The site author says that he used to travel extensively on business and determined that these were the vital phrases that every traveler should know "in as many languages as possible, because you just never know." The four phrases (humorously illustrated on the website—go look) are not at all what I would choose. Maybe the last one. But the others... not so much.
Let's see... I think the vital phrases would be more like:
- Where is the toilet?
- How much does it cost?
- Sorry. [and, knowing me...] Oh--uh--whoops--sorry--oh dear--really, really sorry. So sorry.
and in some countries:
- Ridiculous! For that price I should get twenty!
And of course, the always handy phrase in every* country around the world:
- My president is a very bad man. I didn't vote for him. And besides I'm Canadian. Please let me go.**
Anyway, the online Farsi dictionaries will not tell me how to say "thank you" to the person who complimented my photograph (the one at right). Listings in the online Farsi dictionaries include "thank," "thanker," "thankfulness," "thankworthy," and a few other such, but not "thank you." Annoying.
Of course, with the help of the four essential phrases site, I could tell the person who complimented my photograph, "beman dast nazan anja!" (the fourth phrase)
But I don't think that would be very nice.
In other Flickr news, if you google "Ulu Camii Bursa," my photo is the first hit.*** Try it.
There are a couple other tourist spots (mostly Turkish mosques) whose names, when googled, bring up my photos in the top five.
This frightened me at first, but I'm trying to get over it.
*Yes, every country. You don't believe me? A friend who spent time in Norway described how US tourists were getting attacked and beaten there b/c of Iraq. In Norway, for chrissakes.
**Yes, this is a shameless crib from the t-shirt Franklin described back in August. I wonder if that shirt has the phrase in Norwegian...
***Later that day: now TWO of my photos are the first two hits!! This is really weird. I'm not sure if I want every schoolkid writing a report on Ottoman architecture (okay who are we fooling? but still) to be looking at my photos.... worse yet... oh no... I wonder if there's some way for this to lead to my mother finding my blog???
2 comments:
Perhaps easier than learning the phrase, "My president is an idiot. I didn't vote for him. Please let me go" would be to learn a single word: Canadian. Yes, it's a lie, but a worthwhile one! Who hates Canadians?!? I completely agree with you. Who needs to know these phrases:
Where is my room?
Where is the beach?
Where is the bar?
Don't touch me there!
The beach? How does that help you if you're in 99.9% of the world that DOES NOT HAVE A BEACH? I find that drinking while travelling is often a bad idea (espeically if you don't speak the language and you're in a non-western country). And almost ALL hotel folks speak English, so why you'd need to know how to ask about your room is a mystery to me.
I totally agree with your list. Where is the toilet is perhaps the MOST important phrase you can learn. I think Thank you, Hello, and Sorry are all important. I find that bargaining is a universal language, so I'm not sure about needing to learn about asking about cost. Even if I don't understand what someone has told me in terms of cost, I act outraged! An elaborate dance results until I finally decide to buy.
Then I feel bad, especially when I realize that I was just arguing over PENNIES for the price of a dozen oranges. Pennies that mean nothing to me, but perhaps something to the person I'm bargaining with. But I get caught up in the performance. Oddly, though, people seem to appreciate that; they often WANT you to engage in the ritual.
I like this post. It's got me all fired up!
Glad I could get your mojo workin', Shakha.
My favorite variation on the "elaborate dance" is when the seller makes gestures to indicate that you, with your stingy offer, might as well be slitting his throat.
If he gets really upset he may grab nearby family members to help pantomime the fact that you are slitting the throats of his wife and children as well.
All those people who say "we're all really the same underneath" have never left their zip code. Or else they weren't paying attention.
If we were "really all the same," it would be SO deadly boring.
Incidentally, I used to feel guilty til I found out that the people who deal directly with tourists usually make a lot of money. They already cheated the poor person who made the object. If you want to help that person, you have to go trekking off into the hills and find him.
This logistical issue is, needless to say, why the city merchant can cheat the artisan and rip you off at the same time.
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