Why Hate France?? [Archive]

Louis VI the Fat

03-11-2006, 01:16

Ianofsmeg16

03-11-2006, 01:20

Cos i'm english, its the only thing we're good at!

rory_20_uk

03-11-2006, 01:22

Samurai Waki

03-11-2006, 01:26

In the inside your too much like America... or is it vice versa?

lancelot

03-11-2006, 01:29

I'm English. It's in my bones. Some things are in the national psyche and since it's taken about 1,000 to get them there, they ain't going any time soon.

I hate France at a viceral level. Everything france does right is a grudging admission that they didn't completely screw up, every mistake is further evidence that the universe is working properly.

~:smoking:

So true....

The question is 'why hate France?'. It would be so much quicker to list reasons why I dont hate France... :laugh4:

Only thing I can think of- a grudging respect for Napoleon....

....and Im done.

Only joking France, love ya really. :2thumbsup:

Soulforged

03-11-2006, 01:32

Evil_Maniac From Mars

03-11-2006, 01:37

I'm half Prussian. What more can I say?
I'll be invading in the summer. Watch out for me in Paris.

Redleg

03-11-2006, 01:47

To hate France would require me to care what effects of the French Government has on the world and most important myself.

Since I in no way shape or form care one bit about what France is doing, is about to do, or planning to do - I have no feeling one way or the other about them.

Now as for Parisians - well lets just say they make me :dizzy2:

Louis VI the Fat

03-11-2006, 02:17

To hate France would require me to care what effects of the French Government has on the world and most important myself.

Since I in no way shape or form care one bit about what France is doing, is about to do, or planning to do - I have no feeling one way or the other about them.No! No! For the love of God, love France or loathe France, but don't be indifferent towards her! It undermines my feeling of self-importance.

~:mecry:

Philippus Flavius Homovallumus

03-11-2006, 02:44

I'm English, I resent France on a national level. On an individual level I've met some very nice French people.

Why:

In 1066 you screwed up our country and it took 500 years just to get back to where we started.

Your women, on average, look better than ours.

Napoleon.

Leaving us in the lurch when we try and help you out.

Most of all, your self-importance.

In the end we English consoul our selves with the fact that we kicked your arse, repeatedly.

master of the puppets

03-11-2006, 02:52

i'm american, the french when they don't rip us off (american revolution and [i]then[i] the french revolution) are screwing us over and other than that they have no balls and seem to back out of any real engagemenrt since 1920 leaving us to spend the money and men to solve there problems.
plus they got napoleon

Kraxis

03-11-2006, 02:56

Becasue when we visit your country you expect us to talk french... I think we are streching far enough already by talking another foreign language (thus excludes US and UK citizens). It is only fair to be met halfway at least.

That is about the best argument I can come up with... I know pretty bad.
To be honest I have no qualms with France itself. Besides the arrogance, but as noted in the other thread we are all arrogant, especially if we have something to have it in, then we get super extra mega oversized arrogant. And in Scandinavia we tended to boost each other, like an evil friendly pressuregroup.

master of the puppets

03-11-2006, 02:59

i can understand trying to learn the language while there.

HunkinElvis

03-11-2006, 03:06

I mean, disregarding the fact that we nuke islands in the Pacific,
All nuclear powers begin as nuclear powers by testing their nukes. And France is not the only country to test it in the Pacific. And there are many other non-nuclear countries who are doing more damage with their own nuclear wastes.
Look at North Korea. They are advertising themselves as a nuclear power but no one will acknowledge it until they see a test.

blow up Greenpeace vessels in Australia,
I never heard about it. If you do not mention it then people will not use it as a reason to hate France.

colonized South-East Asia,
I do not know the details of the colonization. All I know is that South-East Asians became better cooks.

install sick puppet regimes in Africa,
Africans seem to like you still. A lot of them are moving to France. I know that there are plenty of famous Africans who have successful lives in France. The Africans who live in France and hate France do not hate France for the puppet regimes. A lot of those Africans are actually French nationals.

abondon America in war,
American textbooks never say that. They probably do in college, but American students rarely take the higher history courses. They just do not think it has anything to do with their life.

try to break-up Canada,
Bah! People make fun of you for losing wars, and then they make fun of you for being close to accomplishing something in the world. It is hard to please them. They are just jealous of you.

extort money from Europe
Hmm...People outside Europe do not care or do not know what you do with that continent.

and piss-off the English for a national sport,
I have never seen hooliganism between the French and the English. Plus, there are plenty of countries who would love to beat the strong English team and brag about it.

Kraxis

03-11-2006, 03:08

i can understand trying to learn the language while there.
If you re there for a week you learn nothing.
Three months is a worthwhile time to learn at least something. But we are talking about tourists.

It is simply annoying to step into a place, try to ask for something in english... Silent stare... try german... silent stare... try various hand gestures... silent stare... try danish in an annoyed voice... silent stare. By that time you are pretty convinced that at least once the intended person understood what you said but chose to not respond.
Or better yet, when asking for directions (take your pick of language) you get a response in french. Now I can make out a few things in french, but directions? If I ask in english it is because I can't speak french. If you can't (or won't) speak english or make yourself clear, then just make it clear that you can't help.

Ice

03-11-2006, 03:09

I don't hate the France, I just disagree with a lot of the decisions the government decides to make.

Soulforged

03-11-2006, 03:18

In 1066 you screwed up our country and it took 500 years just to get back to where we started.Seriously? I thought that William the Conqueror was the best king Britain had in all medieval history.

Kagemusha

03-11-2006, 03:41

I like your food, women and movies.:2thumbsup:Thats about it.~;)

Devastatin Dave

03-11-2006, 04:24

Hygiene, or lack there of.:laugh4:

Redleg

03-11-2006, 05:22

No! No! For the love of God, love France or loathe France, but don't be indifferent towards her! It undermines my feeling of self-importance.

~:mecry:

Unfortunately for you - I am indifferent towards all of Europe except for one country.

So I will have to undermine your feeling of self importance. :oops: :laugh4:

Alexanderofmacedon

03-11-2006, 05:37

I like the French...

One of my best friends is French...

Hell, France is awsome...

Yeah Louis!:2thumbsup:

solypsist

03-11-2006, 06:12

i love france. i have nothing bad to say about it, or its people.

i'm willing to bet that anyone who is decidely pro-american and anti-french has never been.

