Questions for Foreigners

[TarnishedPenny]

Well, as one of them 'foreigners', I think it's a good thread and an excellent. Finding out more about other people and their customs is the best way to peace.

As to 'systemic zenophobia'? Oh, please - at worst it was awkwardly phrased. Frankly, I am so sick of everybody discovering yet more culpable seediness, but always in other people of course.

It's a good thread, even if it's so far not gone beyond cheese and crisp sandwiches.

 

[oggbashan]

Will had a very good friend, Kees, a surgeon with the Dutch Red Cross contingent at Camp Bastion, unfortunately killed with his entire triage team by a teenage girl suicide bomber. Kees couldn't speak English, Will can't speak Dutch, but they both spoke Pashtun and Waziri fluently, so they'd chat away in an obscure Afghani dialect while people around them stared in puzzlement at two obvious Europeans yakking away in some weird, unheard-of lingo.

Back in the 1960s, a friend and I went to a Chinese Restaurant in Soho. The restaurant staff spoke Cantonese. My friend worked in the Foreign Office on the Chinese desk. We had two friends with us - a Swiss Nurse studying a specialty at a London Hospital, and her (Swiss) fiancé.

My friend had suggested the restaurant and we agreed to let him order once we had expressed general preferences. He ordered in fluent Cantonese, which surprised the staff.

The four of us talked as the meal was delivered. He and I spoke English but I had a strong Australian accent. The nurse spoke Swiss French. Her fiancé spoke Swiss German. We were discussing what the Swiss couple had seen in London and making suggestions for the next few days. The conversation was at a normal speed with no pauses to translate.

The Maitre D' came across to ask if everything was all right. My friend replied in Cantonese. The rest of us in English, before resuming our conversation.

The Maitre D' stayed beside the table before asking:

"I can understand two of you if the Australian terms are slightly puzzling, but the other two? What languages are they speaking? One sounds like French, but isn't and the other a sort of German."

We explained that they were Swiss. The Maitre D' went away shaking his head...

 

[LoquiSordidaAdMe]

Butter, possibly something like Utterly Butterly, but not mayo. The crisps need to stay crisp.

Thanks, Sam, I'm much obliged. I can hardly wait for lunchtime now.

Question for Americans: Why do you call everyone else "foreigners?"

I didn't realize the word had such baggage attached to it. BelleCanzuto quite eloquently captured my thinking. I just wanted a succinct title for a thread where people could ask questions specific to countries other than their own, and get answers from folks who live or lived in that particular country.

If anyone has a better title for the thread, I'll happily change it. Now that I have my answer, I'm curious to see if the thread survives.

 

[jaF0]

The Maitre D' stayed beside the table before asking:

"I can understand two of you if the Australian terms are slightly puzzling, but the other two? What languages are they speaking? One sounds like French, but isn't and the other a sort of German."

We explained that they were Swiss. The Maitre D' went away shaking his head...

The Amish around here speak some combination of English/German/Dutch. I think.

Thanks, Sam, I'm much obliged. I can hardly weight for lunchtime now.


If anyone has a better title for the thread, I'll happily change it. Now that I have my answet, I'm curious to see if the thread survives.

Now if I could figure out that language ....

 

[SimonDoom]

I've never had crisps ("chips" to me) on a sandwich before. It's good to learn something new.


To my . . . friends from elsewhere . . . wouldn't the spread make the crisps soggy? I guess butter might not, but mayo would, I would think.

 

[oggbashan]

The Amish around here speak some combination of English/German/Dutch. I think.



...

Pennsylvania Dutch, probably.

One year we took a Canadian friend from Quebec to Northern France. We had a meal in a restaurant. We were all speaking 'French'.

The Quebecois French puzzled the staff most. They winced at my Strine French but my wife's impeccable upper-class educated Parisian impressed them most. They had worked out that I was Australian (I'm not); our friend was from Quebec; but they thought my wife was French (she's not).

