It’s concerning seeing travelers trying to communicate with people who don’t speak any English, by using more English.
I first realized how much of a problem this is while staying at a quaint guesthouse in Yunnan, southwest China. I watched the petite, old guesthouse owner, affectionately referred to as Mama Naxi, become embarrassingly flustered as a guest spoke to her in English – which she knew a minimal amount. For some reason, the guest thought turning up the volume would help Mama Naxi suddenly understand her.
English is, of course, an extremely useful lingua franca (a mutual language that’s used to connect people whose mother tongues differ). Global knowledge of English has created inordinate opportunities, but its expansion can create issues, too. People whose native language is English ought to stop expecting the rest of the world to follow – for multiple reasons.
Travellers are Guests – Simple
Having English as a mother tongue is undoubtedly an advantage; it’s the most commonly spoken language across the globe. However, it doesn’t have the largest amount of native speakers – Mandarin does. This is followed by Spanish, then English, according to annual language reference publication, Ethnologue. For those who stick to English while traveling, ask yourself, “Why is the onus on someone else to learn your language and not the other way around?”
You Could Be Making the Poor Poorer
Imagine you’re in a marketplace where bargaining is appropriate. You may naturally gravitate to someone who speaks English for convenience, benefitting the vendor who’s had English education, as opposed to someone not as fortunate to learn another language. This shows the tourism world that knowing English equates to fortune, tumbling onto our next point. Our world thrives on globalization, but as the influence of non-English speaking countries continues to grow, people who only know one language (not English) will consequently be looked over for job opportunities. We can reduce this disparity through mindful travels.
Learning Even the Base of Someone’s Language Shows Respect
“Up until now, we have believed that English as a language is spoken in most countries and therefore is a better mode of communication, especially while traveling to non-English speaking countries,” says a freelance GoTravelDaily writer. “However, in the last few years, while the world might have grown smaller and more interconnected, political climate and cultural sensitivities have continued to divide people.”
Writing for GoTravelDaily, another contributor speaks about thoughtfulness through language. “Learning even a small bit of a local language can give insights into the culture and shows respect for the people of that area. I notice that many people are glad to see me try to speak their language, even if it’s just the words of polite culture.” Sometimes, all it takes is saying “have a lovely day”, “thank you for your help”, “the food was beautiful” to make someone’s day.
“I have now lived in Greece for many years. On the islands in the middle of winter, almost everyone speaks Greek,” they add. “I realized that for me to live on the island, the onus was on me to learn the language well enough to take part in conversation. If anyone was going to switch to English, it would be purely for my benefit – a sort of selfishness I could not stand. So, I learned Greek.”
Making absolutely no effort to learn another country’s language while traveling has the potential to create greater divisions. Traveling should be about forming new connections and creating positive experiences, not ignorance and entitlement.
Engage with the Language to Enhance Your Travel Experience
“Tourists may expect English to be spoken and therefore approach traveling in a lazy and less immersive fashion,” says a committed GoTravelDaily writer. They have worked hard to achieve fluency in Mandarin and are beyond passionate about learning a destination’s language before and during a visit.
“The experience of traveling abroad is robbed of the exoticism and excitement of encountering and dealing with a foreign tongue; part of the fun of travel is lost; getting lost within a foreign language may be disorientating, but it is a superb education: it sharpens the mind and takes you out of your comfort zone.”
Stories Told in Native Tongues Are Better Than in a Second Language
When traveling, you need to follow a country’s laws and customs. Why don’t we apply the same thinking to the people, showing them care, attention, and respect by attempting to learn languages to unlock people’s stories? This is a longer-term goal, but aiming to reach an intermediate level of a language unlocks something entirely new. Not only the ability to understand more in general, but to understand stories. Through stories, proper understanding of a country, its history, its people, and its political and cultural landscapes is developed.
Learn the Basics of a Language Before and During a Trip
Sure, you could play charades the whole trip – but it gets tiring. Some people will find you gesturing “toilet” humorous; others may not necessarily have the patience to guess what you’re trying to communicate.
“When learning a language, I start with a simple phrasebook of commonly used terms and expressions – the polite words for ‘please’ and ‘thank you’, as well as obvious sorts of questions I know I will ask repeatedly. I practice saying things like ‘where is the bathroom?’ and ‘what time does the boat leave?’, even writing them down (because I am a visual learner). Now, with all of the online material, I also download language-learning podcasts so I can hear native speakers say the words.”
Google Translate is a great resource, now with the option to download languages and access dictionaries without internet access. If you do have internet access, there’s a speech-to-writing feature available, too. A camera function also allows users to scan and translate text. Ensure you have some sort of offline translator downloaded if you don’t have a data SIM in your phone – no Wi-Fi isn’t an excuse.
For actual language courses, apps including Babbel, Duolingo, and Busuu do a good job. If you’re well prepared, start learning the basics a month before you take off. British language platform, Memrise, takes cue card learning to another level. However, if you learn best through games, choose Mindsnacks, where you can improve vocabulary, listening, and grammar at once. The learning doesn’t have to stop as soon as your feet touch foreign lands – you can continue lessons as you travel from place to place, on trains, buses, and flights.
“Language is a main feature of the foreign soundscape you are in, and sound – like the sound of waves, the rain, the wind, music, children or whatever – is indivisible from the experience of travel,” they conclude. “When you start to engage language, you are literally transported to a different travel dimension, and it can take you anywhere.”
Do homestays; spend time wandering through supermarkets figuring out what different foods are named; watch children’s shows; talk to children (they talk a lot slower than adults); grab a newspaper and translate headlines, brushing up on your knowledge of current events while you’re at it. While it may be uncomfortable, try to talk to locals in their native language. You may surprise yourself in the process.
This article was originally published in November 2019 and updated in April 2020.