Tachikaze

03-11-2006, 07:49

I didn't hate France until Louis VI the Fat listed all those reasons in the first post. Now, I hope Bush invades.

I don't consider France very important, so I don't have strong opinions. I do disagree with a lot of their policies, but I have enough to worry about over here.

I haven't been to France, but the French students in my school are great. They have a much higher maturity level, general knowledge, and political views than most of my countrymen.

Sasaki Kojiro

03-11-2006, 07:57

Truffaut is cool. Luc Besson is cool. Dumas is cool. I like souffle and fondue. Van Gogh and Monet (et al).

Eh, that's all I really know about the French.

Zalmoxis

03-11-2006, 08:07

I don't hate France, I just find it funny that as a generalization they can't win a fight against a single Indonesian boy with crutches.

Haudegen

03-11-2006, 08:31

French language is far too difficult:furious3:

spmetla

03-11-2006, 08:36

I don't hate Franch myself but here's reason why I tend to dislike them.
The following are generalizations, not for ALL French.

Stuckup to tourists and as tourists
I don't understand how of all the "latin/germanic" languages they learned to pronounce things the way they do.
Louis the Fair killing off the Knights Templar
Screwing things up when they intervene yet hating when America does the same
That they have laws forcing 70% of whats on the radio during the daytime to be French.

I do however love the following about the French:
Women
Metric system
The variety of cheeses (I love cheese!!!)
Scimpy underwear for women
Participation in American Revolution
Fact that my ancestors come from France back when they were called Franks
Designing the FT-17 (First REAL tank)

Just A Girl

03-11-2006, 08:41

eating frogs and snails is the bigest problem i say.

but i like the french.
They agrivate the english :)

Just A Girl

03-11-2006, 08:52

william the conqueror wasnt always known by that name.
before he conquerd britain he was known as william the bastard.

you dont get a name like that cos every 1 likes you :)

Upxl

03-11-2006, 09:26

Well France is my neighbour,
And I must say that over the last couple of centuries they didn’t really don anything to piss us off.
K, they invaded us a couple a times, but we kicked them out (Battle of golden spurs).
Actually it seems that everybody who came in war with France sooner ore later kicked it’s ass.
Even the Germans succeeded in this a couple of times.:laugh4:

Also I dislike the fact that you have to get a young teenage girl to win the war for you.

But then you have some mayor plusses like The French revolution.:2thumbsup:
And the mutual “hate” against the English, thus keeping Europe a little bit more interesting.

InsaneApache

03-11-2006, 09:42

Fabian Barthez, AND he used to play for Man Utd. A double whammy then. :laugh4:

Banquo's Ghost

03-11-2006, 10:11

French rugby.

How a nation can play so wonderfully in one match that spectators are left slack-jawed in awe, and then the next play like schoolboys. Or, as in our recent match with you in Paris, change in the same match!

I love France. Intellect is actually valued there rather than sneered at in the Anglo-saxon world.

I love Paris. There's a little cafe at the top of Montmartre which is my little slice of paradise.

Actually, where's my passport? :idea2: All this talk - time for a weekend trip. (That's another thing to love - Paris is only a couple of hours away!)

Thanks Louis!

Brenus

03-11-2006, 10:20

Can I add other reasons to hate France?
Napoleon Code, Les Miserables (better known in England under Les Mis), exploring North America before the English, arrogant because always right, compare herself with US (not with any European neighbour), lost all the wars but still exist (miracle of history, difficult to explain) and succeeded to export French and Napoleon Code every where, against all odds.

France is a selfish country. In the past it is true that France invaded several countries in order to spread democracy in Europe, to free the slaves in Africa and to protect religious minorities in Asia. But now, France is against this Principe of a pro-active attitude.

France even defended the Pope, in Rome, against Italy. France had some Popes in Avignon.

This absolutely small and minor country produced the metric system and AGAIN succeeds to impose it to the world…

A lot of monarchy mottos are written in French.

This ungrateful country refuses to agree with G.W. Bush. After all what US did for it. France doesn’t belong to N.A.T.O., and kept its nuclear power out of reach.

Disregarding the fact that France is against Religions, France has the biggest Jewish and Muslim community in Europe.

France has the unique Foreign Legion, made with foreigners willing to fight for this stupid and small country.

France has its one movies industry and the actors are speaking in French.

The French speak French.

France stole every good idea like abolishing slavery before every body (4th of February 1794) even if slavery was re-establish by Napoleon.

The Napoleonic Wars aren’t the Wellingtonic Wars, even if Napoleon lost.

I will think for others reasons later…

Ironside

03-11-2006, 11:03

william the conqueror wasnt always known by that name.
before he conquerd britain he was known as william the bastard.

you dont get a name like that cos every 1 likes you :)

Considering that bastard originally means born out of wed-lock I'm suspecting that he was infact unusually well-liked (and talented) considering that he still succeeded quite well despite that "flaw".

Tribesman

03-11-2006, 11:20

before he conquerd britain he was known as william the bastard.

you dont get a name like that cos every 1 likes you
Are you American ? You must be as don't understand the English language do you , I suppose it is the 30 years of education that does it .:laugh4: :laugh4: :laugh4:

France stole every good idea like abolishing slavery before every body
Brenus , France was not the first European nation to abolish slavery .

Duke Malcolm

03-11-2006, 12:18

before he conquerd britain he was known as william the bastard.

England. He conquered England. We Scots take some pride in knowing no-one from the France took over our hallowed lands...

Anyhoo, why Scots may have a seething dislike for the France:

You call yourself the France, not just France.

You haven't managed to hold down a stable system of government for a decent amount of time since the Revolution.

You play down the British/American involvement in the Liberation of France, I believe.

Napoleon.

The French language.

Republicanism (and the support of the Revolutionaries in the American Revolution...).

The failure to turn to Protestantism in the Reformation (many Scots neglect the fact the Auld Alliance ended in the 16th century when Scotland was enlightened by John Knox whilst France kept alliegance to the Papist Pope).

They claim to have had the first Meridian line, through Paris, which is codswallop, since everyone knows it went through Dundee first.

There are many others, just can't think this early in the morning on a Saturday...

Marcellus

03-11-2006, 12:23

Seriously? I thought that William the Conqueror was the best king Britain had in all medieval history.

