Is learning the language important when visiting countries for pleasure?

[DelRetiro]

19 hours ago, SolaceSoul said:

Considering that I am American myself, and biracial with a family tree that resulted forcibly from colonial dickheads, I think I've more than earned the right to call out colonial dickheadism when I see it. 

Wow, I didn't realize you were such a victim.

[SolaceSoul]

4 hours ago, DelRetiro said:

Wow, I didn't realize you were such a victim.

.... and THIS is why you really are a dickhead. 

[Guest bobbalino]

On 2017-06-15 at 11:04 PM, DelRetiro said:

I realize that there is so mich more for me to learn ... my ability to pronounce other languages is really horrible.  

True that.

[DelRetiro]

12 hours ago, SolaceSoul said:

.... and THIS is why you really are a dickhead. 

Professional victims are so easily offended.

[SolaceSoul]

13 hours ago, DelRetiro said:

Professional victims are so easily offended.

Says the guy who admits that he isn't capable of keeping more than one language in his head at a time.

[trencherman]

Ah, the age of Trump lives here.

[Guest KevinC]

Covfefe!!

[DelRetiro]

On 6/19/2017 at 5:39 AM, SolaceSoul said:

Says the guy who admits that he isn't capable of keeping more than one language in his head at a time.

I can't keep more than one second language in my head at a time.  You seem to be arguing here that my inability to learn multiple second languages somehow destroys my credibility.  Um, no, it's just how my mind works.  I'm not  embarrassed by it.  In fact, quite the opposite, I'm very proud of my level in Spanish.  You, on the other hand, should be extremely embarrassed for being a professional victim.  Oddly enough, however, you seem to be rather proud of  it.

[Guest bobbalino]

I am 100% Caucasian and my ancestors were colonial dickheads. Yet I am 100% on side with SolaceSoul's views on the language  topic. They are also consistent with others in the thread. How is he, then, a professional victim?!

Victim posturing is not his thing. He did not impute to you having dickhead qualities, DelRetiro, until you called him out for drawing on his particular personal context influencing his views on the relative responsibilities for tourists and host country citizens regarding language communication. We all have our unique backdrop impacting on this topic. Your micro-aggression lobbed at SolaceSoul, based on his background, was gratuitous and despicable. That the stink of racism, of "otherism", drives it is, in my view, incontrovertible. 

You yourself identified as leaning towards victimhood when you initially described an eloquent, sensible narrative related to your plans and goals, but then peculiarly and unnecessarily defended yourself from having SolaceSoul pronounce you as dickhead-ish if you were not to do more. Your relentless need to hold your ground and finger-point, have the last word, chanting your original assertions about SolaceSoul's makeup, simply further underscores your own victim stance. 

Between the two of you, "Georgie Peorgie Put-Upon Pie" is custom-printed exclusively on your T. 

[trencherman]

My short answer to the original question is a spoken language is a requirement of sex unless you are talented as
Marcel Marceau.

[SolaceSoul]

7 hours ago, bobbalino said:

I am 100% Caucasian and my ancestors were colonial dickheads. Yet I am 100% on side with SolaceSoul's views on the language  topic. They are also consistent with others in the thread. How is he, then, a professional victim?!

Victim posturing is not his thing. He did not impute to you having dickhead qualities, DelRetiro, until you called him out for drawing on his particular personal context influencing his views on the relative responsibilities for tourists and host country citizens regarding language communication. We all have our unique backdrop impacting on this topic. Your micro-aggression lobbed at SolaceSoul, based on his background, was gratuitous and despicable. That the stink of racism, of "otherism", drives it is, in my view, incontrovertible. 

You yourself identified as leaning towards victimhood when you initially described an eloquent, sensible narrative related to your plans and goals, but then peculiarly and unnecessarily defended yourself from having SolaceSoul pronounce you as dickhead-ish if you were not to do more. Your relentless need to hold your ground and finger-point, have the last word, chanting your original assertions about SolaceSoul's makeup, simply further underscores your own victim stance. 

Between the two of you, "Georgie Peorgie Put-Upon Pie" is custom-printed exclusively on your T. 

Thanks you, Bobb. The irony of this dickweed troll calling me a professional victim, while contorting himself into a pretzel about how his "mind works" only to allow him to learn English and an intermediate level of another language, is just delicious. 

There are tribal West Africans who know six or seven languages. I've interviewed Chinese immigrants who knew Cantonese and Mandarin, and learned English and Spanish within a few years of emigrating to North America. I meet Brazilians who speak Portuguese, Spanish, Italian, French and Spanish. I have a tenant whose principal language is French and his second language is German. He moved to the USA and now speaks English at more than an intermediate level.

