RMweb Gold Anotheran Posted June 27, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 27, 2019 10 minutes ago, webbcompound said: poshtë rrugës, të majtën e parë, të shkoni nën urë dhe ata janë në të djathtën tuaj Google translates the third clause as "go under the bridge" so if you don't understand the rest at least you have a functional answer... 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
webbcompound Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 As long as you know how to spell what the guy says to you when you type it in of course. And you needed to know about the left and right turns. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Compound2632 Posted June 27, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 27, 2019 4 hours ago, corneliuslundie said: I assume that everyone in this parish has read the latest LB&SCR Modellers' Digest. If not, it is well worth it. Another excellent issue. See the thread in this section of RMWeb. Jonathan In teaching, a sentence beginning "I assume that everyone has..." assumes the answer "no". 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Compound2632 Posted June 27, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 27, 2019 3 hours ago, St Enodoc said: The only words/phrases you need in any foreign language are: 1. Where are the toilets? 2. My friend is paying. It is also useful to memorise your room number. I'm afraid I've forgotten my Five Hungarian Words, but one of them was "33". 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Gold Donw Posted June 27, 2019 RMweb Gold Share Posted June 27, 2019 Perhaps the only thing you need to say is 'English' chances are there will be someone who speaks English around and their English is likely to be better than your attempts at a language you are not familiar with. Of course if you are deep in the jungles of Borneo or the Amazon there probably wont be anyone but you are unlikley to know any phrases intelligible to the local tribes. Don Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Andy Hayter Posted June 27, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 27, 2019 As someone who has spent 23 years living in continental Europe and who spent a student exchange in what is now Croatia, very often the chances are that no one speaks English - or at least will admit to it. Holiday time is very different to being somewhere out of season, when all of the students who were doing their holiday jobs are now back in university. 4 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caley Jim Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 When holidaying in Europe I have always found that if you attempt something in the local language people are often more than happy to either speak to you in English or find someone who can speak English. Of course beer is pronounced the same (or at least understood) in most languages on the continent! Going back to posts on German, my uncle was a Major in the RAMC, went over to Normandy on D-day +1 and was setting up field hospital a day or so behind the front line from then on. In Germany one of his orderlies, who was from the Hebrides and spoke Gaelic, could understand the locals. Jim 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Nearholmer Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 (edited) You might find this interesting https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Frisian_languages Although, it is really more relevant to English than Gaelic. Edited June 27, 2019 by Nearholmer 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
brack Posted June 27, 2019 Share Posted June 27, 2019 (edited) 2 hours ago, Andy Hayter said: As someone who has spent 23 years living in continental Europe and who spent a student exchange in what is now Croatia, very often the chances are that no one speaks English - or at least will admit to it. Holiday time is very different to being somewhere out of season, when all of the students who were doing their holiday jobs are now back in university. On honeymoon we stayed a few nights in trieste. We decided to pop over the border to skocjan caves (excellent - thoroughly recommended). But at that point in time there were no local/stopping cross border passenger services. So got the tram up to opicina then the coach to sezana over the border, train from sezana to divaca and the caves. When the bus dropped us off in sezana it wasn't at the railway station and I had no idea where we were. I tried to ask everyone we saw on the street where the railway was but nobody we met could understand us. Given that I can express myself sufficiently to be understood in french and German and had enough Italian to get by, plus my wife knowing a touch of Spanish and swedish for asking directions, I'd never been anywhere in Europe where I couldn't get rudimentary directions/conversations from someone. We even tried asking in a few shops in all the languages we could muster but no luck. A strange experience, as I have no knowledge of any of the languages of the former Yugoslavia either spoken or written. In the end we just walked all the way through town until I spotted overhead centenary, looked over a wall and found track, then followed it back to the station (which turned out to be 3 streets away from where the bus had dropped us off in the first place!). At Divaca and at skocjan everyone spoke english of course (tourist attraction). It still sticks in my mind - 2 miles from the border and out of over a dozen people we found none of them spoke Italian, and no rudiments of German from pre ww1 either. Edited June 27, 2019 by brack 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted June 27, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 27, 2019 3 hours ago, Andy Hayter said: As someone who has spent 23 years living in continental Europe and who spent a student exchange in what is now Croatia, very often the chances are that no one speaks English - or at least will admit to it. Wales can be like that too... 2 1 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Compound2632 Posted June 27, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 27, 2019 1 hour ago, Caley Jim said: In Germany one of his orderlies, who was from the Hebrides and spoke Gaelic, could understand the locals. Perhaps to a Gael, all Anglic languages sound much the same. Puts me in mind of Finnegan's Wake: You tollerday donsk? N. You tolkatiff scowegian? Nn. You spigotty anglease? Nnn. You phonio saxo? Nnnn. Clear all so! 'Tis a Jute. 1 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