He did some not so nice things to North England:

From the Humber to Tees, William's men burnt whole villages and slaughtered the inhabitants. Foodstores and livestock were destroyed so that anyone surviving the initial massacre would soon succumb to starvation over the winter. The survivors were reduced to cannibalism, with one report stating that the skulls of the dead were cracked open so that the brains could be eaten.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Harrying_of_the_North

Brenus

03-11-2006, 13:01

“France was not the first European nation to abolish slavery .” So, which one? England abolished slavery in 1833. And I said it was re-establish by Napoleon….

Brenus

03-11-2006, 13:05

A French King Francois II married a Scottish Queen, Marry Stuart and become King of Scotland and France... If Mary would died without children, Scotland will belong to the Kingdom of France. No need to conquer Scotland...

InsaneApache

03-11-2006, 13:06

Denmark.

Philippus Flavius Homovallumus

03-11-2006, 13:12

William was the worst king we ever had, he was a ruthless bastard, litterally.

Bad things this Frenchman did:

Abolished elected monarchy,

Abolished Witan,

Abolished Thanes,

Killed off, relatively, nice English aristocracy,

Instituted oppressive feudal system.

Other reasons to hate France:

French revolution,

Metric, which is all fidley,

Inspiring America to revolt.

Totally undemocratic.

Oppressive regime.

lancelot

03-11-2006, 13:16

I don't hate France, I just find it funny that as a generalization they can't win a fight against a single Indonesian boy with crutches.

generalisation? :laugh4:

Brenus

03-11-2006, 13:18

Ultras DVSC

03-11-2006, 13:23

My american civilization teacher also hates France and French people on the whole. He doesn't know a concrete reason, according to him that's a tradition in his fatherland... :grin:

Dutch_guy

03-11-2006, 13:25

Truffaut is cool. Luc Besson is cool. Dumas is cool. I like souffle and fondue. Van Gogh and Monet (et al).

Eh, that's all I really know about the French.

LOL you do realise that Van Gogh is Dutch don't you ?

:balloon2:

Paul Peru

03-11-2006, 14:42

Hélène et les garçons:knuddel:

[DnC]

03-11-2006, 15:19

LOL you do realise that Van Gogh is Dutch don't you ?

:balloon2:

Was about to say the same thing. Saw a documentary yesterday about him on Discovery Channel. Quite interesting I must say. He sure liked to walk!! The guy walked from London to somewhere 160KM away! Took him three days. One time he even walked to Brussels from somewhere I don't know, but it took him a week according to the docu. What a coot!

The closest to France I have been was Belgium.. Hard to say anything about France if I haven't experienced it myself.

Fragony

03-11-2006, 15:34

I like france really, people that complain about rude behaviour probably went to different parts of it then me. What is there not to like, great food, great scenery and it reminds me of how hot dutch woman are. Viva la France, actually going to Paris tommorow :2thumbsup:

Kaiser of Arabia

03-11-2006, 17:29

Taffy_is_a_Taff

03-11-2006, 18:44

I used to live with a bunch of French people. I have very mixed feelings as some were great and others weren't.

[DnC]

03-11-2006, 18:47

I used to live with a bunch of French people. I have very mixed feelings as some were great and others weren't.

I'm sure you could say the same about people from your own country.

Taffy_is_a_Taff

03-11-2006, 18:52

']I'm sure you could say the same about people from your own country.

er, yeah, your point being?

doc_bean

03-11-2006, 18:55

This should be a poll....

Viking

03-11-2006, 18:55

Frog legs, snails. :inquisitive:

Taffy_is_a_Taff

03-11-2006, 18:57

Frog legs, snails. :inquisitive:

frogs legs are good, smother them in garlic butter, yumyum for my tumtum.

:2thumbsup:

Viking

03-11-2006, 18:59

frogs legs are good, smother them in garlic butter, yumyum for my tumtum.

:2thumbsup:

:inquisitive:

BigTex

03-11-2006, 19:00

Its not that I completely loathe France, its more of a deep seeded announce. They have lost and been conquered so many times its not funy yet still they persist. They are a small and relatively unimportant country in the world of things. Yet they think their opinions are the most important and carry the most weight. They have funnled oil out of iraq secrely prior to the war supported by their ally's. Thier politicians were massively involved in the oil for food scandle, that one really gets me. They oppose America at every turn. They are part of NATO but are helping the chinese build a next gen helicopter. They always have to build their own planes, ships, weapons even if it costs more and is horribly worse. They only work till 3 pm. They speak french. Their women have bad higene, and need to shave. They have horrid tasting food, come to Texas if you want some good food, just ask for some Barbecued brisket. They drink wine, not beer. They think they have a more sophisticated sense of art, yet in front of their national art museum they have a wreched post modern glass pyramid. I'll probably have to list some more reasons, later. Soly, ridicolus.~:wave:

master of the puppets

03-11-2006, 19:56

well big tex said alot of what i think, they are way to arrogant (as a person and as a whole) and we should just give um back to the germans...but we get all there fine art like da vinci and stuff. or at least send it back to italy.

Philippus Flavius Homovallumus

03-11-2006, 20:30

“Inspiring America to revolt” ??????

“You call yourself the France, not just France.”: The England?

“Totally undemocratic.” Explain, please…

“Oppressive regime.” Same, explain….

1. "The Social Contract"

2. Chirac.

3. You can't wear a cross in public, or a headscarf.

I was also being a little flippant.

[DnC]

03-11-2006, 20:41

er, yeah, your point being?

You can meet people whom you feel are great or outright twats from any nation. It just sounded as if you are trying to write off a country by a few individuals. I could be wrong however. I'm not attacking you if you might think that.

Sasaki Kojiro

03-11-2006, 21:00

LOL you do realise that Van Gogh is Dutch don't you ?

:balloon2:

French, Dutch, what's the difference?:2thumbsup:

Avicenna

03-11-2006, 22:31

Intellect is actually valued there rather than sneered at in the Anglo-saxon world.

Doesn't matter if intellect isn't valued where you're from. It just makes things easier because the weak but intelligent people who succumb to peer pressure and do not do well aren't rivals anymore. The problem is the fear that your children would do the same.

Taffy_is_a_Taff

03-11-2006, 23:38

']You can meet people whom you feel are great or outright twats from any nation. It just sounded as if you are trying to write off a country by a few individuals. I could be wrong however. I'm not attacking you if you might think that.

Truly, I have mixed feelings about many places because of the variety of people I have known from different areas. When I say mixed feelings I really mean mixed feelings rather than bad feelings. I have had very few positive experiences with people from certain places and would not hesitate to mention it (although it has led to me being accused of bigotry) if it came up. The French though, probably a 2:1 ratio of French people I have known to be good rather than gits.