He can pat yourself on the back for his mediocrity, yet use the "victim" label for others. Trumpian, indeed.

[Guest bobbalino]

4 hours ago, trencherman said:

My short answer to the original question is a spoken language is a requirement of sex unless you are talented as
Marcel Marceau.

Assume the position ...

 

[Tomcal]

I speak terrible Portuguese and Spanish but in all humility i can muster i can say that i get along well in and out of bed with Brazilians/mexicans/Czechs(my grandparents were immigrants from what was then Czechlaslovakia and spoke little English and were very poor) so i do not think you need a mastery of the language to have great sex or a fun social time but i do believe you need to make a effort to learn basic words as a sign of respect for your hosts/companions! At least that has worked very well the past 16 years for me!

[DelRetiro]

On 6/21/2017 at 8:29 PM, bobbalino said:

I am 100% Caucasian and my ancestors were colonial dickheads. Yet I am 100% on side with SolaceSoul's views on the language  topic. They are also consistent with others in the thread. How is he, then, a professional victim?!

Victim posturing is not his thing. He did not impute to you having dickhead qualities, DelRetiro, until you called him out for drawing on his particular personal context influencing his views on the relative responsibilities for tourists and host country citizens regarding language communication. We all have our unique backdrop impacting on this topic. Your micro-aggression lobbed at SolaceSoul, based on his background, was gratuitous and despicable. That the stink of racism, of "otherism", drives it is, in my view, incontrovertible. 

You yourself identified as leaning towards victimhood when you initially described an eloquent, sensible narrative related to your plans and goals, but then peculiarly and unnecessarily defended yourself from having SolaceSoul pronounce you as dickhead-ish if you were not to do more. Your relentless need to hold your ground and finger-point, have the last word, chanting your original assertions about SolaceSoul's makeup, simply further underscores your own victim stance. 

Between the two of you, "Georgie Peorgie Put-Upon Pie" is custom-printed exclusively on your T. 

You lost all credibility once you called me out for a so-called "micro-aggression."  You and SolaceSoul ... obviously, professional victims of a feather flock together.  For those of you who do not belong to the Cult of Victimhood, a "micro-aggression" is an offense that is allegedly racist/misogynist/homophobic/Islamophobic/pick-your-oppression, yet is undetectable to all reasonable & same human beings because in the absence of anything even remotely offensive, cultists of victimhood flat-out make sh*t up in order to perpetuate their self-indulgent delusions of victimhood.

For the record, I donated money (first time in my life) and volunteered 8-10 hours a week (also first time ever) in order to prevent Donald Trump from becoming  the GOP nominee and from being  elected President.  Leftists claim to be so intolerant of stereotyping, yet jump at every opportunity to stereotype whoever says something they don't like.  Hypocrisy, thy name is leftist.  And for my so-called obsession with getting the last word, I'll bet my bottom dollar that either you or Professional Victim Numero Uno, er, I mean, SolaceSoul has the last word on this topic.

TomCal, it sounds like you and I have the same approach.  Who knows, I might go to Brazil and love it so much that I keep going back, but my guess is that Rio will be a bucket-list trip, something to be done once in a lifetime.  If that's the case, learning ~10-12 words in Portuguese, plus my Spanish & English, plus a translation device should allow me to get by OK.

[SolaceSoul]

51 minutes ago, DelRetiro said:

Who knows, I might go to Brazil and love it so much that I keep going back, but my guess is that Rio will be a bucket-list trip, something to be done once in a lifetime. 

A once-in-a-lifetime bucket list trip? A trip done before you die? Then, by all means, book that trip to Brazil now.

[TotallyOz]

39 minutes ago, SolaceSoul said:

A once-in-a-lifetime bucket list trip? A trip done before you die? Then, by all means, book that trip to Brazil now.

A true asshole statement.

As are many others in this thread. I am not sure why some cant keep on topic. But, further attempts to bitch fight with each other in this thread will be deleted.

I have been to Brazil over 30 times and loved each one. But, I can't speak the language. I can get by in the saunas just fine with a few words.  That said, I usually hire a guide to be with me the whole time as it makes my trip easier and negotiations smooth.

I don't think you need to speak the language of the place you visit. I have been to 80 countries and most I don't speak the language. But, I do respect the people, their language and I do try to speak the words I learn.  Not hard to learn a few works everywhere you travel. 

For example, activio, passivo, total? Quantos Real? Mucho besos? Even if my pronunciation is wrong, most know what I mean.

