Check/ Tip: Even if someone took some classes back in school and speak second
etc. languages a bit, that doesn't mean that they necessarily feel comfortable
speaking it, particularly to a stranger who may talk fast, have a different

I think this is not about arrogance at all. I've been learning
foreign languages all my life, and spent decent amount of time
living in France. My overall impression is that an average 20-40
year old person that has some kind of higher education can communicate
in English on a level that is sufficient for a basic everyday
information exchange. Yes, far from perfect, but sufficient.

The problem I believe is in a typical French perfectionism: people are
so disgusted and embarrassed by their own self-perceived poor performance
that speaking English becomes a dreadful ordeal.

Not willing to do this for you in a shop or in a post office is one thing,
but ignoring you on the air is completely different. In aviation, communication
is vital, and I believe that not willing to go a little bit out of your way
to help the other guy hoping that someone else might do it, or just simply
ignoring the situation as a nuisance, is not acceptable.

This may be a little far-fetched analogy, but imagine hearing some
really really thick Asian or German accent -- barely intelligible -- on
the air here in the States. Would you -- even for a moment -- consider
ignoring the guy simply on the grounds that you'd find it very annoying
trying to figure out what he's saying, and you will probably have to repeat
yourself a few times before he understands your reply?

So, in essence, my point is: responding to communications is not about
courtesy or doing a favor; it's about safety, and the only legitimate
reason for not doing it would be if you can't, i.e. genuinely do not
understand the transmission at all.



Andrey