Edit: or to put it better, for every French person I've known whom I was thoroughly apathetic towards, I have known 2 whom I have liked.

Brenus

03-11-2006, 23:47

1. "The Social Contract" Rousseau, the man Voltaire ask to eat grass, a revolutionary?

2. Chirac. He was elected, as good, if not better that G. W. Bush. At least it wasn’t his brother who declared the elections valid… Well, they are in the same pollitical side, at least…

3. You can't wear a cross in public, or a headscarf. Go to France to see, you will have a shock…

Please I want real reasons, valid point of view. Ok, I accept Rousseau… Chirac, with an effort, is accepted.

I find on other reason to hate France. Without the French Fleet and the French Army, Yorktown wouldn’t have to surrender, because the reinforcement could have arrived and the USA wouldn’t exist. That is a very GOOD reason to hate France for this reason, for a lot of people…

“or at least send it back to italy.” Euh, the Mona Lisa was bought by Francis 1st.

“They are part of NATO” No, they aren’t. They share the Integrated Command, but they are independent (to use Nuclear Power), in theory.

Soulforged

03-12-2006, 00:00

He did some not so nice things to North England:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Harrying_of_the_North
Though that's terrible, it's also very typical of medieval Europe, even more for a man with the name of "Conqueror", I really don't know anyone in history who went for that name and didn't massacred anyone in the wake.

William was the worst king we ever had, he was a ruthless bastard, litterally.That depends on your perspective. Looking at it from a third party's point of view (without being british) I can say that he relatively did what he had to do to consolidate power, a clever and harsh man. Let's see:

Abolished elected monarchy,That's bad for you, no one said that elective monarchy is the paradigm of goodness and in 1066 it wasn't a good measure.

Killed off, relatively, nice English aristocracy,Remember Machiaveli.:2thumbsup:

Instituted oppressive feudal system.Wich feudal system isn't oppressive?:laugh4:
You should compare him to previous kings and to the next ones to see if was the best or not.

master of the puppets

03-12-2006, 01:23

“or at least send it back to italy.” Euh, the Mona Lisa was bought by Francis 1st.

oh, ok.

we would have still won the revolution without the french navy,more lives would have been lost and the conflct prolonged but the british would still be forced to pull out due to the tremendous expense of the war. not saying i'm ungrateful to the french for that, cause i am, thanks for the help 200 years ago. but i consider that paid off by our freindly aid to the french in WW1 and WW2.

Divinus Arma

03-12-2006, 01:39

I don't hate France. But some things that irk me:

(1) If you do not speak French in France, you are virtually despised and ignored. (By comparison, if you come to the U.S. and speak french, we will try and help you. But also, Spanish is disgusting to me since it is destroying our English heritage.)

(2) The French are really dirty. They rarely bathe and frequently cover themselves in perfume to mask the foul musk of their hairy women and effeminate men. Paris is a dirty city. [While I have never been to France, my wife has been there twice for weeks on end]

(3) They think waaaaay too highly of themselves in their sense of importance in world affairs. Sorry France, but you are not the global leader. You aren't even the regional leader of the EU.

(4) Too supportive of Middle Eastern idiots. Oh well, you guys are payin the price now with your illegal immigrant boomskis. I can't be mad at you for that. Hopefully, a lesson will be learned.

Aside from that, I like France. France is one of the greatest allies of the US and I would like to see a closer relationship between us. I also like your foreign legion. Cool idea.

Soulforged

03-12-2006, 03:17

Kaiser of Arabia

03-12-2006, 03:23

No te preocupes amigo tomátelo con calma y vas a ver como pasa, después de todo no es el fin del mundo, es todo sobre globalización, que, ya que estamos, los favorece más a ustedes que al mundo hispano.:2thumbsup:
Aber, wir sind nicht Argentinian oder Mexicanisch, wir sind Amerkanerin weil wir aus Amerika kommen. DA und Ich, das ist, aber nicht dich.

Ich weiß, das Deutsch bist die übersprache, weil ich Deutschland liebe. Aber, ich spreche kein Deutsch. Es tut mir leid.

Tschüß!

(500 gramatical errors in there :laugh4: )

Divinus Arma

03-12-2006, 05:34

No te preocupes amigo tomátelo con calma y vas a ver como pasa, después de todo no es el fin del mundo, es todo sobre globalización, que, ya que estamos, los favorece más a ustedes que al mundo hispano.:2thumbsup:

Despite not caring for espanól, I still need to learn it since the SouthWest United States is rapidly becoming Northen Mexico.

Let's see, I'll try to translate what I think this means without using the internet translator...

Do not worry friend tomátelo with calma and vas a ver whats up, después of everything no is the fin of the mundo, is everything sobre globalization, why, when estamos, those in favor of more of you who are spanish.

Gah. I shouldn't worry because I will see that something will happen and that something is good for both of us, and it has to do with globalization. I really have no idea what you said. Damn, I need to learn this language. I hear the same rapid-fire gurgling everyday in So Cal.

French at least sounds kinda pretty.

According to a cheesey internet translator, you said this:

You do not worry to friend tomátelo with calm and you are going to see as it happens, after all is not the aim of the world, is everything on globalización, that, since we are, favors more to you than to the Hispanic world.

Okay that clears up alot. huh?

Strike For The South

03-12-2006, 06:29

No te preocupes amigo tomátelo con calma y vas a ver como pasa, después de todo no es el fin del mundo, es todo sobre globalización, que, ya que estamos, los favorece más a ustedes que al mundo hispano.:2thumbsup:

Dont worry my friend you take it to serouisly after golblazation the favored language will be diffrent lots of Spainsh/ Hispacnis

Damn Mexican dialect is el diffrent. Yo es Alumbardo Tal vez en manna Buenos Noches

Kaiser of Arabia

03-12-2006, 06:59

Abababbababababa;tgj3raoef,mavm gf940 hytngalkvmkl;anf awnrtof; cnbvaiwkmtgf jao;nv aknf e

^ Makes more sense to me than spanish. Sorry.

yesdachi

03-12-2006, 07:10

Thanks for the Statue of liberty (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Statue_of_liberty), France!

I don’t hate the French. And aside from the snobby façade, I only have one beef with the country. Why so wussy (http://dictionary.reference.com/search?q=wussy) all the time?

