If you can't speak the language, at least bring someone who can

[Fire_on_High]

That book sounds very useful....begging my Japanese friend to look one up for me next time he's on a trip back home.

[Hemily]

We have foreigners come and apply for jobs where i work, my workplace being a small one man company (two if you include me).

My boss is a older guy, so when you have a Polish or Romanian guy come in, and start speaking very limited English to him, he just looks to me, almost desperatly.

How do people expect to get a job in Norway, only able to communicate in Polish or Romanian, or very limited English, with an old man who barely know any English?

We even had one come in along with a family member that knew english, the guy applying didn't speak a lick of English, so he had NO way of communicating with us at all, just how do they expect that to work? when you don't even speak the same language as the boss? how is he supposed to tell you what to do?

If I'm going to move to a foreign country, I'd make sure I'd have a way of speaking with the natives there... instead of demanding that every American needs to know Norwegian

[Calud]

I have that issue with people from the british isles.

For the love of god, if you talk to a non native english speaker, try to pronounce your words more clearly.

Most american accents are fine, but british, walish, scottish and irish are just plain ununderstandable.

really came in handy

Damnit, since I saw that stupid picture the other day I can only associate this phrase with dirty thoughts. :/

Think about it for a second.

[Magpie]

A friend (speaks only English) has been taken along by his supervisor (Chinese, speaks English) to translate in meetings with other people (Indian, speak English). And no, this doesn't turn out like Wizard of Oz. The supervisor has a very strong accent, and can't understand English well enough to figure out strong accents, and the same may well be true for the other party. So the grad student, as a native English speaker, is the only one who can understand everyone's English.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I have that issue with people from the british isles.

For the love of god, if you talk to a non native english speaker, try to pronounce your words more clearly.

Most american accents are fine, but british, walish, scottish and irish are just plain ununderstandable.

Actually, they're not. I once had a severe problem understanding this American guy; no idea what state he was from, but he sounded like that guy from King of the Hill. I had to ask him to repeat himself several times; lucky for me, he was patient and didn't get mad.

American accents sound fine to you when you're American. When you're not, they're just as hard to understand as British accents are to you.

(And, before you are overcome by wrath, I think you mean Welsh. )

[Erin]

When I visited England back in 2001, we were staying at a hotel near Peterborough. There was a restaurant next door to the hotel, and the people who worked in the restaurant had a hell of time understanding our Midwest American accents, and we had a really hard time understanding their accents. (not sure what accent would be common in that part of England) but it was really difficult to order toast, eggs and bacon every morning for those two weeks.

At least my sister was with us for a few of the other times we ate there. She'd been in England for a couple of years at that point and was able to figure out thru the accent what they were saying. She even knew what part of England they were from just by their accent. Good thing she was there. It was hair pulling to try to figure out what they were saying and they were speaking English. I'm sure they wanted to smack us for our accents too.

[Pagan]

Most american accents are fine, but british, walish, scottish and irish are just plain ununderstandable.

I'm kind of thinking that there might be something to genetic memories. I'm Scots-Irish. I've only been in Scotland twice, England and Northern Ireland once, and didn't have any real problems understanding people. Not anymore than I've had with some New Yorkers.

There was a restaurant next door to the hotel, and the people who worked in the restaurant had a hell of time understanding our Midwest American accents,

Nobody had any problems understanding us. Of course, I've been told that a lot of native New Mexicans, for some reason, we don't really have an accent.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Ah, you think you don't; but trust me, everyone has an accent. XD

[Primer]

Ah, you think you don't; but trust me, everyone has an accent. XD

I don't have an accent. I have a drawl!

[KellyHabersham]

Ah, you think you don't; but trust me, everyone has an accent. XD

That's so true - had a guy in Canada (this via a phone conversation) tell me that I had a really cute accent, but I have no idea what it sounded like because he couldn't/wouldn't repeat it back to me.

[EricKei]

I was once asked by someone from Hotlanta "WHY" I lack an accent...Which suggests that I sound like someone from up north that area. That scares me.

Maybe I should endeavour to develop the hardcore NOLA accent, which I have seen charitably described as "Brooklynese on qualuudes" ~_~

[dalesys]

The accent bit reminds me of the old Quaker:
"All the world art daft 'cept me and thee, and betimes I fear thou art a trifle cracked..."

[Pagan]

Ah, you think you don't; but trust me, everyone has an accent. XD

See, it's not me thinking I don't have an accent. I sound distinctly like a chola, especially when I'm tired. But I've been told by recent arrivals that we don't have one.

[sld72382]

I have an accent - it's called "speaking too quickly." Many customers I talk to from the south and old people frequently tell me to "slow down." Must be from being raised in new York.

Now one thing I have a big issue with is talking to people who obviously use English as a 2nd language. Not with the person(s) themselves, I just find it very hard to understand them.

Rant mode ON -

Regarding language, one thing I can't stand is customers understanding and speaking perfect English until you tell them a policy. Everything is fine until you tell them for example their service plan doesn't cover something or that they need to bring their product to the store and suddenly it's "I no understand English."

Rant mode OFF -

[CrazedClerkthe2nd]

I was once asked by someone from Hotlanta "WHY" I lack an accent...Which suggests that I sound like someone from up north that area. That scares me.

Maybe I should endeavour to develop the hardcore NOLA accent, which I have seen charitably described as "Brooklynese on qualuudes" ~_~

I believe you are referring to a cajun accent. I live in that area and can't even understand those people most of the time.