# Traveling abroad: I thought English is the Universal Language! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [April 12, 2005, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940 "2005-04-12T06:59:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![TommyTutone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c4cdca/32.png) [@TommyTutone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TommyTutone)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 3:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/21 "2005-04-12T15:35:36Z")
Just as an anecdotal aside with money. In Ukraine, I could count with two fingers the number of places that did NOT welcome American money instead of the local gryvna, including the small town that was off the beaten path of tourists. That said, very few of them spoke English, which made the value of having a translator ever more handy (though I found myself saying ‘Spasiba’ frequently, along with ‘pazhalista’, and even more importantly ‘peva’). ---
**Author:** ![Dead\_Cat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/9fc29f/32.png) [@Dead\_Cat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dead_Cat)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/22 "2005-04-12T15:37:41Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > Well, there’s asinine and then there’s the woman I overheard at Versailles(does that have a “s” at the end?). > > We got off the bus and scattered to enjoy the splendor that is French nobility’s way of life etc. > > Afterwards, she and her companion (both wearing track suits and white athletic shoes, this was 1994) couldn’t comment enough…not on the history of the place or the beauty of it’s architecture or the significance of it’s position to Paris etc…nope. Their deepest concern was that there was no gift shop! > > “you’d think that something like this would have a gift shop. Why, I had to go all over it and I still didn’t find one.” I can top that easily with an anecdote recollected on British TV the other day by none other than the Duke of Edinburgh (incidentally, the author of some spectacular gaffes himself). Apparently an American visitor to Windsor Castle once said something like: “nice place, but why did they build it so close to the airport?” You couldn’t make it up… ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/23 "2005-04-12T16:26:31Z")
\ We need a good laughing smiley. I do hope the Duke replied with something along the lines of…“but I wanted to watch the planes as they take off and land…” :eek: 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![alphaFemale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecb155/32.png) [@alphaFemale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaFemale)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 4:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/24 "2005-04-12T16:29:45Z")
> [@UselessGit](#): > > I keep having to say to Americans that no, we do in fact not accept US Dollars, as this is not the US. I’ve never had an English person try to pay with pounds and only a few instances of people thinking we accept Euros, which is fairly understandable, though. not to defend ignorant americans (i’m the girl that refuses to step on foreign soil without knowing the langage), but our two neighbors accept american dollars willingly. changing money is entirely optional the closer you are to the border. americans are just used to using the same money over a large area, unlike europe where there is a new country every five minutes (or so i hear). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/25 "2005-04-12T16:44:16Z")
For fuck sake. So last month I was supposed to learn both Dutch and Czech before I could go on my business trip which was four or five days in each country and where I may never go again. Sure I learned thank you and hello and such but that was the extent of it. Let me tell you, I’ve been to almost 40 countries on every continent except Antarctica. If there is one language that you must know to get around in this world, it’s English. I can speak enough Spanish to get around, I used to speak some Malay when I spent _a lot_ of time in Malaysia and I can order a beer in twenty different tongues but the most usefull thing for me is being polite and speaking English. Haj ---
**Author:** ![inkleberry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/f17d59/32.png) [@inkleberry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/inkleberry)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/26 "2005-04-12T17:12:46Z")
Everyone knows it’s esperanto. Duh. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![matt\_mcl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7ab992/32.png) [@matt\_mcl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/matt_mcl)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/27 "2005-04-12T17:24:26Z")
> [@alphaFemale](#): > > not to defend ignorant americans (i’m the girl that refuses to step on foreign soil without knowing the langage), but our two neighbors accept american dollars willingly. Uh… a number of businesses may, indeed, do so, entirely at their option and choice of exchange rate… but if you choose not to change your money, you may be in for some disappointment. Also, you’ll most probably get your change back in Canadian. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 5:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/28 "2005-04-12T17:35:21Z")
> [@Baker](#): > > The author Robert Heinlein once had a character in one of his books say that the secret when traveling is to learn how to say “thank you” in as many languages as possible. Yep, that’s the ticket. Nobody should be expected to learn every language of every country they visit, but a nice, friendly smile and a well placed “tak/thanks/merci/gracias/gracie” would do the trick. I have never worked in the tourism industry, but I did work in international commerce. I met my share of idiots who had been transfered here for working at local factories of international companies that refused to learn the language even though they would be “stuck” here for a number of years. How stupid is that? ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/29 "2005-04-12T17:36:17Z")
> [@eleanorigby](#): > > Versailles(does that have a “s” at the end?). Only when writing it. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 5:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/30 "2005-04-12T17:39:58Z")
Yes-I am aware that the spelling of French has no relation to the pronunciation of French (just like English!)—but it looked funny to me. Thanks. It’s got an “s” at the end of it when spoken in Kentucky! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![alphaFemale](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecb155/32.png) [@alphaFemale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/alphaFemale)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/31 "2005-04-12T17:43:29Z")