Shaka_Khan

03-12-2006, 09:29

Ouch.

Just A Girl

03-12-2006, 10:21

Lots of people were born out of wedlock.

And william was the bastard son Duke Robert the 1st of Normandy.
this dosent change the fact that he was dissliked enough for people to call him William the bastard.

being called such a thing or to have been born out of wedlock, was not a good thing back then, much worse than it is these days.

so to activley call him william the bastard is to show dissrispect and distain, and he was not very well liked.

his name didnt change becousl he liked being called a batsrad now did it.

Brenus

03-12-2006, 11:20

“he was disliked” He WASN’T dislike. He was a bastard; in term of he was the son of the Duke, Robert Le Magnifique and one of his mistresses, the favourite one Arlette. He wasn’t the son of a legitimate marriage. He became Duke at 7, and if he should have been disliked, at this period, he would never reach the age of 8. The barons kept their words made to his father, more or less.
Bastard is just a status, in this case, not an insult.
Not that to be a bastard was easy, even at that times, and he didn't took mistresses himself, staying with Mathild.

InsaneApache

03-12-2006, 11:37

It seems that his horse suddenly shied away from a fiery ember of the smoldering ruins. The horse took William and threw him violently into the saddle's iron pommel (that big knob on the front of the saddle).

His injuries were solely internal, but severe. The saddle burst his intestines and waste matter began to fill and poison his intestines.

Peritonitis (inflammation of the abdominal cavity membrane) quickly set in. William was carried to Rouen where he slowly died over a period of five weeks. Pus filled his intestines.

William died on September 9, 1087 at the age of sixty years.

Within minutes, the servants stole everything from his residence - including his clothes - and left his swollen, lifeless body lying naked on the floor.

An obscure knight named Herluin was the first to discover William's nude body. At his own expense (he was not a wealthy man), he arranged for the body to be prepared for the funeral and transported to Caen.

Just before the solemn funeral procession reached the church, the cries of fire were heard. The mourners were forced to put his coffin down and go fight the fire. Eventually, they put the fire out, returned to the body, and continued it along its way to the church.

The funeral was held on a blisteringly hot day. As a result, his abscess had swelled and became putrid.

When they tried to fit William's body into a custom made sarcophagus (stone tomb), they found out that it had swelled so much that it would not fit in!

What to do? What to do?

Very simple - squeeze him in!

They tried pushing him in to no avail. They then pushed on his swelled abdominal wall.

William the Conqueror's body burst like a popped balloon!

The pus and putrefaction drenched the King's burial garb. The stench filled the chapel. The mourners raced for the doors with their hands covering their noses. Needless to say, they buried him very quickly!

His body was allowed to rot in peace until 1562 when the Huguenots dug him up and threw his bones all over the courtyard.

Couldn't have happened to a nicer bloke. :sweatdrop:

Brenus

03-12-2006, 11:39

“They rarely bathe and frequently cover themselves in perfume to mask the foul musk of their hairy women and effeminate men.” Why using good water to bath? Only dirty people take shower… And perfumes are kept for exportation….

“They think waaaaay too highly of themselves in their sense of importance in world affairs. Sorry France, but you are not the global leader. You aren't even the regional leader of the EU.” So who is in charge of the thinking? The sinking, we know, it starts with U… Hops, wrong place to write that, sorry...:laugh4:

“but I consider that paid off by our freindly aid to the french in WW1 and WW2.”: Except that in both cases mentioned, it wasn’t a voluntary movement, but US were attacked by Germany or allies (sinking of Lusitania, Zimmerman Telegram, and Pearl Harbour, then declaration of war to US by Germany). US hadn’t really a choice.:no:
Louis VXI, following what we call today a lobbying campaign organised by Benjamin Franklin, helped by La Fayette, sent money, troops and ships to fight the UK. It could have as motivation to seek revenge of the lost of Canada and India. Unfortunately for him, because the US negotiated separately with UK (against all agreements) his plans failed. The Kingdom of France plugged in debts, then he lost his throne, then his head. And the French Republic took over…:2thumbsup:

Soulforged

03-12-2006, 22:08

Despite not caring for espanól, I still need to learn it since the SouthWest United States is rapidly becoming Northen Mexico.LOL- Remember that your land is oportunity, never forget that spirit in spite of the foreign, after all every land in the world is formed after a thousand inmigrations.

Do not worry friend tomátelo with calma and vas a ver whats up, después of everything no is the fin of the mundo, is everything sobre globalization, why, when estamos, those in favor of more of you who are spanish.

Gah. I shouldn't worry because I will see that something will happen and that something is good for both of us, and it has to do with globalization. I really have no idea what you said. Damn, I need to learn this language. I hear the same rapid-fire gurgling everyday in So Cal. The problem with learning from any native language to spanish, english, french (and portuguese) and perhaps japanese (between the more famous of course) is that you've to change the way you move your mouth and your tongue. For example there's an old counsel here that says: "To learn to speak english imagine having a potato in your mouth and try to speak with it".

French at least sounds kinda pretty.The same happens to me with english.

According to a cheesey internet translator, you said this:
You do not worry to friend tomátelo with calm and you are going to see as it happens, after all is not the aim of the world, is everything on globalización, that, since we are, favors more to you than to the Hispanic world.Yes it's very cheesy. What I said was this: "Don't worry frind take it easy and you'll see how it gets better, after all it's not the end of the world, is all about globalization that, by the way, favours you more than the hipanic world.
The word "tomátelo" is an argentinism of the spanish word "tomatelo" (<you> take it), the written accent makes all the difference, for instance you don't necessarily have to learn that kind of word, for what I know what is teached is a neutral spanish, pure in the sense of emptied of all national modism (though some mexicanism you'll have to learn I suppose :laugh4: ).

TheSilverKnight

03-12-2006, 23:04

“France was not the first European nation to abolish slavery .” So, which one? England abolished slavery in 1833. And I said it was re-establish by Napoleon….

Actually, iirc, Sweden abolished slavery sometime in the 1300's...so that would've been the first modern European nation to abolish slavery.

Louis VI the Fat

03-12-2006, 23:46

It is simply annoying to step into a place, try to ask for something in english... Silent stare... try german... silent stare... try various hand gestures... silent stare... try danish in an annoyed voice... silent stare.
.Yeah, yeah, English, German, Sign language, Danish - crap, we're just very politely, in silent astonishment, waiting for that foreigner to finally figure out that French is the language of France.