[Guest bobbalino]

On 2017-06-15 at 11:04 PM, DelRetiro said:

I am not linguistically lazy.  I spend at least 10 hours a week watching  Spanish TV or reading Spanish.  It's quite a serious hobby.  Since I visit Spain every year, Spanish will be my sole focus.  I'm pretty sure that when I do go to Brazil, my half-dozen-word vocabulary, Bing Translate (or whatever device), a friendly smile, and a respectful attitude will be enough to avoid being considered a "colonialist dickhead."  Maybe you'll still consider me a colonialist dickhead, however, because frankly it sounds like you enjoy sneering at Americans.

You commenced your contribution to this post, DelRetiro, defending against any misattribution that might be made regarding your attitude towards Brasileiros and language communication. To my way of thinking you entered into the discussion with somewhat of a chip on your shoulder. That is why it is the height of irony that you label two contributors, and possibly more readers who are sufficiently lacking in choice of political leanings so as to conflate the whiff of oppression in your insult with racial non-neutrality, as supporting a Cult of Victimhood. So far, nobody has thrown you a much-needed lifeline as that chip you bear on the shoulder helps sink you into a quicksand bog of your own making. Too bad, as you started out well without the final words above.

[Guest bobbalino]

TotallyOz, you make good points as usual. Everyone was mostly "on page", though, until a slur was made that could not be ignored since it was so shocking but not completely surprising in the current political climate. I respect your judgment about editing.

[SolaceSoul]

26 minutes ago, TotallyOz said:

I  have been to Brazil over 30 times and loved each one. But, I can't speak the language. I can get by in the saunas just fine with a few words.  That said, I usually hire a guide to be with me the whole time as it makes my trip easier and negotiations smooth.

I don't think you need to speak the language of the place you visit. I have been to 80 countries and most I don't speak the language. But, I do respect the people, their language and I do try to speak the words I learn.  Not hard to learn a few works everywhere you travel. 

For example, activio, passivo, total? Quantos Real? Mucho besos? Even if my pronunciation is wrong, most know what I mean.

It has been said countless times here (by me, and others) that one doesn't have to be fluent in the language. One only needs to try, and do it with kindness and humility. To not do so makes one a "colonialist dickhead" (which, by the way, is far less preferable to me than being a snarky asshole on a message board to someone who is -- but your mileage may vary).

I've mentioned here before that I had a fellow American travel buddy (R.I.P.) who knew no other language but English. He had the most magnetic personality of almost anyone I'd ever met -- not to mention he had male supermodel looks and build. He would make feeble attempts at communicating in a foreign language, but mostly he would flash his pearly whites and everyone, male and female, would melt and be impresssed with his lame attempts at communication. HE could get away with it. Mere mortals without these demidog-like looks and charm should probably not try this method. Make an attempt at communicating with the locals in their language -- even if it's just a few key words and phrases. Otherwise, get a guide or a translator.

[DelRetiro]

7 hours ago, bobbalino said:

You commenced your contribution to this post, DelRetiro, defending against any misattribution that might be made regarding your attitude towards Brasileiros and language communication. To my way of thinking you entered into the discussion with somewhat of a chip on your shoulder. That is why it is the height of irony that you label two contributors, and possibly more readers who are sufficiently lacking in choice of political leanings so as to conflate the whiff of oppression in your insult with racial non-neutrality, as supporting a Cult of Victimhood. So far, nobody has thrown you a much-needed lifeline as that chip you bear on the shoulder helps sink you into a quicksand bog of your own making. Too bad, as you started out well without the final words above.

As stated before, professional victims of a feather flock together.

[demedici]

The original question was whether or not language was important for pleasure. I speak Spanish and Portuguese but I don't think language is critical specifically for pleasure. If your mouth is full of fat uncut cock, it you are enjoying a youthful round muscled ass, or doing everything you can not to scream for mommy while your hole is being opened up like a Chinese fortune cookie, you don't need any words that body language, or in a pinch,  bing or Google translate can't give you. 

But some of us crave something more than just the sex. We want a connection, friendship, or romance and frankly this is a lot more difficult to achieve without language or through a translator app; not impossible, but quite challenging. 

I will also add, if you are careless, as I've been twice, speaking Portuguese won't magically protect you from being robbed or taken advantage of by opportunistic garotos who figure out how to take advantage of you not speaking a lick of English. 

My two cents anyway. 

[Guest bobbalino]

... a fortune cookie whose message reads "Every exit is an entrance to new experiences."

[SolaceSoul]

Remember that after reading every fortune, you must add "in bed"!

[trencherman]

On 2017-06-23 at 9:01 PM, TotallyOz said:

I have been to Brazil over 30 times and loved each one. But, I can't speak the language. I can get by in the saunas just fine with a few words.  That said, I usually hire a guide to be with me the whole time as it makes my trip easier and negotiations smooth.

 

It's all settled then.  No need to learn the local language to have fun.  Just hire somebody who does.