The Italians speak English and enjoy it

I am pleasantly surprised at how well so many Italians, at least in Milan, speak English. What is more, they have a good time doing it, like they always seem to do. I think that people who do not need to learn another language, and therefore don't, are missing out on a lot of enjoyment. But then I am probably not objective.

Comments

[Colby]

This was actually something that was really difficult for me when I first started learning italian- everyone preferred to (and could) speak english instead! I came away from my trip very frustrated and discouraged from learning the language.

However, the next trip, I went a bit further south and made a discovery- not everyone speaks english. Furthermore, the further south you go, the less english is spoken. Now, I'm generalizing too much here- it could just be that the further away you go from the business/tourist centers the less english is spoken.

At any rate, my later trips, besides putting me in more situations where I needed the language, changed my perspective a bit (probably along with the fact that I got better with the language). The first trip I tried to force everything, use it wherever I could. Later I relaxed, and learned to use it as a communication tool. The goal of language, after all, is to communicate. So now I simply use whatever's most effective, and not worry so much about "using everything I've learned".

[Albert]

I'm surprised at how much I can identify with this. I agree with you Steve that people who don't learn another language do miss out on a lot of enjoyment.

In regards to Colby's post, I faced the same thing on my trip to Panama last year. Every once in a while I would get frustrated that some of the people I knew there would be fine with speaking to me in English, when I really wanted the Spanish practice. I found myself focusing too hard on speaking Spanish, and trying to include everything I knew, that I ended up stumbling and struggling saying almost anything, because I would work myself up that far with anxiety. Later after returning to the States, I realized how the key was not getting everything right but relaxing and enjoying it, leaving you more open minded to new concepts, grammar, vocabulary, and overall improvement with the language.

I still have to remind myself of that sometimes, and I appreciate you reminding me Colby.

[Steve Kaufmann]

The important thing is to speak when you want or have to but not to force it. If the other person wants to speak English, I just let him or her. Why should I force my agenda on them? The great thing about listening and reading in the language is that you are in control.