Also, if somebody doesn't speak English as a foreign language, what are the odds they speak any other? Why do all those foreigners persist in trying your sign language, Danish, Swahili, Thai, Gwastrbmnlytiti or whatever incomprehensible foreign gibberish on us? :help:

Or better yet, when asking for directions (take your pick of language) you get a response in french. Now I can make out a few things in french, but directions? If I ask in english it is because I can't speak french. If you can't (or won't) speak english or make yourself clear, then just make it clear that you can't helpBut they are trying to make clear that they can't help you.
Obviously, they will have to do so in French - if they could do it in any mutually intelligable language, they would've helped you in the first place.:balloon2:

Louis VI the Fat

03-12-2006, 23:53

*Louis, having a coffee and reading his newspaper in the spring sun*
11:15
"Parlez-moi, excuse vous Anglais?'

Eventually figures out what they want: 'Sure, mate. First left, take the metro, two stops'. :sweatdrop:

*resumes reading*
11:17
"Oi, sup manz, i is from Ingerland an its fukin chav central innit an' i need to know whereabouts me an' me blads can get ourselves pissed?

Eventually figures out what they want: 'Sure, mate. First left, take the metro, two stops'. :sweatdrop:

*resumes reading*
11:18
"Obeecham te kato lud. Tseluni me? Vinaghee si fmislite mee!"

'Pourriez-vous parler plus lentement s'il vous plaît?'

"Obeecham-te-kato-lud. Tseluni-me?"

*Louis stares silently*

"Obeecham te kato lud. Tseluni me!!???"

*goes off to the park*

rory_20_uk

03-13-2006, 00:11

Can't understand English, even at a basic level? Where have they been the last 50 years.

My favourite story was one Frenchie who was doing the usual impression of a brain dead peasant when faced by the World's dominant language. He drops with pain in his chest. The nearest medic to him is English, and Frenchie sings like a bird in near fluent English when he needs something.

Yes, French used to be the language of the educated world (Lingua Franca). It's not any more, and if you're lucky it might not end up next to Latin as a dead language.

But if you want to be known as a land of unhelpful pr*cks, go on pretending that "je ne comprend pas.."

~:smoking:

mystic brew

03-13-2006, 00:21

i've spent a year working in france, and i just don't don't get the vast majority of things that have been said about the french.

I think it's more that we are essentially very similar as countries, but we exagerate the small differences...

And on the language front, i have never found the french to be unhellpful if you make the slightest effort. and by that i mean learning the phrase "excuse-moi, je ne parle francais, desole"

*shrug* vive la difference.

InsaneApache

03-13-2006, 00:30

I have to say that my schoolboy French enabled me to get the right autoroute to Luxembourg from the first toll on the road from Basel.

My French was awful and her English was non-existant. But I flashed my ice-blue Anglo-Saxon eyes, smiled, said Bonjour, common tally vu, then shouted as loud as I could, "Where the bloody hell is Luxumbourg!"

A Gallic shrug quickly followed, so I gave in.

"Belgique, Belgique" I cried in desperation...."Ahh" she replied and handed moi a notre.

Faultless directions for another 300 miles.

Vivre la Madamme!!! :2thumbsup:

Divinus Arma

03-13-2006, 00:43

The same happens to me with english.

You find english pretty?

I always had a kind of scale for my respect for languages in terms of how they sound:

French
Proper English
Russian
American English
Japanese
Dutch
German
Farsi or other Arabic
Chinese
Trailer Park English
Spanish
Ebonics
Thai
Vietnamese

On the other hand, I have a different repect for languages based on my perspective of their difficulty to learn:

Any asian language
Any Arabic language
Russian
English
German or dutch
French
Spanish

I'm not a fan of Spanish, but I consider learning it one of my life's goals. It is a necessity in SW U.S. I would also like to learn French and German for pleasure, since there is no utility in it for me just yet.

Louis VI the Fat

03-13-2006, 01:22

Papewaio

03-13-2006, 02:45

Okay, our turn to start an omg-quick-hand-me-some-Kleenex-because-they-all-hate-us whine thread.

I mean, disregarding the fact that we nuke islands in the Pacific, blow up Greenpeace vessels in Australia, colonized South-East Asia, install sick puppet regimes in Africa, abondon America in war, try to break-up Canada, extort money from Europe and piss-off the English for a national sport, what have we ever done to deserve the world's wrath?

Let's hear it, lads.

The French government blew up a Greenpeace vessel in New Zealand not Australia. Which was a terrorist action, and it was planned to kill more of the crew then it did... only a birthday party kept the crew up... I think the terrorists got promotions and medals on the return to France...

Along with testing nuclear weapons in an atoll... ie compressed coral... kind of porous... not a good place for long term storage of waste.

Colonized South-East Asia... thankfully not that much.

Installing sick puppet regimes in Africa... is there any option to do anything else there?

Trying to break up Canada... do the French Canadians speak modern French or some argot that died a century or two ago?

Pissing off the English for a national sport is an international game that the French don't even excel in.

As for Rugby... best team in the world one half, worst in the second. They are like elves in bloodbowl.

As for speaking French in France... fair enough it seems to be the logical place to speak it. Obviously a tourist will have an easier time traveling in Aus if they speak English, I have seen plenty of tourists who cannot speak English have Aussies help them out as much as possible to find their way.

I have trouble though figuring out why the French think they are so good... considering two tiny countries on their borders make such fine chocolate and are the preferred choice around the world, that Italian way of making coffee seems to be the prefered choice around the world, Dutch cheese seems to be the prefered choice around the world, Spanish and Italian olive oil seems to be the prefered choice around the world, English seems to be the seems to be the prefered choice around the world for business language, seems to be the prefered choice around the world for music, German engineering seems to be the prefered choice around the world.

I'm just curious to think what French things are the prefered choice around the world?

Kaiser of Arabia

03-13-2006, 02:57

The only good thing France has ever done is blow up a greenpeace vessel in New Zealand ~D *hides from pape*

Soulforged

03-13-2006, 03:56

You find english pretty?Of course I do, particulary in songs, even raps songs where I understand little of what is said (though for many people the less they get of the song the more they like it).

