Rick Steves' Top Ten Tips for Overcoming Language Barriers
Some people are afraid to travel abroad because they fear encountering a language barrier. Rick Steves, author of 31 books on European travel and host/producer of Rick Steves' Europe — launching his seventh season on 300 public television stations in September, 2004 — says not to worry.
Rick spends over 100 days annually in Europe, and only speaks English. He knows first-hand that the notorious language barrier is not as big as its reputation. Here are Rick's top ten tips to make it easy for Americans to communicate with Europeans:
1. Speak slowly, simply, politely: Speak with simple words, pronouncing every letter. Make single nouns work as entire sentences and begin each request with PLEASE (e.g. "Bitte, toilet ?")
2. Can the slang: American dialect has become filled with slang not familiar to most Europeans. The sentence "Can the slang," for example, would baffle the average European.
3. Use internationally understood words: Many Europeans will draw a blank if you say "vacation," but light bulbs turn on when you say "holiday." If you say "restroom" or "bathroom," you will get no room — "toilet" is direct, simple, and understood.
4. Be melodramatic and not self-conscious: Exaggerate the local accent and use hand signals and body language to communicate. In France you will communicate more effectively (and have more fun) by sounding like Inspector Clouseau (and the locals will not be insulted). Use whatever French you do know. In Italy be melodic and exuberant. You must be uninhibited. Self-consciousness kills communication.
5. Figure things out: Most major European languages are related and come from Latin. The French word for Monday (our "day of the moon") is Lundi (lunar day). The Germans say the same thing — Montag. Sonne is sun, so Sonntag is Sunday. If "buon giorno" means good day, "zuppa del giorno" is soup of the day.
6. Practice: Read time schedules, posters, multilingual signs, graffiti in bathrooms, and newspaper headlines. Develop your ear for foreign languages by tuning in to the other languages on a multilingual tour. It's a puzzle. The more you play, the better you get.
7. Use a notepad: Words and numbers are much easier understood when they are written. To repeatedly communicate something difficult and important (such as medical instructions, "I'm a strict vegetarian," "boiled water," "well-done meat," "your finest ice cream"), write it in the local language on your notepad.
8. Go with your educated guess: The key is to see most communication problems as multiple-choice questions. Make an educated guess at the meaning of a message and proceed confidently as if you understand it correctly.
9. Fake it: Faking it applies to rudimentary things like instructions on customs forms, museum hours, and menus. With this approach you will find that 80 percent of the time you are correct. And if you are wrong, it does not really matter (and your trip will become much more interesting!).
10. Relax: Don't worry about making mistakes, and just try to relax. You will be surprised at how well you can communicate with a 20 word vocabulary by just making an effort and breaking the ice.
For lots more tips, check out our best-selling Europe Through the Back Door travel skills guidebook.