having limited skills in the language department but have made what I consider to be friends here, some of whom have given me invaluable help over the years.  Whether they consider me a burden I wouldn't know.  Maybe I don't know what the definition of exactly what is a burden, but over the years in the UK I came across a few people I had no problem with speaking to but found them to be a complete pain in the backside.

weedon

 

 

[ViveLaFrance!]

Eh, fancy a bit of French humour? Read on...

Un vieux couple britannique fait l'amour. Soudain, le mari demande à sa femme: Darling, est-ce que je t'ai fait mal? Non darling, pourquoi donc? Mais parce que tu as bougé!

ViveLaFrance!