But if you want to be known as a land of unhelpful pr*cks, go on pretending that "je ne comprend pas.."This is not exclusive of the french is just common sense. If you go to a country where at least half of the people speak only one language then the odds of finding one that speaks yours is 1 on 1. You can't spect for every french to speak english, or viceversa.
Here for example, if you ever come, be careful of trying to buy something in centric areas and comercial centers, only knowing spanish, you've to learn the typical language of Argentina and specially of Buenos Aires, if not then get prepared to get blackmailed and other things, many traders like to do that to strangers.:2thumbsup:

Crazed Rabbit

03-13-2006, 04:19

Are you American ? You must be as don't understand the English language do you , I suppose it is the 30 years of education that does it .

Whoa, easy on the America-bashing there, Tribesy. J.A.G. is from Wales. And besides, you don't have a perfect understanding of English. :laugh4: :laugh4: :laugh4:

As for France, I think its a matter of arrogance and how it's easy to make fun of them for being 'cheese eating surrender monkeys'. Plus, recently they worked against the US and they have a history of trying to have it both ways and not fully backing their allies (cold war & Russia, middle east, Iraq & Iran).

Crazed Rabbit

Slyspy

03-13-2006, 04:44

Ironside

03-13-2006, 14:58

Actually, iirc, Sweden abolished slavery sometime in the 1300's...so that would've been the first modern European nation to abolish slavery.

Well, uhm :sweatdrop:

We did abolish slavery at the homefront early, but when it comes to African slaves, special rules were applied. Slavery were fully abolished 1848, quite late due to the fact that the small colony S:t Bartélemy only had slave-trade as the main income. The colony was never espcially successful in that aspect though.

English assassin

03-13-2006, 15:05

31-6. I need say no more. ~:mecry:

mystic brew

03-13-2006, 15:08

oooh. french rap is fantastic!

another in the plus column.

also, free running!

https://youtube.com/watch?v=YLO0EJ-Vx0I&search=free%20running%20

Avicenna

03-13-2006, 15:25

Louis VI the Fat

03-13-2006, 15:35

“In Paris they simply stared when I spoke to them in French; I never did succeed in making those idiots understand their language.” – Mark Twain

“Boy, those French, they have a different word for everything.” – Steve Martin

“Mathematicians are like Frenchmen: whatever you say to them they translate into their own language, and forthwith it is something entirely different.” – Johann Wolfgang von Goethe
“Germans with good food.” – Fran Lebowitz

“There would come a time when, if I had compared my life to a cake, the sojourns in Paris would have presented the chocolate filling. The intervening layers were plain sponge.”
– A. J. Liebling

“All Good Americans when they die, go to Paris.”
– Oliver Wendell Holmes

“The French make two mistakes about me: They think I’m an intellectual because of my glasses. And they think I'm an artist because my films always lose money.” –Woody Allen

“It's all very well in practice, but it will never work in theory.” – French management saying

Vladimir

03-13-2006, 15:58

Someone help me with this paraphrase:

I love French food, women, and wine; but I hate the French. (modified for emotional impact).

I just look at them as feminized Germans. Although, the Germans have gotten pretty girly themselves. I can’t wait until they have to start paying for their own national defense.

End the American occupation! Liberate Germany!!!

Kraxis

03-13-2006, 16:59

You find english pretty?

I always had a kind of scale for my respect for languages in terms of how they sound:

French
Proper English
Russian
American English
Japanese
Dutch
German
Farsi or other Arabic
Chinese
Trailer Park English
Spanish
Ebonics
Thai
Vietnamese

On the other hand, I have a different repect for languages based on my perspective of their difficulty to learn:

Any asian language
Any Arabic language
Russian
English
German or dutch
French
Spanish

I'm not a fan of Spanish, but I consider learning it one of my life's goals. It is a necessity in SW U.S. I would also like to learn French and German for pleasure, since there is no utility in it for me just yet.
I feel insulted! Danish is about the most difficult language there is to learn. Not only do we speak in a different manner everybody else (more or less), our grammar is so filled with excemptions from the rules that we have in all reality abandoned it (thus forcing people to learn it by hearing and reading it), our spoken language is nothing like the written, even if you follow Danish rules of pronouncation. And finally the rate of change in the language is extremely fast, forcing changes of spelling and meanings in the dictionaries, despite the best efforts of various societies to slow this down to a more manageable level.

Philippus Flavius Homovallumus

03-13-2006, 17:45

I don't hate France. But some things that irk me:

(1) If you do not speak French in France, you are virtually despised and ignored. (By comparison, if you come to the U.S. and speak french, we will try and help you. But also, Spanish is disgusting to me since it is destroying our English heritage.)

Not actually true, not in most of the places you go as a tourist anyway.

'Parlez-moi, excuse vous Anglais?'

I apologise on behalf of my country, that is about the only French i do know,

'Excuse-moi, parlez vous Anglais?'

See. I can just about manage that, asks for crepes; and the bill.

I tried to learn French and failed, I get most of the words but I can't string them together. :(.

Actually, national prejudice aside, I quite like France and French people; the rural ones anyway. Which reminds me, I'm going to Paris in a few weeks.

BigTex

03-13-2006, 18:07

Originally posted by Louis VI the Fat
Yeah, yeah, English, German, Sign language, Danish - crap, we're just very politely, in silent astonishment, waiting for that foreigner to finally figure out that French is the language of France.

Wait a moment, France doesnt speak German yet? They've been invaded, surrendered and occupied by them twice just in the last century. Hopefully they have learned to say "I surrender" in german at least. The sinking of the greenpeace vessel was certainly one of the greatest acts of the French in their history. Now if they'd only do it more regularly it make the world a much friendlier place, but that'd make them unfrench like.:laugh4:ridiculos

Kraxis

03-13-2006, 19:05

Louis, my point was not that French people don't speak English. I know that a lot do, sadly they don't tend to work the jobs where you meet a lot of new people apparently.
Or perhaps they do. But my point was that obviously it is possible to find a middleway even if we can't communicate in our first languages, or even in any spoken language.

I don't know French as a language, but enough of it to be able to communicate what it is I need (not always in French, but you get the point).
If people have an interest in serving a customer they will make an effort in trying to understand what it is they want. Because you perhaps don't understand the language is no excuse for being rude.

Do you really expect me to learn French to go to France? In that case, should I also begin to demand people speak Danish to me in Denmark, or else I will just not respond to their questions? Silliness.

I'm sorry to report that while I haven't experienced this in my skivacations (English normally go perfectly fine), it tend to be a serious problem in areas where tourism might not be the principal income.