 

[BelleCanzuto]

I've never had crisps ("chips" to me) on a sandwich before. It's good to learn something new.

I say this in full knowledge that many people here will be horrified: my dad used to snack on peanut butter and mayonnaise sandwiches, to which he would always add a layer of plain potato chips.

It's not something I do often, but chips (crisps) in a sandwich make a nice crunchy contrast to a soft filling.

Pennsylvania Dutch, probably

They're called Pennsylvania Dutch. They speak an old dialect of German. In fact they're called Pennsylvania Dutch by the nonAmish (i.e. "English") around them because "dutch" is a bastardization of "Deutsch", i.e. the German word for German.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

I've never had crisps ("chips" to me) on a sandwich before. It's good to learn something new.


To my . . . friends from elsewhere . . . wouldn't the spread make the crisps soggy? I guess butter might not, but mayo would, I would think.

Hubby, an inveterate crisp sandwich maker insists only butter will do. I will admit to being vaguely disgusted and outraged at his blasphemy the first time I saw him do it, but over the years I've gotten used to doorstep crisp sandwiches piled thick with crisps and the ecstatic expression on his face, and the deafening crunching, as he works his way through one of those things. He prefers Walker's cheese and onion flavor, no other brand will do, although he's not averse to changing up to ready salted crisps liberally doused with Thai sweet chilli sauce or Louisiana hot sauce. I suppose the schoolboy never really leaves some men.

 

[LoquiSordidaAdMe]

Now if I could figure out that language ....

Yeah, yeah, guilty. I hadn't had my coffee yet, and my favorite editor wasn't available on such short notice.

 

[oggbashan]

...


They're called Pennsylvania Dutch. They speak an old dialect of German. In fact they're called Pennsylvania Dutch by the nonAmish (i.e. "English") around them because "dutch" is a bastardization of "Deutsch", i.e. the German word for German.

The parents of my wife's German friend (a penpal from her schooldays) speak Low German = Plat Deutsch, at home. My wife can understand it, but not speak it.

The Amish would understand Plat Deutsch although some words would be unfamiliar.

 

[Lori_the_Hoosier]

Pennsylvania Dutch, probably.

One year we took a Canadian friend from Quebec to Northern France. We had a meal in a restaurant. We were all speaking 'French'.

The Quebecois French puzzled the staff most. They winced at my Strine French but my wife's impeccable upper-class educated Parisian impressed them most. They had worked out that I was Australian (I'm not); our friend was from Quebec; but they thought my wife was French (she's not).

When I speak French in Paris poor Will grits his teeth and looks apologetically at serving staff while I comprehensively mangle their language. He's far too gentle to say anything, though, and he'd gnaw his own leg off before publically correcting me. Strangely enough, though, down here in the Var almost no-one speaks Académie Française French like he does, rather they speak a version of Occitan, a Catalan dialect which is weirdly like Cajun Créole, and Will's at a disadvantage because a lot of the people, especially the rural folk, can't understand his perfect French at all, so I have to translate for him.

 

[oggbashan]

When I speak French in Paris poor Will grits his teeth and looks apologetically at serving staff while I comprehensively mangle their language. He's far too gentle to say anything, though, and he'd gnaw his own leg off before publically correcting me. Strangely enough, though, down here in the Var almost no-one speaks Académie Française French like he does, rather they speak a version of Occitan, a Catalan dialect which is weirdly like Cajun Créole, and Will's at a disadvantage because a lot of the people, especially the rural folk, can't understand his perfect French at all, so I have to translate for him.

I have the same trouble with my 'Spanish'.

I thought I was learning Spanish from our maid and dockyard workers in Gibraltar. I wasn't. I was learning Llanito - which is only spoken in Gibraltar and in the neighbouring Spanish countryside. It is even further from Castilian than Occitan is from Parisian French - and almost every other word is a swearword in Spanish!

