Luger spring steel...

[sheepherder]

Originally Posted by mrerick

I studied French in school for a few years from someone that has a regional Parisian accent. As a result, I'm told my limited French has that posh accent. But.... I didn't study long enough, or use the language to the extent where my vocabulary exceeded that of a 5 year old.

So, when I attempt to converse in French in France, it's so offensive that the conversant mercifully switches to English. Vive la France!

Marc

I had the opposite experience...I took German in high school, and when I found out I would be visiting Germany with the Air Force, I took a crash course in 'conversational German' at night school [local high school]...I was told that the Germans I encountered in Southern Germany appreciated my efforts...(My instructor told me my grammar was terrible but my accent was perfect, whatever that means)...There were a lot of jokes that the Bundeswehr Luftwaffe soldiers I drank with would one day show up on my doorstep, here in the USA...Ready to party...