Image SourceThis week's Travel Deal Tuesday is not only a great bargain, but an essential for anyone traveling. Especially for those traveling to Asian countries where the language is kind of hard to translate
When you can't understand someone, what do you do? Point things out? Draw a picture? The Me No Speak book does this for you! You can point at an image and have your local finally understand what you are talking about.
Some examples of foreign words covered are trains, money and chicken. It fits right in your pocket and it is perfect for the on the go traveler.
For now, the small book comes in Japanese, Thai or Chinese for
$9.95.Would you use the Me No Speak book? How do you overcome language barriers?
Comments (5)
I just try to learn the language. At least get the bare minimum down.
The books look cute and do help in some ways. But I think most Asian prefer to take electronic dictionary when traveling. It's funny. When I took Shinkansen in Japan, I asked the waiter to tell me how to get to non-smoking area on the train. He typed the answer on his cell phone in English and then showed me.
Well--- First like tigerdauphin I try to learn some of the language prior going anywhere, maybe some key phrases or keywords that would be important, look them up especially when you know where you might be going.
Second, I'd take a dictionary with me. In fact I did take a dictionary with me everywhere I went for the two years I lived over seas--, over time I could nearly manage a conversation by either simplifying what I was saying or hint at the word I was looking for, or by the mere fact that I knew the word hence making the dictionary less important and only truly there for extreme measures. One reason this works to simplify a word and try to work it out is people, I found, generally will figure out what you are saying and tell you the word you are looking for (you can look it up at this point, to make sure-- but trial and error can be a very precious gift in language learning. This brings me to the third way I deal with language barriers--- memorize new words you encounter, and USE them so they stay in your long term. Again, less dictionary necessity, and it's faster to communicate too, if you never do this, it takes longer to acquire the skills- because you are not taking the time to remember the word!
P.S. Sherades strengthen the chance of understanding when a barrier is presented, and finger pointing is actually a good strategy as well. When it comes to learning, use what you can-- and try to remember what you learn.
@foggysunnymorning@xanga - You do have a valid point. I was in Japan too -- when I was there they did use electronic dictionaries and their cell phones. It was pretty cool, sometimes my friends and I would race; I had a paper dictionary they had their handy dandy cell phones-- the electronic dictionaries I believe had a lot more words in them too then paper it seemed. Both seem faster than the paper version, more accurate and of course smaller to tote.
I saw the Me No Speak books as a child. I learned the chinese word for pig that way. It was a long time ago though.
@genkii_to_ureshii_risu@xanga - yes, that's the right way to learn a new language.