British Expats
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British Expats (https://britishexpats.com/forum/)
-   Australia (https://britishexpats.com/forum/australia-54/)
-   -   Is There a Website/Book for Migrants to Know What to Say in Different Occassions? (https://britishexpats.com/forum/australia-54/there-website-book-migrants-know-what-say-different-occassions-673927/)

BARDI77 Jun 25th 2010 1:57 am
Is There a Website/Book for Migrants to Know What to Say in Different Occassions?
 
Hi everybody,

English is not my mother tongue. Last week I went to a barber and realised how frustrated I might be in such situations. The barber asked me how to cut my hair and I didn't have a single clue what to tell her. (I knew what I wanted but didn't know how to say it in English! )

I am not weak in English. If someone asks me to write an essay about a complex issue like "the effects of the global financial crisis on the divorce numbers", I am fully capable to do so!! But when it comes to day to day activities like " going to barber, going to butcher , booking a flight etc... I am really feel myself limited in words and phrases I can use! This has been always annoyed me.

So I am looking for a book or website or any other source of info to strengthen this weakness of mine.

Can anyone help me to find such source?

Thanks in anticipation fellas! :)

laven Jun 25th 2010 2:34 am
Re: Is There a Website/Book for Migrants to Know What to Say in Different Occassions?
 
dictionary?

lonndongeek Jun 25th 2010 2:44 am
Re: Is There a Website/Book for Migrants to Know What to Say in Different Occassions?
 
Pictionary

Red_V_Roger Jun 25th 2010 2:54 am
Re: Is There a Website/Book for Migrants to Know What to Say in Different Occassions?
 
Home and Away

BARDI77 Jun 25th 2010 2:55 am
Re: Is There a Website/Book for Migrants to Know What to Say in Different Occassions?
 
I am not looking for words. I am actually looking for suitable sentences to use in various day by day situations.

laven Jun 25th 2010 3:31 am
Re: Is There a Website/Book for Migrants to Know What to Say in Different Occassions?
 
Get English-English dictionary, you surely find phrase patterns there.

Dorothy Jun 25th 2010 4:26 am
Re: Is There a Website/Book for Migrants to Know What to Say in Different Occassions?
 
Originally Posted by BARDI77 (Post 8655646)
Hi everybody,

English is not my mother tongue. Last week I went to a barber and realised how frustrated I might be in such situations. The barber asked me how to cut my hair and I didn't have a single clue what to tell her. (I knew what I wanted but didn't know how to say it in English! )

I am not weak in English. If someone asks me to write an essay about a complex issue like "the effects of the global financial crisis on the divorce numbers", I am fully capable to do so!! But when it comes to day to day activities like " going to barber, going to butcher , booking a flight etc... I am really feel myself limited in words and phrases I can use! This has been always annoyed me.

So I am looking for a book or website or any other source of info to strengthen this weakness of mine.

Can anyone help me to find such source?

Thanks in anticipation fellas! :)
There is such a huge immigrant base here in Australia that people are used to non-English speakers. Tell people in words what you want and the phrases will come with time and practice. It would be like me trying to speak Mandarin in China. I may know words but only practice will teach me how to speak in their language.

jimbo_d Jun 25th 2010 4:31 am
Re: Is There a Website/Book for Migrants to Know What to Say in Different Occassions?
 
Go to the pub, sit down, sink 5 beers and have a chat with the blokes next to you. You will be well versed after for almost any situation in Australia.

Pollyana Jun 25th 2010 5:30 am
Re: Is There a Website/Book for Migrants to Know What to Say in Different Occassions?
 
Originally Posted by BARDI77 (Post 8655646)
Hi everybody,

English is not my mother tongue. Last week I went to a barber and realised how frustrated I might be in such situations. The barber asked me how to cut my hair and I didn't have a single clue what to tell her. (I knew what I wanted but didn't know how to say it in English! )

I am not weak in English. If someone asks me to write an essay about a complex issue like "the effects of the global financial crisis on the divorce numbers", I am fully capable to do so!! But when it comes to day to day activities like " going to barber, going to butcher , booking a flight etc... I am really feel myself limited in words and phrases I can use! This has been always annoyed me.

So I am looking for a book or website or any other source of info to strengthen this weakness of mine.

Can anyone help me to find such source?

Thanks in anticipation fellas! :)
Go to a bookshop (Dymocks, Borders type)and get a phrase book for your language to English. Won't cover everything as a lot of them are aimed at travellers, but might give you a good start. Something like Berlitz is a good series to look for but just ask the assistant for an English-whatever phrase book :)

DeadVim Jun 25th 2010 5:42 am
Re: Is There a Website/Book for Migrants to Know What to Say in Different Occassions?
 
Beginners Australian - Words and Phrases:

----------------------------
"Mate" (in all it's wonderfully subtle forms)

"Ahhhhh yeeeeehhh"

"Nah, but yeeeehhh"

"No Worries"

"She'll Be Right"

"Good Thanks!"

"It's Great, I wouldn't want to live anywhere else"

"They should love it or leave"

"You think this is hot, you should have been here in <insert year>"
-----------------------------

They should last you for 5 years then you may have to branch out into the advanced section.

spartacus Jun 25th 2010 5:46 am
Re: Is There a Website/Book for Migrants to Know What to Say in Different Occassions?
 
Originally Posted by BARDI77 (Post 8655719)
I am not looking for words. I am actually looking for suitable sentences to use in various day by day situations.
But as the old saying goes . . . "a picture paints a thousand words" . . . therefore I humbly recommend that upon your next visit to said barber, carry with you the attached photo, thereby leaving no room for potential 'awkwardness' . . . Best of luck! I'm sure you'll be fitting right in in no time at all . . .










http://pyleoflist.com/wp-content/upl...12/haircut.jpg

LouiseR Jun 25th 2010 6:05 am
Re: Is There a Website/Book for Migrants to Know What to Say in Different Occassions?
 
Originally Posted by spartacus (Post 8655971)
But as the old saying goes . . . "a picture paints a thousand words" . . . therefore I humbly recommend that upon your next visit to said barber, carry with you the attached photo, thereby leaving no room for potential 'awkwardness' . . . Best of luck! I'm sure you'll be fitting right in in no time at all . . .










http://pyleoflist.com/wp-content/upl...12/haircut.jpg

Oh Sparty, been raiding the family albums have we? :)

spartacus Jun 25th 2010 6:14 am
Re: Is There a Website/Book for Migrants to Know What to Say in Different Occassions?
 
Originally Posted by LouiseR (Post 8655994)
Oh Sparty, been raiding the family albums have we? :)
Hands up you got me . . . school photo . . . grade 10. In fairness, I wasn't so much fat as just short for my weight.

Officer Dibble Jun 25th 2010 6:26 am
Re: Is There a Website/Book for Migrants to Know What to Say in Different Occassions?
 
Originally Posted by spartacus (Post 8655971)
But as the old saying goes . . . "a picture paints a thousand words" . . . therefore I humbly recommend that upon your next visit to said barber, carry with you the attached photo, thereby leaving no room for potential 'awkwardness' . . . Best of luck! I'm sure you'll be fitting right in in no time at all . . .












http://pyleoflist.com/wp-content/upl...12/haircut.jpg
If it was an Australian barber and the OP couldnt communicate, theres every chance he came out looking like that kid. :rofl:

DeadVim Jun 25th 2010 6:30 am
Re: Is There a Website/Book for Migrants to Know What to Say in Different Occassions?
 
Originally Posted by LouiseR (Post 8655994)
Oh Sparty, been raiding the family albums have we? :)
Looks a bit like Shane Warne. :lol:


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