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new france based website in english for selling unwanted items


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(Again, speaking as a user rather than a forum moderator)

Although I agree with Ken that it should certainly not be compulsory to speak French in order to live here, I do regard myself as a guest in a foreign country. I am pleased to be British and have no desire whatever to be French. But as a guest, I feel that not to make an effort with regard to procedures, customs and basic language is, to say the least, grossly disrespectful to my hosts.

Ken - following the link in your signature it would appear that your company's main business is marketing holiday lets in France. As such I feel both shocked and saddened that you should take the stance that you do. Even non-French speakers will be aware that in certain parts of France there have been hostile feelings directed at English-owned holiday homes. The problems seem to be caused by owners who are not just seen as forcing up prices, but who contribute nothing to the community. All of the reports indicate that the protesters have no complaint against English (and other nationalities) who fit in locally and make an effort with the language.

I would have thought that such adverse feeling would be bad news for Ken's company and his clients, so I am both shocked and saddened that Ken is not making conscious efforts to promote, as Living France magazine does, knowledge of how things are done in France, which includes learning the basics of the language, of which the French are proud. Even holiday home owners have to pay taxes in France and understand how these systems work, they have to understand the health care system, the local services, and surely they can't bring everything from Britain - sometimes they have to use local shops and businesses. An understanding of the country and its language is essential for these purposes - those who can't cope with French buyers and sellers on Ebay won't be able to contribute anything to the community in which they have their holiday home.

Sorry to sound such a pompous prat, but this is something I do feel strongly about. To borrow the 'Raj' analogy (though I don't fully understand its relevance - I would have thought it is those who want to preserve their own language etc in a foreign country who should be likened to the Raj) I have no desire to 'go native', though you may feel that by working, paying taxes and social charges etc here I have done just that, as I couldn't, and wouldn't want to, get by without making the effort to fit in.

 

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Dear Miki

 

I think we’ve been down this road before. You obviously didn’t read my post. I ‘piped up’ because of your arrogance, not because of a vested interest. You had already steered the thread onto something else, which I’m afraid to say happens quite often in your posts.

 

My point is that when people arrive in a strange country, they should be helped, not ridiculed. We were all new here once and I know that if it wasn’t for the help of a certain English Estate Agent, my family and I would have found things very difficult. My business brings me into contact with hundreds of people like those given in the analogy above. They all settle in eventually and become part of their community and contribute to it in which ever way they can. We can’t all be social workers and we’re not all sociable. If you are not proficient in a language, you are hardly likely to try and be sociable in it, no matter how much you might want to.

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I do believe you are mistaking me for some who cares what you think. I have not been down any road with you, nor care to.

I simply said that I wondered when the owner of the afore mentioned "flog it" would appear to defend it.

Off topic ? One glance at the header will show "someone" plugging your new venture, so my post was bang on topic.

Chris asked you if you were indeed the owner and you have neatly side stepped the question with writing total fiction.

As for your point, I didn't pose a question or get involved with it, so seek out someone else to post it to.

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lets reverse this quote

My point is that when people arrive in a strange country, they should be helped, not ridiculed. We were all new here once and .......

 

        lets say you are in the uk and a family of 6 asians moved in next door and then say 5 more next to them then........how much help would you give them ?????????? prob sell your house to the next family and move!!!!!!!!!

 

               dave

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Sorry, Dave and Olive, but where I lived in London I had both Asians and West Indians as my neighbours. Generally speaking they were a damn sight more friendly than the whites in the street, and some of the Asians (particularly the women) had had to make a big effort to learn English. But they had done so. I wasn't aware that this forum was a hidey-hole for racists, but maybe I'm too new. None of this, however, has anything to do with the fact that people who live in another country, particularly one where there are no special facilities for people speaking other languages, are just being lazy/ narrow-minded/consider themselves superior if they don't try to communicate.
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  • 4 weeks later...

[quote]You have completely missed the point. I came to France several years ago and did not speak French. There was a posting well before your time and since lost due to the change in forum software where a...[/quote]

Even if you speak French reasonably fluently, you can still have huge problems when 'patois' is spoken! I always have my French neighbour with me when we have people coming to give quotes etc as he will translate their 'patois' into French!
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