 

[TarnishedPenny]

I had a chap on my team years ago from the deep back woods of New Brunswick. He was an Acadian, a group left over from when France first colonized the area back in the 1500s and 1600s. Their ‘French’ is apparently much like Shakespearean English would be to us now. The Québécois found it easier to speak with him in English.

Québécois French is to Parisian French as Brooklyn English is to BBC English. Despite the official linguistic Apartheid there, most Franco Québécois use a lot of assimilated English words, like ‘gaz’ for gasoline vice ‘essence’.

 

[missyunderstanding]

Reality check

Question for Americans: Why do you call everyone else "foreigners?"

It would be unlikely that everyone born in any one country uses the same terms for any give topic. So you question is absurd from the get go. However, if all Americans did call everyone else that is from some other country "foreigners" it would likely be due to a correct understanding of the word.

The dictionary* defines "foreigner" as "a person born in or coming from a country other than one's own." So if Americans call people born in or coming from other countries foreigners it is because people born in or coming from other countries are foreigners.

If I visit another country I realize I am the foreigner. In itself there is no negative connotation and no reason to get your woke panties in a knot.

* A dictionary is a book that gives the correct spelling and meaning of words.

 

[Omenainen]

I have actually already played some kind of half-assed Arctic advisor to other authors, so I guess I could offer my brilliant insight on this thread. I live so far up north most people never even visit these latitudes, and on Southern Hemisphere there’s nothing on corresponding latitude except water, nearest landmass being Antarctica. (Kind of depressing, to be honest.) So, if anyone’s inclined to write something featuring cold and dark, I’ll be here, ready to help you get all the chilling details right.

 

[stickygirl]

Chip butty - it's not an American gay comic character. I'll admit I'm a chip butty whore with a bit of marg and mayo if it's within reach. Granary bread of course.

A saw a kid at school make a marg & sugar sandwich. I do hope he doesn't have diabetes by now

ETA just remembered mushy peas and / or curry sauce with (English) chips... Fries in US speak. Totally gross. Looks like a baby shat on your plate

 

[SimonDoom]

My hubby is probably what you'd describe as 'plummy-accented'. He sounds most of the time like one of those news announcers in the old Brit black and white war movies. My family loves listening to him because most of the time their Cajun ears just can't tune into his English 'Boarding-School' received pronunciation speech and he fascinates them. His actual pronunciation is wild, he'll say 'dine' for 'down', 'hice' for 'house', 'grind' for 'ground' and so on; anything with the 'ou' diphthong comes out 'i'. He makes me laugh when he says 'I can't look dine, the grind's going rind and rind'. Say that out loud and you'll know what an English top-tier boarding school boy sounds like.

When he says 'there', it comes out as 'thah', 'here' is 'hyah', 'what ' comes out as 'hwhat', 'why' as 'hwhy', and 'okay, yes' comes out as 'ikay, yah'. All his cousins and everyone he knows speaks that way, his aunt calls it 'Home Counties' and it is very nice to listen to, even after nearly 23 years, especially as he can't even hear it, he just thinks he sounds like the paperboy or the lady who runs the corner shop. All my friends think it's sexy, so I send him out to go and wash the horses or something when any of them are over, just in case they start making eyes at him and I have to go ninja-assassin on them.

This is a wonderful description. It made me laugh. I can just see it.

People from other countries often think of Americans as provincial and self-regarding, and in some ways we are, but we're also suckers for British accents. For many it doesn't even matter which British accent.

 

[gordo12]

What do you call people who live in countries other than the one you live in?

Disadvantaged

but we're also suckers for British accents. For many it doesn't even matter which British accent.

No, New Zealand. Those women have me at, "Hello!"
Australian women at "Hello Handsome!"
British Women at "I'm not wearing panties!"

 

[stickygirl]

This is a wonderful description. It made me laugh. I can just see it.

People from other countries often think of Americans as provincial and self-regarding, and in some ways we are, but we're also suckers for British accents. For many it doesn't even matter which British accent.

