Over the last couple of weeks i’ve loaded a couple of times in Freshlinc or Fowler Welch, both in Spalding.
Now the reason for the title is quite simple really,
as you can see from my username or some of you might already know I work for a Spanish firm so when i speak to my traffic office its in Spanish and any paperwork or notices are in Spanish, obviously.
Now how come the traffic office walls in these two companies, especially Freshlinc, are plastered in notices and signs not in English 
and how come the pretty girls on the desk don’t have English as their first language
if you go into say ND in France the signs are in French and where we deliver to in Germany the signs are in German so whats so different about working in the UK? Don’t you need to speak or read English anymore??
That is very simple, as the last government opened the gates to the Eastern Block countries and loads have come here to work they feel that you have to speak their language and not the other way round. There are some who do speak English, some very badly and some are just way too lazy to learn or pretend they don’t know/understand. I have also noticed that in a lot of RDC and other places there are notices in European languages but NOT in English. Its time we got our country back. Now for the flood of sarcastic remarks 
When you live in a different country you adapt to that country and not the country to you. Having lived in Germany when I was in the army I learnt the language and was amazed how helpful the Germans were when I started to speak at the beginning, the same applied in Belgium.
Paul-H:
That is very simple, as the last government opened the gates to the Eastern Block countries and loads have come here to work they feel that you have to speak their language and not the other way round. There are some who do speak English, some very badly and some are just way too lazy to learn or pretend they don’t know/understand. I have also noticed that in a lot of RDC and other places there are notices in European languages but NOT in English. Its time we got our country back. Now for the flood of sarcastic remarks
What he said, apart from the Belge bit.
Have they got a language ? 
Interetsing to note that they can speak English when they want to though.
I was at my Sisters on Sunday in Gateshead, and as I’ve mentioned before, brother-in-law is a traffic cop in South Shields. He was due to finish work at 3pm, but he rang to say that he had just arrested a foreign national, (I won’t say from which country for fear of being labelled a racist.) for driving while disqualified. All of a sudden, Johnny Foreigner decided he couldn’t speak English so an interpreter was summoned. 
( I bet it wasn’t cheap either.)
I’m sorry, but if you can’t speak at least basic English, then let me give you some advice…
Learn it or take advantage of the BFH. (Bus fare home.)
At least the Aussies have the right idea.
Ken.
And why do buses have notices in Urdu, Punjabi and various [zb] written in them? There’s a secondary school in East Oxford (cant remember the name or I’d name and shame) that has various non European languages written on their signs BEFORE the English translation. I’ve noticed the pupils have the usual “letterbox vision” there aswell 
I see multilingual notices in factories all over Europe so I’m not sure it’s just a UK thing.
switchlogic:
I see multilingual notices in factories all over Europe so I’m not sure it’s just a UK thing.
but wouldn’t that be for visiting drivers luke to help them? some factories do put up multilingual signs in spain for the drivers
my point is simply if you work in a certain country shouldn’t you need to speak the language?
i approached the window in freshlinc and was greeted by a question in a foreign language can’t i expect to speak english or be spoken to in english in england?
Hi all.Welshboy,just as a matter of interest WHAT languages are the signs in Spalding in,i’m curious.
Up here most things are signed in Swedish and Finnish,as these are the official languages,with English third.Then you have the ‘‘local languages’’,such as Mienkaali,Sammi,and Lappi.But no Eastern languages.Mike
hutpik:
Hi all.Welshboy,just as a matter of interest WHAT languages are the signs in Spalding in,i’m curious.
Up here most things are signed in Swedish and Finnish,as these are the official languages,with English third.Then you have the ‘‘local languages’’,such as Mienkaali,Sammi,and Lappi.But no Eastern languages.Mike
I didn’t put it up because some members would say i was having a dig at certain european citizens.
the signs are all in the same language as the girls who work in the office and from those that i met nearly all the drivers. its just that its not in english in an english transport company’s reception in england.
at least where you are the signs are in the native languages of the natives 
Blair/Brown have got their Gadaffi moment to come. Sooner or later!
WBIS Thanks very much…you made me smile Big Style.
Please put me right if I’m wrong, but are the English, French and Germans not the worst for this? 
You ever go to Benidorm or Tenerife, Turkey or Bulgaria? or any place where a lot of British people go?
They expect to have the folowing things in order before they can even go there:
- Personal needs to speak English
- Signs in English
-Tetley Tea bags
-Big Fry up in the morning, with the same saucages as they have at home - Restaurant with Sunday roast and Yorkshire puddings
-Kettle in the room - Etc.
You can already see this on the school programs, where are you foreign languages on primary and high school exams,very little, very poor.
Be honest how many British drivers you come accros have a decent knowledge of 2 or more languages?
