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Post by itchyfeet on Aug 10, 2004 5:11:52 GMT -5
Have had fun  trying to find telephone and address listings in the local directories in the Netherlands. Although most people speak English, all the directories were in Dutch. Found a useful bit of information to pass on. Try www.telefoongids.bz for the local Dutch business telephone directory in English. Search by category or area. |
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Post by Cat on Aug 10, 2004 7:54:41 GMT -5
I'm glad you found a listing in English and put the link on this board. I would like to comment however that you cannot expect every piece of information to be provided in English. I mean, you ARE in a different country with its own language. It would be foolish to think that we (I'm Dutch myself) automatically translate every bit of info into English. I tend to think sometimes we do it too much, and on occasion I find it hard to see a sign in Dutch for exemple (this is only in the really touristy areas, thank goodness  ) If this is not what you intended in your post, then I apologise. But I have noticed quite a bit of foreigners appoaching me and my friends who immediately started talking in English. It's more polite to start in the native language, and, if you don't speak that language, start by asking if anyone speaks english. At least, that is what I do when I'm abroad. Cat |
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Post by LHR02 on Aug 10, 2004 8:31:52 GMT -5
Thanks for your post Cat and for bringing up a much needed reminder, especially for we English speakers. It was my experience as well that taking the time to learn a few basic 'polite' phrases in the native language and beginning with that, no matter how badly I mangled the pronunciation brought a much better response. Invariably they would smile and almost immediately switch to English....which 'they' speak much better than I can speak their language....yet were appreciative that I at least made the effort. It's important to remember that we are visitors in their country and it is not their obligation to learn our language to accomodate us.
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Post by jennifer on Aug 14, 2004 13:21:56 GMT -5
Yup, we need this constant reminder!
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Post by Brad on Aug 18, 2004 8:35:00 GMT -5
Hey i wanted 2 thank u for the usefull information. Last weekend I went 2 the netherlands , and indeed i could find a lot of hotels. So peeps to find u r self a hotel, go too www.telefoongids.bzBrad |
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trying to find telephone and address listings in the local directories in the Netherlands. Although most people speak English, all the directories were in Dutch. Found a useful bit of information to pass on. Try www.telefoongids.bz for the local Dutch business telephone directory in English. Search by category or area. 
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