Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2011/04/23
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]It's all about communication. That's a two way street. You have no control over the other side of the street. How are you doing on your side of the street? I recall something from my youth working in a Montreal caf?/bakery place downtown. We always knew Americans because they ordered sandwiches of Brie cheese with Dijon mustard on croissant. What an abominable laugh! Disgusting! Yet we tried to excuse them (after collapsing in the back room on the floor) because we understood that those three words, together with Merci and Bonjour were the total extent of their French language. In a French-speading society! Try navigating the USA with just Montery Jack, ketchup, bun, thank you and hello as your ONLY English words. Why go into a Japanese Leica shop to ask if the salesman speaks English? Is that why you entered the store? To conduct a language survey? Why ask if he has a certain lens? Are you doing a stock survey? Ask for/say what you want. See what happens. Phony manners don't work because...they are phony. Clear, direct speech is best when one is severely language-impaired. Emanuel