> [@matt\_mcl](#): > > Also, you’ll most probably get your change back in Canadian. i went to canada 10 years ago and i \*still \* have canadian money floating around. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/32 "2005-04-12T17:54:36Z")
> [@alphaFemale](#): > > i went to canada 10 years ago and i \*still \* have canadian money floating around. :smack: I’d be willing to take it off your hands… 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jervoise](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d2c977/32.png) [@Jervoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jervoise)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/33 "2005-04-12T18:04:24Z")
> [@smiling bandit](#): > > It is lazy, but so many places do accept dollars that it becomes a habit of not bothering. C’es la vie. > Smiling Bandit - who’s taken classes in Russian, French, German, and Japanese. Out of curiosity, which countries in the developed world commonly accept US currency, other than the United States? ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/34 "2005-04-12T18:30:23Z")
> [@Jervoise](#): > > Out of curiosity, which countries in the developed world commonly accept US currency, other than the United States? Liberia actually _uses_ the U.S. dollar as their standard currency, and a few years ago there was a trend among some Latin American countries of “dollarization”, or pegging their currency to the dollar. Then their central bank reserves would be dollars, and I imagine that dollars would be acceptable there. Now that the dollar isn’t doing so well I don’t know to what extent this still being done. Besides that, I imagine that many poorer countries would use dollars in everyday commerce due to their own currencies’ collapse, but I expect they would gladly accept Euros or Sterling or any first-world currency. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 6:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/35 "2005-04-12T18:31:43Z")
> [@](#): > > Out of curiosity, which countries in the developed world commonly accept US currency, other than the United States? Not countries, but I understand most hotels in Europe, the Caribbean, and the better ones in South America and Asia will accept dollars. So do many restaurants, though for obvious reasons change it’s not guarranteed to get you american currency in change. > [@](#): > > Only when writing it. Or saying the possessive form in English. I suppose it would be the plural form, too, but we don’t get very many of those. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Girl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/7bcc69/32.png) [@Mighty\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Girl)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/36 "2005-04-12T18:41:06Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > Liberia actually _uses_ the U.S. dollar as their standard currency. Well, my husband, who has been in Liberia many times, would disagree of your portraying it as “developed”. Same goes for most of Latin America. Nowhere in Europe have my dollars been accepted. You get local money or you have no money. Maybe your experience is different though. ---
**Author:** ![furt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/439d5e/32.png) [@furt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/furt)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/37 "2005-04-12T19:02:32Z")
> [@Jervoise](#): > > Out of curiosity, which countries in the developed world commonly accept US currency, other than the United States? In many semi-developed countries, small-time vendors who deal with tourists do so; China and Thailand, for two. IIRC, vendors in Hong Kong and Korea also asked me if I wanted to pay in dollars (though clearly they were the minority). ---
**Author:** ![LindyHopper](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ebca7d/32.png) [@LindyHopper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LindyHopper)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 7:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/38 "2005-04-12T19:25:22Z")
[Steve Martin]It’s like those French have a different word for _everything_![/Steve Martin] ---
**Author:** ![Kythereia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e8c25b/32.png) [@Kythereia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kythereia)\ **Post date:** [April 12, 2005, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/39 "2005-04-12T19:55:45Z")
What, no mention of the Hungarian Phrasebook? > [@](#): > > Cop: What’s going on here then? > Hungarian: Ah. You have beautiful thighs. > Cop: (looks down at himself) WHAT?!? > Clerk: He hit me! > Hungarian: Drop your panties, Sir William; I cannot wait 'til lunchtime. (points at clerk) > Cop: RIGHT!!! (drags Hungarian away by the arm) > Hungarian: (indignantly) My nipples explode with delight! ---
**Author:** ![MLS](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/919ad9/32.png) [@MLS](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MLS)\ **Post date:** [April 13, 2005, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940/40 "2005-04-13T01:02:02Z")
> [@Jervoise](#): > > Out of curiosity, which countries in the developed world commonly accept US currency, other than the United States? Many, if not most, of the islands in the Caribbean also take U.S. dollars willingly. Many places post the prices in both currencies and those that don’t will usually calculate the exchange for you. Several years ago we were on a tiny island called Maupiti, near Tahiti, staying at a local place that was basically a collection of grass huts. We paid for our stay using American Express travelers’ checks. The owner (who spoke no English, BTW) phoned the bank to get the current exchange rate, whipped out her calculator and wrote down the correct amount we owed in U.S. dollars. And she smiled as she did so. On earlier points, I concur completely that while one cannot be expected to be conversationally fluent in the language of every country one visits, it is a wonderful idea to know how to ask for the bathroom, the menu, and how much something costs. Most people appreciate your efforts if they can see you’re trying, and will meet you well beyond halfway. Also take along a phrase book or a translating dictionary. As a last resort you can point to the salient word or phrase if your pronunciation is so poor that you’re incomprehensible. We’ve found that to work, literally, all over the world. Except once, in Germany, where a snobby waiter pretended not to understand our pronunciation of the German word for “menu.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/traveling-abroad-i-thought-english-is-the-universal-language/298940.md?page=3)