There seem to be a lot of French (or at least, Francophone) tourists in my area as of late. Just today, as I was eating lunch at a cafe, a man sat down near me who had a guidebook to La Floride.
Every time I see or hear a Francophone tourist, I want to approach them to practice my mediocre (and steadily declining) French speaking abilities. But I never do. Not only am I self concious about my poor speaking skills, but I don’t want to be rude.
I can’t seem to come up with a good approach to this. I would love to offer my advice as a local on good restaurants, sights to see, etc. but I just feel silly.
Is this rude? Would you, as a tourist in a foreign country, like to be approached by a local who could (poorly) speak your native language?
Well, except for the part about practicing my own French skills, it’s not too far off from what I’d do with any other tourist- I am a lifelong resident of my city, and apparently I really love it (I was shocked to discover this). So I love recommending restaurants and bars and my favorite beaches and shops and the like, and when I’ve been asked for recommendations or directions I’ll give the tourists an earful.
Of course, when English-speaking tourists want to know where they can get the best burgers, they usually approach me first. That’s why I would feel slightly rude just approaching a random French tourist and chatting with them.
But I wonder if a friendly, “On vacation, are ya? Too bad the weather’s been miserable/we’ve been having such beautiful weather” would be rude if I left it at that and allowed them to continue the conversation if they were so inclined.
I was approached this way once at a park in Quebec by a guy who noticed my American license plate and wanted to practice his English. Even as unsociable as I usually am, I didn’t mind at all. No, it’s not rude.
I’d say that if it’s a situation where you’d feel comfortable approaching a tourist in English then it’s find to approach them in what appears to be their own language. If they reply in English then that’s their cue that they’d rather not chat in French for whatever reason.
In a social setting like a cafe or bar, I think it’s rude to give the impression that you’re mostly interested in free language practice. But if you can take their cue and switch to English then your fine, then you’re just being friendly.
I don’t think it would be rude at all. As a tourist, I wouldn’t assume automatically that someone just wanted to practice whatever language on me. Times when I’ve needed help, I’ve really appreciated someone taking the initiative. A lovely woman in Barcelona springs to mind, who saw us looking baffled at our map, and picked us up and walked us to where we were going. She actually didn’t speak a lot of English at all, but wanted to be nice. We also got a lot of recommendations from people and just some conversation: I know a surprising amount about Lisbon’s tram system thanks to a random old fruit who fancied a chat at the tram stop! I never thought any of them were rude. I think it’s a nice urge, and you should follow it.
I’ve occasionally approached tourists standing on streetcorners looking at maps, and help was sometimes declined, but I never got the impression that offering was offensive.
The only time I’ve been annoyed when this happens (and as an English speaker, it happens a lot since the entire world studies English!) is when I’m in the country to practice their language. I kind of want to tell them that they can buy a $1000 plane ticket to Canada if they want to speak English; right now, I’m practicing my French/German. But I wouldn’t ever say it, since we English speakers so depend on kind English-speaking people in foreign countries when we need them.
Absolutely, it’s not rude. It’s possibly a rarity to have an opportunity to practice a second language outside of schooling contexts, so I think part of being a good guest is respecting the fact that some of the people in your host nation might want to take advantage of your visit to practice. I think it connects us as human beings that someone takes enough time to notice where you’re from and strikes up a conversation about it.
I’m probably this way because I went to school in Boston, where every day in Harvard Square there are a metric assload of tourists, many of whom stumble around looking lost… and I inevitably got asked, or would ask if I could help. I’m usually in a hurry to get someplace, but I certainly appreciated Anglophone Quebecois helping me find my way around the province.
As long as you’re not pushy about it, and practicing your French isn’t your only objective, I suppose it’s okay. A lot of my friends here in Seoul are frequently approached by “friendly” Koreans who are obviously just dying to practice their English, and it can get annoying sometimes, especially when you get the impression that they’re not really interested in you as an individual.
I recall fondly sitting in a hotel lobby somewhere in rural Japan and a very pleasant woman came up to me and asked if she might practice speaking English. Turned out she was an English teacher and her English wasn’t bad at all. We talked about my trip to Japan mostly.
On the other side, I was once reading a posted map in Oxford and a rather unpleasant young man came, speaking what he doubtless thought of as English to try to give me directions to where I wanted to go. I enjoy reading maps and had no particular destination, but just wanted to get a feel for the layout of the town and university. He would have none of it an insisted on trying to guide me.
I was once approached by a French family on Fifth Ave. in Manhattan and they were very grateful that I was able to speak even poor French and help them out. And in Montreal, I get questions from American tourists all the time; they mostly start by asking if I speak English. Curiously, French Canadians almost invariably take one look and conclude I am English speaking. How do they know?
I think the best way to approach this is just start a conversation with them, just as you might with the guy next to you on a plane (if you might). If they have questions, they will ask them.
When I was backpacking in New Zealand years ago the Kiwis were fantastic about helping tourists; friendliness is a point of national pride. I like that attitude.
So back here in California when I’m out for a walk at lunch (I work in San Francisco) I like to ask people who are standing there holding a map and looking lost if they need any help. I’ve helped people figure out where they are, how to get to tourist spot X, where some good restaurants are, etc. I speak some Spanish and have even muddled through in Italian and Portugese (never studied either one). Nobody has ever reacted as if they thought I was being rude. I say go for it.
I say that you should offer to help them. From my experience, puzzled and baffled in various countries, they (our their countrymen) would have offered to help you. I do not think they would be offended by an offer of help even if they speak and read excellent english and know exactly where they are.
One of the main things I always hear from people who travel abroad (especialy to the celtic countries) is how friendly and helpful everybody is over there.
In fact, one friend of mine told me he was somewhere in Italy with his wife. They were sitting at a table alone when some locals (A group of four) at the adjacent table insisted that they come sit with them. My friend, went on to tell me they stayed there for a good while; drinking copious amounts of wine. Much fun was had by all.
This is a concept foriegn to Americans. It’s a concept I think needs to change. So I say go for it.
Why not approach them and say the French equivalent of “Welcome to America! Are you having a good time in Florida?” and see how it goes? People usually let you know in one way or another if they’re not very interested in talking to you. However, when in a land where the language isn’t your native tongue, finding someone who speaks your language (even poorly) can be quite a relief.
I found this to be true in England as well*. One day while walking from the b&b to the train station my friend and I took a wrong turn and ended up walking rather far in the wrong direction. When we stopped to ask an old man outside his house the correct directions to the train station, and he told us it was quite a distance, not only did he insist on calling a cab for us but offered us drinks and snacks while we waited.
I think I might give this a shot.
*With the adults, anyway. The children and teenagers were shockingly rude, but I suppose it’s karma because I used to hate tourists too. Well, I still hate the ones from Ontario that drive 20 miles an hour everywhere they go, but that’s a different story.
I am nearly invariably approached in English on the West Island/Westmount/around McGill/Concordia/Monkland or NDG, but anywhere else on the island, people speak to me in French by default - do you live/work in an “Anglo” area? Either that, or you look like an Anglo stereotype of some sort, or have a magical tattoo on your forehead that only French Canadians can see!
Right idea, wrong message; there’s a good chance these “French” tourists are from Québec, so welcoming them “to America” could come across as somewhat arrogant (Québeckers like to accuse everyone else of being arrogant; it’s kind of assholish of us!). Welcoming someone to Florida and asking if they are enjoying [city] would be fine, though!
I think a polite exchange is a good idea. When I travel to a foreign country I hope some locals help me out or talk to me. That’s why they are traveling anyways, to experience new things.