south_tyne Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 21 hours ago, teaky said: I am told that Hungarian, Estonian and Finnish are sufficiently similar that if you speak one of them it is easy to learn the others. So you could be almost incomprehensible across a large area of eastern europe. I too bad always thought the Finnish-Hungarian link to be true but then I read something recently saying it was an urban legend.... I still hope it's true! I read an endless supply of 'Scani-Noir' thrillers and I must say that the Finnish ones are the darkest of the lot, both literally and metaphorically. There seems to be a deep melancholy that runs through the people's consciousness... I also spend (waste!?!) a lot of time watching similar TV. I'm a huge Danophile and love the country. I have watched so many of these programmes that I have developed a somewhat rudimentary understanding of Danish, recognising words and phrases.... all probably useless and related to murder mind!! Danish, Swedish and Norwegian are similar enough that they can be mutually understood. Evidently the joke is that the Danes think the Norwegians are just slow, both in a language context and in life in general...... What this has to do with a light railway in West Norfolk I have no idea so will cease my rambling and apologise to Me Edwardian for my random drivel! 3 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hroth Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 5 hours ago, south_tyne said: What this has to do with a light railway in West Norfolk I have no idea so will cease my rambling and apologise to Me Edwardian for my random drivel! Its often a case of drivel'r'us in these parts interspersed with erudite knowledge, so a discursion on languages is par for the course! As an aside to this, I see that In Our Time on Radio 4 this week examined the question of Doggerland, which has been a passing topic of interest in the past here... Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Northroader Posted June 28, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 28, 2019 They do say at very low tides, it appears again, and you can see traces of the old M&GN route buried in the mud. 9 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium corneliuslundie Posted June 28, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 28, 2019 Certainly in France it helps to try to speak French. Otherwise you will probabl;y get a refusal to admit that the Frenchman speaks English. My old boss told a wonderful story which I think I may already have related here several centurues ago. Anyway I now have a pile of Welsh homework which I am putting off with the excuse that I am getting behind with track laying on Nantcwmdu. I need to keep ahead of Edwardian and at the moment he shows signs of catching up, ie starting! Jonathan 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
south_tyne Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 3 hours ago, Hroth said: Its often a case of drivel'r'us in these parts interspersed with erudite knowledge, so a discursion on languages is par for the course! As an aside to this, I see that In Our Time on Radio 4 this week examined the question of Doggerland, which has been a passing topic of interest in the past here... I'm very partial to rambling on, so sometimes need to be kept on a short leash.... but maybe I lack the knowledge aspect to be a valuable contributor!! Yes I heard the trailer for the R4 feature on Doggerland. Something I will be definitely be making sure that I catch up with. Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
Edwardian Posted June 28, 2019 Author Share Posted June 28, 2019 11 minutes ago, south_tyne said: I'm very partial to rambling on, so sometimes need to be kept on a short leash.... but maybe I lack the knowledge aspect to be a valuable contributor!! Yes I heard the trailer for the R4 feature on Doggerland. Something I will be definitely be making sure that I catch up with. Be assured, rambling diversions are the norm here, and I, for one, have never let lack of knowledge stand in my way when posting! 4 2 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Compound2632 Posted June 28, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 28, 2019 52 minutes ago, Edwardian said: never let lack of knowledge stand in my way when posting! It is actually one of the most effective ways of acquiring knowledge... 2 3 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonB Posted June 28, 2019 Share Posted June 28, 2019 (edited) Rambling on..... one of my works colleagues would have a contribution to make on any and every topic of conversation... in consequence he was known as "Talking Ron"... One day the subject of home-brewed beer was the topic of the day in the works canteen...there were a few contributions describing the progress of someone's latest brew, and hopes for a drinkable outcome! "Ah," said Ron, interrupting . "I bottled last week's brew over the weekend, and sampled the result last night. It tasted fine but must be quite strong because after a second glass-full I found myself chatting on" ... Keeping a straight face has never been more difficult ! Is home brewing a fresh subject for CA? (but very passé nowadays.) Just to approach a rail topic, I could have bored you with details of how