Difference between revisions 26885 and 26901 on enwiki

When you are in a country whose language you do not understand it is possible to get along with a surprisingly short list of phrases, combined with pointing, miming, and writing down numbers on paper.  Here is such a list.

Please add to this list, either by adding a row for a language you know or by adding a column for a word or phrase that you think is one of the essentials for survival.  Please use the minimum number of words that would be understandable and put the pronunciation in slashes as shown (separate syllables with dashes and use English words that sound like the syllables if possible).

The order of the languages is as in [[Language families and languages]] (so that similar languages are close together)

<table border="1">
<caption>'''Language Survival Guide'''</caption>
<tr>
<th>&nbsp;</th>
<th>the language itself</th>
<th>hello</th>
<th>good bye</th>
<th>please</th>
<th>thank you</th>
<th>that one</th>
<th>how much?</th>
<th>English</th>
<th>yes</th>
<th>no</th>
<th>generic toast</th>
</tr>

<tr>
<th>[[Sanskrit language|Sanskrit ]]</th>
<td>'''' // </td>
<td>''namo namah'' // </td>
<td>'''' // </td>
<td>'''' // </td>
<td>''anugurihiitosumi'' // </td>
<td>'''' // </td>
<td>'''' // </td>
<td>'''' // </td>
<td>''ava'' // </td>
<td>'''' // </td>
<td>'''' //</td>
</tr>
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<tr>
<th>[[German language|German]]</th>
<td>''Deutsch''<br>/doych/</td>
<td>''hallo'' /hul-low/</td>
<td>''auf Wiedersehen'' /owf VEE-der-zay-en/</td>
<td>''bitte'' /bit-eh/</td>
<td>''danke'' /dunk-eh/</td>
<td>''das'' /duss/</td>
(contracted; show full)<td>''no'' // </td>
<td>''generic toast'' //</td>
</tr>


</table>


See also 
http://www.elite.net/~runner/jennifers/language.htm
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<font size="-1">

<sup>1</sup>No word directly corresponds to the word please.  The concept of politeness in a request is express in various ways.

<sup>2</sup>''ten'' /ten/, ''ta'' /tuh/, ''to'' /toh/ [depends on word gender]

<sup>3</sup>or ''&eacute;sa'' /ay-sah/ [for a feminine object]
(contracted; show full)<sup>9</sup> The person leaving says ''selamat tinggal'', the person staying ''selamat jalan''.

</font>

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[[talk:Common_phrases_in_different_languages|/Talk]]