Doesn't eveyone speak English?

How many times have we heard these words?...

As a nation, we are understandably lazy when it comes to learning new languages, as everyone speaks English. However, I have now lost count of the number of our training centre's language students who have told me about remote parts of either Germany or Spain that they have visited, where no English was spoken.

In fact, the whole reason that I started to learn Spanish was for that very reason alone. For those of you, who are interested in the works of Salvador Dalí, you will know that he was born in the little fishing village of Figueres just North of Barcelona. It's a tiny village, but his final masterpiece was the museum that he built there before he died. As like with all his work, it's a show piece in it's own right. So whilst holidaying in Spain, I decided to visit the museum. After a 1- hour train journey, I just thought that on arriving a the railway station in Figueres - someone was bound to know where the museum was. After all, it was such an unusual building in such a small village.... however, this was not the case unfortunately!

I approached several local people in my loudest, slowest English voice "Excuse me please, could you tell me where the Salvador Dali museum is?". After asking the 10th person I finally got a reaction "Oh! you mean Salvador Dalí", I was then directed to the museum in exceptionally brief pigeon English. At this point I realised 2 things:

1. the importance of speaking the basics when in a foreign country, especially if you want to travel around

2. the importance of correct pronunciation

In Spanish "Salvador Dalí" is pronounced "salbadoor dar-liiii" as there is an accent on the "i" and "v's" are pronounced as "b's".

The same principle applies to visiting Germany. Some parts of rural Germany have very few people who can speak English, and will not be particularly accommodating to you as a foreigner if you don't speak German.

On this note, we are now widening our course offering here at the Rubicon Develoments training centre, to teach Eastern languages, as well as Western.

On 28 June 2010 we will be starting our 4-week introduction to Japanese from 7-9pm - 日本語を学ぼう (Learn Japanese) at £45.00. Very shortly we will also be launching our 4-week Introduction to Mandarin Chinese at £45.00 学中文 (Learn Chinese).

I hope that reading my blog has tempted you to fulfil that desire of wanting to learn a language. If you would like to enrol on any of our courses, or would like to chat about your learning needs please log on to www.rubicon-developments.co.uk or call us on: 0161 330 2546 and we will be pleased to inspire you further!