Recently in East Africa I was talking to some local guys who, as usual in EA, were swapping between Swahili, English and some tribal languages - not to mention Sheng - and I thought to myself wouldn't it be great to set up a small resource where you could find the most important phrases in any language you want.
I really like this idea; when I go away I always try and learn a few phrases in the native language (normally thank you, hello and goodbye) so it would be useful to have a resource for that on here. It really means a lot to the locals when travellers make an effort to talk to them in their language.
What about incorporating this into the travel guide somehow?
Would be a great little forum.
I can say hello, goodbye, please and thank you in loads of different languages, plus other little phrases in about 20 or so. It really isn't difficult to keep them inside your head.
Great idea.
This is a really super idea. Even if you only learn a few basic words/phrases like hello, good morning, thankyou and goodbye, it would be very helpful. I found that saying (for example) good morning or thank you was well received and their eyes lit up. The (local) people liked that a foreigner could be bothered to speak a few words in their language.
Besides "hello, goodbye, please, thank you and sorry/excuse me", the most useful phrases in other languages, I find, are usually the 5Ws: "Where (is the washroom/bus/hotel?), When (does the train leave/museum open?), What (am I eating?), Why (are you staring at me?), Who (should I talk to about this problem?) and How much (is this going to cost me?)"
Most languages use a decimal system, so that "eleven" is "ten+one". So if you learn 1-10 in the language, you can say almost any number. (For example, in Chinese, 10 is "shi" and 1 is "yi", so 11 is "shi-yi") It's very useful for buying and selling in the local market, or haggling with souvenir sellers.
But anyways, isn't that why God invented phrasebooks?
One word that seems to be pretty universal (and quite handy at times to know) across the globe, is 'Police'.
It's usually Polici, Politsia, Politzei etc. But check it out in Welsh (Heddlu) and Icelandic (Rikislogreglan).
Just in case.. eh?
But anyways, isn't that why God invented phrasebooks?
Guidebooks are great but I just thought that maybe on TP somewhere there could be a place to find some phrases and uncommon words in uncommon - and common - languages that our members could use when no phrase book or guide book is close to hand.
But, hey it's just another of my hair-brained ideas maybe.
Thanks for all the input so far though. Or as we say in Gaelige 'Go raibh mile mhaith agat' - 1000 thank you's.
One word that seems to be pretty universal (and quite handy at times to know) across the globe, is 'Police'.
It's usually Polici, Politsia, Politzei etc. But check it out in Welsh (Heddlu) and Icelandic (Rikislogreglan).
Just in case.. eh?
It's GARDA in Ireland or Gardai as plural. Both short for Garda Siochana which means guardian of the peace - I believe.
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