How much difference does it make to Parisiens?
I generalize of course, but I see several (many) posts which state that an American at least attempting to speak French will be received in a friendlier manner than one who does not.
As in any city, a loud, boorish, %26quot;if you don%26#39;t understand me I%26#39;ll speak louder%26quot; attitude does not work....I know this. I was wondering if in earnest, a quieter, smiling, friendly attempt at the language, even if grossly mispronounced, is received well, or considered even more un-attractive.
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It is very well received!!!!
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Yes, it really does make a difference.
It%26#39;s being willing to make the effort that counts. Even butchering the language with the right attitude will score big points.
The other thing that most Americans are unaccustomed to is that *everyone* is either monsieur or madame (or sometimes mademoiselle). That goes for shopkeepers, sales clerks in stores, waiters in cafés, and everybody else. Using monsieur or madame along with the bonjour and bonsoir and au revoir and s%26#39;il vous plait and merci will be noted as a mark of politeness no matter how poor the pronunciation.
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It matters alot and really can pave the way for a pleasant trip. have heard the French are very proud of their culture and language, and appreciate tourists who respect that enough to learn a few words. However, I also think it no different than a foreign tourist entering any shop in the US; we probably couldn%26#39;t communicate in their language and would expect at least an English hello, thanks, good-bye, etc.
T
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It%26#39;s funny, but I%26#39;ve had two conversations about this topic in the past couple of days.
The first was with an American co-worker who was complaining that Parisians were very rude to him during his trip.
The second with was a Parisian friend who told me that as much as the tourists annoy him - the ones who make the effort to speak French to him are the ones that he is most willing to help. It was almost as though he had been reading Trip Advisor!!!
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Make the effort, then ask if they speak english, Manners count....I had no negative experiences and I know about 6 words...
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After many trips to Paris I can honestly say I think it does make a difference when you attempt to say a few words in French. I have had American visiters visit me while I was there that did not speak a word of french. Sometimes it worked out well for them, but I noticed first hand the ones who spoke just a few words of french were treated better in some cases.
However, for those of you who speak beginner french and wish to practice your skills with the natives, don%26#39;t be dissappointed when the french quickly start speaking english to you. They are not necessarily putting down your efforts, but actually trying give you better service if you are in a place of business and possibly taking the opportunity to practice their english !! If they know they speak english better than you speak french, then they will suddenly become more confident at speaking english with you.
I have been trying to learn French for three years now, and it has been pretty frustrating in Paris because it can be difficult to get the french to speak French with me !!!
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How do you make the distinction between using %26quot;madame%26quot; and %26quot;mademoiselle%26quot;? I am not very good at guessing ages....is it better to be cautious and use %26quot;mademoiselle%26quot; when not sure?
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madame vs mademoiselle.
As far as i know there is no clear rule. But the title you choose tells the person how you perceive them. For example if you are 80 yo and say mademoiselle to a 30yo woman, she will notice but chalk it up to the age difference.
If you are 30yo and say mademoiselle to a 30yo woman, she might think you are being cheeky. I don%26#39;t think any woman under 25 wants to be called madame in a social situation, but in a professional situation I think anybody can be madame. The point being the choice of using madame vs. mademoiselle conveys a level of respect as well as age.
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The movie Après Vous (http://imdb.com/title/tt0344604/) has a very funny scene featuring just this problem.
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I%26#39;m sure this is the exception and not the norm, but I had a friend visiting Paris who, when he tried to speak the language, was chastized by a waiter for %26quot;butchering%26quot; their beautiful language! My friend, who%26#39;s pretty laid back, just let that comment roll off his back and continued to make the effort (elsewhere, not there) and was well-received the rest of the time.
I didn%26#39;t notice any difference either way while I was there (though I did always try to speak French)..
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