WDB
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Posts: 7,354
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Post by WDB on Oct 19, 2016 19:35:27 GMT
That's an extraordinarily arrogant and intolerant line to take, Esp. Never mind the ones displaced by war and drought, even 'economic migrants' are mostly just looking for the chance to work for a better living. Which bit of that is at your expense?
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Post by Hofmeister on Oct 19, 2016 19:44:43 GMT
Now we're leaving we can start emigrating out to the lands of brown-skinned folks again and help them run their own countries like we used to. Ha ha. Not joking - I have suggested recolonisation. It keeps the Africans in Africa in countries run properly by people who know how to run countries. I have no problem with Syrian refugees fleeing war. I do have a problem with Africans crossing the Med in leaky boats simply to con their way to better life at my expense. Conveniently ignores the fact that Africans are crossing the med because they were colonised and exploited for centuries, and have been prevented from stabilising and developing because of ex colonialist interference since. We reap that we have sewn for centuries. Africa is what we colonists (yes that includes your predecessors) made it. What on earth makes you think we would make a better job of it now.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2016 6:30:00 GMT
1. Israel has taken in many many African (mainly Somalian) refugees. Proportionately given the size of the country a decent number. Admittedly not always treated the best (but is the UK any better in some cases).
2. Britain colonised many places but its only from some countries (those which never got a proper, uncorrupted democracy off the ground) do we see the 'boat people'. Those leaders who were educated in the UK and Oxbridge, went back home to forment rebellion, took power and then took the money are to blame. Not the Brits.
Of course what I said was tongue in cheek, but you need to see the bigger picture. I go to London now and don't see/hear any natural English speakers any more. Colour is irrelevant, but I go to restaurants, hotels etc, theatres, shops and there are no English people serving. I went into a bank for my mother-in-law and there were no staff who spoke clear English - that was five years ago.
Don't get me wrong - my great grandparents arrived here in 1901 from the Austro Hungarian Empire, but the city centre of Manchester wasn't suddenly taken over by Jews speaking broken English with a heavy Yiddish accent. Britain is Britain because it has taken in so many people, but only in numbers that mean the dilution/assimilation is easy. Now London is no longer part of Britain - it might was well be a different country.
I voted to remain in the EU not because I like it, but because the alternative is far worse.
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Post by Alanović on Oct 20, 2016 8:50:18 GMT
Well you got the last bit right, Esp!
Para 3 though - all I can say to that is, so what? I love being in London, gives me a chance to practice my language skills. We're pretty cosmo in Reading too, I was at a school open day recently, being shown around by a sixth former who spoke beautiful English but with a smidge of an accent. Couldn't place it. Turned out she was German, here as a boarder and taking her science A Levels in English. Really impressive, but it was fun for me to burst out in German, always takes people aback when a Brit addresses them in their own language.
It's a big old world and it's so much more fun to join in than to pull up the drawbridge.
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Post by Humph on Oct 20, 2016 10:02:21 GMT
I long laboured under the delusion that I spoke German. ( worked for a German company for 8 years and a Swiss company for another 8 years prior to that ) but according to my German friends, it's comedy German and about as close to being the real thing as the Gendarme was in Allo Allo was to speaking French. 😕
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Post by Alanović on Oct 20, 2016 10:26:02 GMT
That is most unkind of them. You were having a go, and nobody improves unless they practise and are encouraged and helped.
Bah.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 20, 2016 16:07:09 GMT
That is most unkind of them. You were having a go, and nobody improves unless they practise and are encouraged and helped. Bah. Actually, that's the one good thing about the French. If you try to speak it, even with an accent like the Policeman in Allo Allo, they will respond politely and with genuine delight that you are trying. I remember as a 14 year old in a very cold Paris in February 1979 trying to buy some flowers from a shop. They were so helpful despite my faltering skills, that I went away with a huge bouquet and a spring in my step at actually having achieved something positive from what I had learnt at school. My A grade at O-level was the result of a little kindness.
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Post by Humph on Oct 20, 2016 16:19:12 GMT
I don't speak French very well. I can sort of muddle by on simple stuff like getting a room or some food etc but the rest of the time in France I just rely on speaking English with an Inspector Clouseau accent.
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Post by Alanović on Oct 21, 2016 8:50:24 GMT
That is most unkind of them. You were having a go, and nobody improves unless they practise and are encouraged and helped. Bah. Actually, that's the one good thing about the French. If you try to speak it, even with an accent like the Policeman in Allo Allo, they will respond politely and with genuine delight that you are trying. I remember as a 14 year old in a very cold Paris in February 1979 trying to buy some flowers from a shop. They were so helpful despite my faltering skills, that I went away with a huge bouquet and a spring in my step at actually having achieved something positive from what I had learnt at school. My A grade at O-level was the result of a little kindness. Only one? Jeez. Fromage? Vin? Sophie Marceau?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 9:05:56 GMT
But wine and cheese are not human and Sophie Marceau's beauty is not because she's French - she has good genes.
Nope, the only good thing about French people is as mentioned before. Otherwise objectionable. France is wasted on them. Italy on the other hand....it suits the Italians perfectly. Ciao Bella!
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Post by Alanović on Oct 21, 2016 10:01:18 GMT
Wow. Do not understand.
I find their willingness to help you with their language is just one aspect of their generally pleasant, friendly, generous, relaxed, outgoing, fun-loving, family oriented demeanour. Perhaps you've spent too long in Paris.......a friend of mine from Dieppe is always moaning about how rude Parisians are. Not that I've found that to be the case either, it's just a big city where everyone is busy and there's not much elbow room.
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sooty
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Posts: 87
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Brexit.
Oct 21, 2016 10:33:54 GMT
via mobile
Post by sooty on Oct 21, 2016 10:33:54 GMT
That is most unkind of them. You were having a go, and nobody improves unless they practise and are encouraged and helped. Bah. Actually, that's the one good thing about the French. If you try to speak it, even with an accent like the Policeman in Allo Allo, they will respond politely and with genuine delight that you are trying. I remember as a 14 year old in a very cold Paris in February 1979 trying to buy some flowers from a shop. They were so helpful despite my faltering skills, that I went away with a huge bouquet and a spring in my step at actually having achieved something positive from what I had learnt at school. My A grade at O-level was the result of a little kindness. Generally they are, but I was in france last month. About 10 of us went to a restaurant only two of us could speak any french at all. Anyway when it came to ordering me and the other chap ordered for everyone else, whilst the waitress kept gigging throughout. I know my french isn't great but i can get by with tourist type stuff. It was quite off putting tbh, she got bugger all tip.
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Post by Hofmeister on Oct 21, 2016 11:29:34 GMT
I kind of do. If you are a typical stuffed shirt analy rententive Brit, and act like one, you and the French aint never going to parle. If however, you switch that stuff off (you neeed it in the uk) when you iz abroad, its fine. You have to think a little like the locals to get along with them.
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Post by commerdriver on Oct 21, 2016 14:20:38 GMT
Oh good grief, a typical Volvo owner is sensible, grey and cardigan wearing, not Nogbad for goodness sake! Not the best name in your long line :-)
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 21, 2016 14:51:16 GMT
I worked in Paris.
I found the people to be by and large polite and helpful, much like most places in the world.
With one exception; anybody who had to deal with tourists was a rude, often aggressive, disrespectful PITA. A prime example being the difference between waiting staff in a restaurant used by tourists and those in a restaurant used largely by business people.
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