Wagon brake blocks are cast... Edited June 28, 2019 by DonB spelling 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium Metropolitan H Posted June 28, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 28, 2019 13 hours ago, south_tyne said: ........... !! Danish, Swedish and Norwegian are similar enough that they can be mutually understood. Evidently the joke is that the Danes think the Norwegians are just slow, both in a language context and in life in general...... What this has to do with a light railway in West Norfolk I have no idea so will cease my rambling and apologise to Me Edwardian for my random drivel! As amuch younger engineer - some 45 years ago - I went for a job interview (as a Rolling Stock Engineer) with the then to be opened Tyne and Wear Metro. During the course of the day I was introduced to one of the depot staff who only spoke "geordie" which was almost unintelligible to me but he could converse well with the Norwegian applicant. I was offered the job, but declined for family reasons. Regards Chris H 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted June 29, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 29, 2019 7 hours ago, DonB said: Rambling on..... one of my works colleagues would have a contribution to make on any and every topic of conversation... in consequence he was known as "Talking Ron"... One day the subject of home-brewed beer was the topic of the day in the works canteen...there were a few contributions describing the progress of someone's latest brew, and hopes for a drinkable outcome! "Ah," said Ron, interrupting . "I bottled last week's brew over the weekend, and sampled the result last night. It tasted fine but must be quite strong because after a second glass-full I found myself chatting on" ... Keeping a straight face has never been more difficult ! Is home brewing a fresh subject for CA? (but very passé nowadays.) Just to approach a rail topic, I could have bored you with details of how Wagon brake blocks are cast... I worked with someone whose nickname was The World's Leading Expert, because he thought he was - on everything. 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RMweb Premium St Enodoc Posted June 29, 2019 RMweb Premium Share Posted June 29, 2019 5 hours ago, Metropolitan H said: As amuch younger engineer - some 45 years ago - I went for a job interview (as a Rolling Stock Engineer) with the then to be opened Tyne and Wear Metro. During the course of the day I was introduced to one of the depot staff who only spoke "geordie" which was almost unintelligible to me but he could converse well with the Norwegian applicant. I was offered the job, but declined for family reasons. Regards Chris H When I went to work in Glasgow (also as a young rolling stock engineer!), for about three months I couldn't understand a word my colleagues were saying and vice versa. We got loads done by just nodding and agreeing with each other. 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
south_tyne Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 9 hours ago, Metropolitan H said: As amuch younger engineer - some 45 years ago - I went for a job interview (as a Rolling Stock Engineer) with the then to be opened Tyne and Wear Metro. During the course of the day I was introduced to one of the depot staff who only spoke "geordie" which was almost unintelligible to me but he could converse well with the Norwegian applicant. I was offered the job, but declined for family reasons. Regards Chris H Ha ha, what a great story Chris! It's a shame you didn't make the move to this part of the world. Actually, it is funny how there are certain words that are common, or at least that are recognisable as similar, between Geordie dialect and Norwegian and also to Danish and sometimes Dutch too. When I visit my relatives in Norfolk there is often a need for a translator to allow us to converse!! S_T (an incomprehensible Geordie!! ) 2 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
RedGemAlchemist Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 2 hours ago, south_tyne said: When I visit my relatives in Norfolk there is often a need for a translator to allow us to converse!! As a Norfolker who doesn't really have a Norfolk accent but many of my relatives do, I feel your pain. 1 2 1 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
south_tyne Posted June 29, 2019 Share Posted June 29, 2019 12 minutes ago, RedGemAlchemist said: As a Norfolker who doesn't really have a Norfolk accent but many of my relatives do, I feel your pain. On that note; rambling mode on....... I remember being in a pub a couple of years ago in rural Norfolk with my cousin. It was a proper pub... no TV or radio, all wooden panelling and original fittings, newspapers to peruse, a couple of hand-pulls on, cheese and cold roast potatoes on the bar; a rare gem It was an absolutely glorious day and by coincidence the Strumpshaw steam rally was taking place just down the road. Suddenly, without warning, all of these old boys in overalls rocked up in their traction engines, steamrollers and steam lorries, stopped in the pub car park and piled into the pub Cue a completely surreal afternoon whereby I tried to have a conversation with these men of Norfolk, without much understanding on either side!! Whether that was only due to dialect issues or it was somewhat influenced by 8 pints of a potent local wheat beer I honestly cannot comment!! However, finally a bloke who was originally from Barnard Castle showed up to save us all. He had lived in the area for 30 years and heard my accent and pitched in to act as interpreter!!! He seemed delighted to have a fellow North Easterner to talk to. As I said, that was one of the more surreal experiences of my life, although there have been a few in rural East Anglia over the years...... 6 Link to post Share on other sites More sharing options...
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