My children spoke at age 11 already more languages than many a Brit will do when he is 60.
That’s no critism, just facts, if you come in Holland on the coast they will speak German because they make the most money of them, when you go to factories everything is in English, where did our language go.?
harry:
Blair/Brown have got their Gadaffi moment to come. Sooner or later!
Are you on right topic?! And to be fair I think you’ll find they haven’t, neither are in power any longer
Quinny:
Interetsing to note that they can speak English when they want to though.I was at my Sisters on Sunday in Gateshead, and as I’ve mentioned before, brother-in-law is a traffic cop in South Shields. He was due to finish work at 3pm, but he rang to say that he had just arrested a foreign national, (I won’t say from which country for fear of being labelled a racist.) for driving while disqualified. All of a sudden, Johnny Foreigner decided he couldn’t speak English so an interpreter was summoned.
I’m sorry, but if you can’t speak at least basic English, then let me give you some advice…
Learn it or take advantage of the BFH.
At least the Aussies have the right idea.
Ken.
It’s the same in parts of Canada nowadays.at a weighscale between Vancouver and the mountains the ministry have interpreters on hand due the number of ■■■■■■■■ supposedly unable to comprehend English,how did they pass their test? Don’t tell me it’s available in Punjabee ffs !!
switchlogic:
harry:
Blair/Brown have got their Gadaffi moment to come. Sooner or later!Are you on right topic?! And to be fair I think you’ll find they haven’t, neither are in power any longer
But they are still in the UK & have a lot to answer for as regarding flooding the country with cheap foriegn labour when they were in power. Hence ‘Polish only’ outfits in Britain.
welshboyinspain:
switchlogic:
I see multilingual notices in factories all over Europe so I’m not sure it’s just a UK thing.but wouldn’t that be for visiting drivers luke to help them? some factories do put up multilingual signs in spain for the drivers
my point is simply if you work in a certain country shouldn’t you need to speak the language?
i approached the window in freshlinc and was greeted by a question in a foreign language can’t i expect to speak english or be spoken to in english in england?
Yes indeed you have a point there.
Although I can’t speak Irish…
switchlogic:
Although I can’t speak Irish…
I think the amount of people in Eire who speak Gaelic and the amount of people in Wales who speak Cymraeg are very few and far between, unless you work for a national broadcaster or government its not a necessity
caledoniandream:
WBIS Thanks very much…you made me smile Big Style.
Please put me right if I’m wrong, but are the English, French and Germans not the worst for this?
You ever go to Benidorm or Tenerife, Turkey or Bulgaria? or any place where a lot of British people go?
They expect to have the folowing things in order before they can even go there:
- Personal needs to speak English
- Signs in English
-Tetley Tea bags
-Big Fry up in the morning, with the same saucages as they have at home- Restaurant with Sunday roast and Yorkshire puddings
-Kettle in the room- Etc.
You can already see this on the school programs, where are you foreign languages on primary and high school exams,very little, very poor.
Be honest how many British drivers you come accros have a decent knowledge of 2 or more languages?
My children spoke at age 11 already more languages than many a Brit will do when he is 60.
That’s no critism, just facts, if you come in Holland on the coast they will speak German because they make the most money of them, when you go to factories everything is in English, where did our language go.?
you are correct but your point is mainly based on tourism and the need for business, walk into any bar here where i live and they can speak English because thats where their income mainly comes from but go to a warehouse or factory in Malaga and the chances are you won’t find an English speaker unless they chose to do it at school. nowadays however English is on the curriculum so more youngsters can speak it.
your kids would be able to speak at least 2 languages because you dutch watch UK tv
I have to agree with WBIS.
I am a foreigner in this country and it makes me when I go somewhere and there are info in more than five languages available on boards. But probably that is the way world goes nowadays.
I never expected anyone to give me any official info in my mother language and I when some years ago when I registered in the HO they send me an info leaflet in my mother language.
When I used to live in Cyprus it was only available in Greek or English. I learnt to speak Greek, read it and write it as I didn’t want to be different than natives. Of course if I could not understand something I asked in English.
I agree that notice boards should be first in English and than they can be in languages from where your main suppliers from abroad come from.
switchlogic:
harry:
Blair/Brown have got their Gadaffi moment to come. Sooner or later!Are you on right topic?! And to be fair I think you’ll find they haven’t, neither are in power any longer
They can still be arrested for WAR CRIMES [Bliar] + Economic Crimes [The android], that day is getting closer for Bliar IMO, + he surely must be arrested for taking money under false pretences, i.e. Middle East Peace Envoy FFS
I`d let The Android off, if he would just own up to his failures, but, that ■■■■ Bliar, he should be strung up…
so if mister strood can learn English to work in the UK why can’t all the drivers in Freshlinc?