One Conversation, Many Languages   

 A group of nine persons in Guatemala are dining and chatting. One German, four Dutch, Three Americans, one Guatemalan. What is the language?   

English, of course, now the language nearly everyone uses throughout much of our world.   

Even the Dutch speakers, the plurality at the table, speak to each other in English so as not to appear impolite by excluding the others, none of whom speaks or understands Dutch.   

Why not Spanish, the local language? Why does the when in Rome, do as the Romans do adage not apply here? Because only a few at the table are fluent, and insisting on Spanish would hobble most attempts at conversation. Here the motive is conviviality, and the language adopted is the path of least resistance to that end. In this case Spanish, the local language, may be more politically correct, but it would also be inefficient.   

When Biblical scholars from many countries first arrived in the Mideast to examine the newly discovered Dead Sea Scrolls in 1947, their mutual language for conversation was  you guess it  Latin, a language long dead but very efficient as a lingua franca among scholars who spoke German, Polish, French, English, Italian, and other assorted languages. The language selected as best is usually the one that works best for all or most speakers.   

Recently, while visiting Mayan ruins in Guatemala, an Italian businessman with 30 years experience in Africa was speaking to me in excellent (though accented) English. When his wife joined us, we intuitively shifted to Italian so that she could be included. My intermediate level Italian was the better medium than her beginner's English. The principle? Choose the language that works best for all concerned.   

3 Don'ts (from 35 years of travel in 80 countries)   

  

1. Speaking loudly or shouting in your own language rarely helps. The speaker of the other language is not hard of hearing, but hard of understanding the words of your language.   

2. Being politically correct and assuming that you MUST try to speak the language of the other country can be a burden. For example, I have seen Americans with only a smattering of another language insist on speaking it to locals who speak quite good English, thus burdening their conversational partner.   

3. Don't interrupt frequently to ask about meanings. Go for the gist of what is said, and only occasionally stop the flow to inquire. Often the meaning you seek will reveal itself from the context. An exception to this rule occurs when you need precise information, as from a doctor or travel agent. At such times, clearify your understandings. Get it in writing. Use a translator, if necessary.   

2 Do's to consider   

1. Make a sincere effort to learn the other language  at least at a basic level  before your encounters abroad. Conventional wisdom suggests that most nationals appreciate when you try to speak their language, and that is true, but only to a point. If you speak only on a Me Tarzan, you Jane level, the others tire quickly.   

2. Nowadays, English is everywhere, spoken by nearly all travelers abroad. Better to use the others' pretty good English than to launch into your rusty high school French.   

Throughout U.S. history, Anglo-Americans have been quite lingua-centric, resting comfortably with English dominance. Now that countries of the world are more and more interdependent, that seems to be changing, with more Americans learning other languages. And, after all, it's not un-American to speak languages other than English.