Hey Lori
ask him to say 'diet coke' and hear 'dark cake' He's proper posh

No, New Zealand. Those women have me at, "Hello!"
Australian women at "Hello Handsome!"
British Women at "I'm not wearing knickers!"

FYP

 

[yowser]

Any chance the spread was mustard?

 

[LoquiSordidaAdMe]

Any chance the spread was mustard?

Probably not. In the brief shot on screen, it had a very white-ish color. Butter was always my first instinct, but it seemed such an odd choice until Sam pointed out that mayo would make the crisps/chips soggy. And butter with cheese turned out to be tastier than I expected. I just wish I had better bread. I'll have to get to the bakery before I try this again.

 

[Zeb_Carter]

Hmm... I'm not a foreigner, but when I have a cheese sandwich I use mayo and/or mustard, then place several different cheese slices on(usually, cheddar, swiss, Monterey Jack), and then any flavor chips(or crisps for you foreigners) on the cheese. The chips/crisps stay crispy for the entire meal.

Then if I'm feeling like having a grilled cheese sandwich, I throw it in the pan with some butter and toast the outside.

 

[KeithD]

Back in the 1960s, a friend and I went to a Chinese Restaurant in Soho. The restaurant staff spoke Cantonese. My friend worked in the Foreign Office on the Chinese desk. We had two friends with us - a Swiss Nurse studying a specialty at a London Hospital, and her (Swiss) fiancé.

My friend had suggested the restaurant and we agreed to let him order once we had expressed general preferences. He ordered in fluent Cantonese, which surprised the staff.

The four of us talked as the meal was delivered. He and I spoke English but I had a strong Australian accent. The nurse spoke Swiss French. Her fiancé spoke Swiss German. We were discussing what the Swiss couple had seen in London and making suggestions for the next few days. The conversation was at a normal speed with no pauses to translate.

The Maitre D' came across to ask if everything was all right. My friend replied in Cantonese. The rest of us in English, before resuming our conversation.

The Maitre D' stayed beside the table before asking:

"I can understand two of you if the Australian terms are slightly puzzling, but the other two? What languages are they speaking? One sounds like French, but isn't and the other a sort of German."

We explained that they were Swiss. The Maitre D' went away shaking his head...

At the university in graduate school, my Chinese foreign policy professor came originally from Szechuan. His wife, my Chinese language professor, came from Beijing. Theirs was an arrangement marriage. He spoke Szechwanese (and broken English). She spoke Mandarin (and impeccable English). Even though Szechwanese is rooted in Mandarin unlike many other Chinese dialects, they could only speak to each other in broken English or by written note.

 

[SamScribble]

Although I spent a good deal of my life living in central London, I was born and bred in The Cotswolds, where the 'local' accent was only local to an area of about five square miles. To complicate matters further, three or four times a year, I would make the 50-mile journey to really foreign territory to stay with my grandmother in 'the valleys', just outside of Cardiff. My grandmother's first language was Welsh.

 

[Nellymcboatface]

A question for my British, English, Irish, Welsh, or Scottish friends.

I was watching The Mallorca Files on BritBox tonight, and the British detective mentioned a favorite meal being "a cheddar cheese sandwich with salt & vinegar crisps". In the final scene, she shows her German partner how she puts the crisps in the sandwich and eats it all together. When she opened her sandwich, there was some kind of spread on the bread. It may have been butter or mayonnaise or cream cheese. I couldn't tell.

My question is this. What is the typical spread that you would expect a Londoner to eat on a cheddar cheese sandwich?

I'm a fan of salt & vinegar chips and a bit of an anglophile, so I have to try this sandwich, and I want to make sure I get it right.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Margerine?

If.... It were my cheese and crisp sandwich I'd use Salad Cream, something that seems to be unique in the UK..
My Scottish friend in France can't obtain any, so I always smuggle a few bottles out to him whenever we go.
Much nicer than Mayo...
A Heinze sauce type product...

Although a chip butty would be preferred over crisps....