Good for you if not for your liver! Seriously this witty retort is usually given by someone who doesn’t speak a second language when asked if they do… Little do they know how close to being bilingual they actually are!
Assuming for a moment they are not diehard sports fans who have learned limited local lingo to stay refreshed watching their team on tour, it has to be said that anyone who makes the effort to learn a language on location is an ideal candidate to learn even more.
The truth is holding up the requisite number of fingers and pointing at the preferred beer is often sufficient as bar staff understand this global sign language and as here, often the bar staff will hail from New Zealand or Australia and will understand English.
So why do you know how to ask for a beer in 10 different languages or know any other useful phrases (we know someone whose German is limited to saying “You have beautiful eyes” for example,) in a foreign language? Can we tell you a secret? It is because you love languages and are demonstrating a hidden flair for it – and stop trying to deny it!
Whether to impress your family and friends or to see the rewarding smile of a native speaker impressed at your efforts to use their language, you will get a buzz from using another language to get what you want – whether a beer or a hotel room, or a taxi to the right location.
The chances are you are impressed when you hear someone using English as a second language and only wish you could converse in their first – and you’ve probably never told anyone this!
We would love to meet you if you are someone who can ask for a beer in 10 different languages, especially if you would like to be able to ask for more than beer and want to explore your hidden flair and speak a second language, contact the VICI Language Academy today and discover how we can help you become truly bilingual.
Incidentally, as someone is bound to ask, we’ve attached a picture to show how you would ask for a beer in 10 different languages!
If you’re going to ask for a beer, then you need that little extra touch.
I only have a little Irish, but my favourite phrase translates to “Two pints of Guinness please, and my friend will pay”.