Questions tagged [languages]
For forms of written or verbal communication with people of other cultures. Consider tag [language-barrier] and for one or more specific languages consider the tags listed in the `tag info` here instead .
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"Speaking" Korean without really speaking Korean, as a tourist in South Korea
I'm thinking of visiting South Korea as a tourist, and I'm wondering if some preparations short of a full on study of the language will help. In particular, I'm wondering about learning Hangul, and ...
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Moroccan Arabic or MSA used on signs in Morocco
I am learning Arabic and wonder if signage at the airport/train station/official buildings use Moroccan Arabic words or Modern Standard Arabic.
I saw that both فندق (funduq) and أوطيل (ʔuṭil) are used ...
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Is there any known places in Britanny where Breton can be heard casually in public?
I am interested in Celtic languages and I am curious to find places where they are spoken in public. Is there any known places in Britanny where Breton can be heard casually in public?
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Language announcements on trains
Occasionally, there's a slightly bizarre situation where a train journey that is wholly within England (e.g. https://www.realtimetrains.co.uk/service/gb-nr:L98417/2023-09-17/detailed#allox_id=0) has ...
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City in Peninsular Malaysia to immerse in Malay language?
I like to self-study the local language in the places I travel to. I don't do courses or attend classes.
I just arrived in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It's a very multicultural city and though most signs ...
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Is it rude to speak Swedish in Norway?
I speak Swedish quite well, but my active Norwegian is very basic, although I can understand most of it if I concentrate. I'm aware Norwegians can usually/always understand Swedish. I'm told ...
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How prevalent is Swedish in the Swedish speaking parts of Finland
What is the day to day language in a place like Turku/Åbo where the official language is Swedish? When I visit there as a tourist (so in shops restaurants etc.) should I expect almost everybody to be ...
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Is English the official language for international flights?
There are specific languages official for every airline (i.e. United Airlines)?
I think the mostly used is English, but what about for example AeroItalia or Sunrise Airways or Cathay Pacific or Air ...
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What does the sign on the bathroom door in a French airplane read when there is someone using it? [closed]
The author of my favorite webcomic asked about this on Twitter. I wasn't sure whether to post this on Aviation (but they redirect passenger-side aviation questions here) or on the French stack, but I ...
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What does YCWCYODFTRFDTY mean?
In several outback pubs in central Australia, including Cadney Homestead (below) and Stuarts Well Roadhouse, there's a prominent sign at the bar with the cryptic message "YCWCYODFTRFDTY":
What does ...
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Hebrew language class in Israel
Ulpan is a class that is free for a Jewish immigrant to Israel. I am wondering whether it is open to non-immigrants and if so, at what cost? (Assuming the prospective student can legally stay that ...
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Is any translation of driver’s licence valid for international driving?
As far as I can tell the Geneva 1949 convention only defines the standards that translation must comply to. Therefore, by definition, there shouldn’t be an “official entity” in charge of making the ...
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In what language should I write my city/country name abroad?
I'm currently filling a Italian passport request form, but I'm at a roadblock
My question is the following :
I was born in Paris, France
Paris, France is what is written in my birth certificate and ...
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Is it okay to mix in local language when I know it poorly?
I'm traveling to Finland for a week and mostly doing touristy things. I've been excited and decided to learn some Finnish for fun. I know everyone there is going to know English better than I learn in ...
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What is the main spoken language in Kiev: Ukrainian or Russian?
I'm aware that there are both native Ukrainian and Russian speakers among Ukrainians, with the west being more Ukrainian-speaking and the east/south more Russian-speaking.
What about Kiev today? I ...
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Is English spoken widely in Ireland?
My fiancée and I will be traveling to various places in Ireland for our honeymoon. Mostly mid-southern Ireland (Dublin, Galway, Limerick, etc.).
Is there any reason to learn any basic phrases in ...
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Burushaski teacher or course in Hunza Valley, Pakistan
I love exotic languages as much as I love travelling so one destination I'm considering for my next trip is Pakistan where a language famous to linguists for not being related to any other language is ...
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Do different language editions of Lonely Planet contain different content?
I'm planning to travel to Spain when things have improved a bit, and I'm getting reasonably good at reading Spanish, and my wife is a native speaker. I'm thinking of getting guidebooks in Spanish as ...
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Are there a FEW languages that, along with English, will let a person be understood by the vast majority of people in North-Western Europe?
I'm referring to Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg, Germany, Switzerland, Austria, and Denmark.
Will it be possible to add Norway, Sweden, and possibly even Finland and Iceland?
And how about the ...
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Which language is preferable for speaking with Palestinians: Hebrew or English?
Obviously, the best language to use to speak to Palestinians in Palestine is their own language, Arabic. If Arabic is not an option, which would generally be preferable: Hebrew or English? I'm ...
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As a native English speaker, which two further languages would give me the most travel utility worldwide?
This follows on from a travel conversation a group of us had in a hostel in London. Assuming I am travelling randomly between countries and continents, which two languages in addition to English ...
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El Yunque or "El Junque" National Forest Pronunciation
The internet seems to be full of disagreement about how to pronounce El Yunque National Forest in Puerto Rico. Here is a small sampling:
The US Forest Service website claims it's el-ZHUN-kay (...
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Can you really get around everywhere with only speaking English?
I had a discussion with a friend on how many language one should learn to be able to be understood worldwide? My estimate would be with around 4-5 languages, but this is a gut feeling which I cannot ...
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Using Modern Standard Arabic in Arabic-speaking countries
There are a lot of Arabic-speaking countries each with its own variety of an Arabic dialect with a Modern Standard Arabic (MSA or "Fusha") being the language of the media and official speech, and ...
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How to find "night and day" decongestant for a head cold when there's a language barrier?