Provence, Adeche and those areas failed in this quite horribly, even as late as a few years ago.
In Alsace people were at least grudgingly willing to speak German.

Louis VI the Fat

03-13-2006, 20:50

Louis, my point was not that French people don't speak English. I know that a lot do, sadly they don't tend to work the jobs where you meet a lot of new people apparently.Aye, most people with a good command of English are of higher education - they don't have 10 euro an hour jobs serving tourists.

Oh well, for friendly, courteous behaviour, you need to be outside the Paris city centre. Hey, I went to New York once - I didn't exactly recieve any warm welcome. The only people I had any meaningful interaction with, were those I met in a relaxed, private surrounding.
The rest of the US was an entirely different matter. Great people everywhere.

Louis VI the Fat

03-13-2006, 20:51

The French government blew up a Greenpeace vessel in New Zealand not Australia. Which was a terrorist action, and it was planned to kill more of the crew then it did... only a birthday party kept the crew up... I think the terrorists got promotions and medals on the return to France...
But Papewaio, terrorists is what you call the small army, never the big one. :book:

Papewaio

03-14-2006, 01:01

But Papewaio, terrorists is what you call the small army, never the big one. :book:

Certainly. The one that is smaller in moral and morality is the French one. :book:

Louis VI the Fat

03-14-2006, 02:21

Certainly. The one that is smaller in moral and morality is the French one. :book:Gah. Armies are measured by the size of their guns.:book:

Papewaio

03-14-2006, 02:26

Gah. Armies are measured by the size of their guns.:book:

Not if they are lying in the dirt or the bottom of a harbour...

Papewaio

03-14-2006, 02:28

Another reason in the "Why hate France"... because they murder anyone in the colonies who tries for independance.

Louis VI the Fat

03-14-2006, 02:33

That's all in the past. Currently, there is no-one in our colonies trying for independence anymore. :balloon2:

Papewaio

03-14-2006, 02:38

Not after the murders in the eighties... people get a little bit afraid of raising their hands to say they want to be independent if they are going to be snipered by gendarmes

Louis VI the Fat

03-14-2006, 02:49

That's what I meant. Currently, there is no-one in our colonies trying for independence anymore. :balloon2:

Incongruous

03-14-2006, 03:34

Well you blew up the Rainbow Warrior and gave medals and big payments to the men that commited that act of terrorism.
You had to be forced by NZ to stop letting off those Nukes in the Muroroa atol.
You never seem to be able to come up with any sunbstantial backing for you're claim that you're by far the best European country there is.

Papewaio

03-14-2006, 03:39

Wow, Bopa and I finally have a topic we agree on! :bow:

Incongruous

03-14-2006, 04:06

Pah!
Don't get too used to it.
Anyway I never did like the Fench!

InsaneApache

03-14-2006, 11:07

You don't get Empires and keep them by being Mr. Nice Guy.

Anyway France doesn't have colonies, they are regarded as part of metropolitan France. So murder would be accceptable. :no:

Kaiser of Arabia

03-15-2006, 00:12

More reasons to dislike France!

Their flag sucks.

Papewaio

03-15-2006, 02:12

I know the colour scheme is terrible :gah:

Hang on :inquisitive:

:france: :unitedstates: :australia: :unitedkingdom: :newzealand:

Hmm the colour scheme is all the same... so Kaiser you don't like stripes then?

Incongruous

03-15-2006, 02:47

The three right of the Stars and Strippers are all great!:laugh4:

Evil_Maniac From Mars

03-15-2006, 04:03

To tell the truth, I hate all those flags. I suppose I can tolerate looking at the Union Jack, but the rest just hurt my eyes.

The personal standard of the Monarchy is much better.

Papewaio

03-15-2006, 04:37

Thats just because the Aussie and Kiwi one is going to be flying higher then any of the ones that form the UK at the Commonwealth games. :laugh4:

InsaneApache

03-15-2006, 11:47

In your dreams pal. :no: :laugh4:

Franconicus

03-15-2006, 12:57

I feel insulted! Danish is about the most difficult language there is to learn. Not only do we speak in a different manner everybody else (more or less), our grammar is so filled with excemptions from the rules that we have in all reality abandoned it (thus forcing people to learn it by hearing and reading it), our spoken language is nothing like the written, even if you follow Danish rules of pronouncation. And finally the rate of change in the language is extremely fast, forcing changes of spelling and meanings in the dictionaries, despite the best efforts of various societies to slow this down to a more manageable level.
That is typical! We, the Germans, do everything we can to make our language more complex and those neighbors in the north do not show any respect for our efforts.:no:
We have different societies who try to complicate and unstandardize our language. And with some patriotic pride I can say that they are very effective!

Kraxis

03-15-2006, 14:35

That is typical! We, the Germans, do everything we can to make our language more complex and those neighbors in the north do not show any respect for our efforts.:no:
We have different societies who try to complicate and unstandardize our language. And with some patriotic pride I can say that they are very effective!
Ha! Denmark is small, yet we have huge regional differences in the language. I can hardly understand what a true Bornholmer says, or a fisherman from Hirtshals (in northern Jutland), in fact said fisherman has been proven to be able to talk to natives in one of the English fishingports (not speaking English of course). And southern Jutland is quite far out too...

Danish = downright impossible.

Franconicus

03-16-2006, 11:52

Dazzler!:oops:

Here in the south every village had its own language. WW2 mixed them a bit.

However, we have something unique: We had a reform of spelling, where smart professors thought how they could rearrange the way we write. Most people, however, refused to follow their advice. So we had at least three reforms of the reforms, some rules are completly user-defined. Pupils do get new books every year, most of our famous German poets and philosophers declared they will go on usin the old rules ... .

How can a small country like Denmark try to compete with our chaos? Best thing you can do is join us. Then we will send you a lot of money and administration. We ahve a lot of experience with that. By the way, is there a wall at the frontier?:laugh4:

Philippus Flavius Homovallumus

03-17-2006, 03:57

Ha! Denmark is small, yet we have huge regional differences in the language. I can hardly understand what a true Bornholmer says, or a fisherman from Hirtshals (in northern Jutland), in fact said fisherman has been proven to be able to talk to natives in one of the English fishingports (not speaking English of course). And southern Jutland is quite far out too...

Danish = downright impossible.

A Norwegian in Newcastle can speak to the locals in Norwegian and get on better than a Southern Englishman. Can you remember which Port? I'm a English Scholar.