So I've been in Tbilisi, Georgia for almost a week and the temperature is now dropping below zero Celsius sometimes and I have the dubious honour of being the first in my hostel to contract a head ...
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2
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How widely spoken is English in New Caledonia (Nouvelle-Calédonie)?
As I understand it, French is the main common language in New Caledonia, spoken by almost everyone there, but often as a second language.
The wikipedia article doesn't seem to mention much about ...
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How much Russian do I need to know for travelling within Russia?
Or alternatively - how well-spoken (and widely-spoken) is English?
I intend to visit St. Petersburg, Moscow, Irkutsk and Vladivostok.
I feel like I might have the most troubles in the latter two ...
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Are the Finnish and Udmurt languages mutually intelligible?
As I know there is the one common language group, Finno-Ugrian, but I'm not sure if that means it is possible to go to Finland and speak to Finnish speakers with my Udmurt language knowledge.
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Distinguishing Tamil speakers from Sinhalese speakers in Sri Lanka
When in Sri Lanka I would like to use a few words of either Tamil or Sinhalese with the locals. How can I tell which language I should try? Are there cultural appearances that I can go from? Of I get ...
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3
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1
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Where in Jordan can I find cheap second-hand book stores that sell dictionaries and other language materials?
My friend is going to Jordan on a trip and he'll visit several cities. As a favor he owed me he promised to get me some books that I crave.
Can you guys tell me where are some places across the ...
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1
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Do many Japanese people speak Korean?
I'd like to go to Japan but I can't speak Japanese. But I'm fluent in Korean. I know that many Korean people can speak Japanese, but can Japanese people also speak Korean?
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Why is everything in South Africa in English, while that isn't the main language? [closed]
I have been travelling to South Africa for business, and what strikes me as odd, is that almost everything is done in English, even though English isn't the most widely spoken language in the country (...
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Is there a practical point in learning foreign words while travelling?
It is frequently advised for travelers to learn the basic vocabulary in whatever is the local language in the country they're visiting. The reasons usually given are:
It can help in situations where ...
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In what language should I address foreign customs and immigration?
I'm an American traveling to Central America for the first time this summer. I'll be entering Costa Rica and Panama.
My Spanish is pretty good, but not native, and I wouldn't mind using it, but as a ...
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1
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How to learn the language for a stay in Ukraine? [duplicate]
I am considering to live in Kyiv for a couple of months. I visited the city last summer and it pleasantly surprised me. I would like to learn the local language to make my way around easier. Any ...
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2
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Should I try and use basic Italian when on holiday in Italy?
Wherever I go on holiday I always try to learn and use some basic keywords and phrases. As a minimum I look up things such as please, thank you, hello, good morning etc. I think it's polite and hotel/...
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2
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One-off Maori lesson in Auckland
I'd like to attend a one-off Maori lesson in Auckland. I can find long-term courses and online courses, but I'm after something that's only for an hour or a couple of hours.
The lesson should include ...
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4
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1
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Why are there so many German tourists in Capo Vaticano and Tropea? [closed]
Recently I have been to Capo Vaticano, Calabria, southern Italy. It didn't take long to notice that, besides Italians, Germans were by far the majority of the people I saw. This was even reflected by ...
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4
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Which Norwegian language to learn?
I'm taking a short trip to Norway next year and while doing a bit of research I've been thoroughly confused by which language to learn. Wikipedia goes into great depth about 3-4 different languages, ...
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2
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Is there a neighbourhood known for second-hand bookshops/antiquaries in Prague?
I'll be in Prague soon for a couple of days and I want to go dictionary-hunting. Is there a neighbourhood known for second-hand bookshops/antiquaries in Prague?
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Are most staff at Brussels airport Dutch or French-speaking?
I'm going to Brussels airport and will require some special assistance in addition to the usual check-in procedures.
Knowing both Dutch and French adequately, I'd like to know which language most ...
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1
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Casual Khmer language classes or language exchange in Siem Reap?
As always on my travels I like to study the local language, as usual I don't have a budget that allows the prices of "proper" courses or individual tutors.
So I'm wondering if there's some ...
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Which is better for Zürich, English or French?
I am visiting Zürich and I don't speak any German. I do speak though both English and French. Which one should I use to communicate with the locals? How about the rest of German-speaking Switzerland?
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What foreign language is the most common in Serbia?
What foreign language is the most common in Serbia? In which language have I the most chances to communicate with locals (in shops, railway stations, hostels etc.) if I don't know Serbian?
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Which language should I learn for a trip to Bali?
I plan to travel to Bali and want to learn some basic words in native language, like "Hello", "Thank you", ....
But I'm not sure which language is native to Bali. It looks like there are Indonesian (...
- 82.6k
7
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1
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Homestay in Sweden to learn Swedish
I'm Dutch but in love with the Swedish language, so after some time on Duolingo I wanted to expand my knowledge of Swedish in real life. I found an organization which provides Swedish lessons in ...
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Am I better off using French in Brussels, or should I stick to English?
I'm a native English speaker, with tolerable French (ie, it's pretty good for an Englishman, though not great by continental European standards). I've tried to speak French in Belgium before, and ...
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Which language(s) is most useful for backpacking Africa?
I'm looking to backpack Africa in a few years, so I'd like to start learning a language that would the most useful/widely spoken. There are a few conditions I've conjured up though:
the language ...
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3
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Language culture and Food culture in South India?
I am planning for a mid-term traveling (for around 15-20 days) in South India covering parts from AP,Kerala and Karnataka only, along with my family members. Now the problem is nobody from my family ...
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The literacy rate of Mandarin/Simplified Chinese in Taipei?
When I'm in China and having trouble communicating in English, I type in a sentence in Mandarin on my iPhone. I'm good enough to write one or two sentences in Mandarin, although I can't handle an oral ...
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