If you order a cà phê sữa đá and get a coffee and a can of soda, then that might be more due to your pronunciation 24 years of ordering coffee in Vietnam and that has never happened.
I would also contend that having to shout "em oi" is more the exception than the norm. I eat out virtually every day and cannot remember the last time I had to resort to that. On the contrary, I usually have staff hovering next to me waiting for me to order which, personally, I find annoying as heck.
Vietnam - The Basil Fawlty of Asia?
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- OneTrickPony
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Yes, they do. But it's hit and miss as you say.spitthedog wrote: ↑Thu Apr 25, 2019 9:55 am
Do Viets get the same level of wild hit and miss service?
Up the workers!
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It was definitely to do with my pronunciation. However I found in many instances of attempting the language the viets would not make the logical leap of 'oh he is saying that, but he must mean this'. The standard reaction was total confusion. the coffee and soda water happened only once but exemplifies this.
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- Hanno
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I think the hardest part when learning Vietnamese is that most Vietnamese make absolutely no effort to understand; I certainly agree here.The Seawolf wrote: ↑Wed Oct 16, 2019 12:03 pmIt was definitely to do with my pronunciation. However I found in many instances of attempting the language the viets would not make the logical leap of 'oh he is saying that, but he must mean this'. The standard reaction was total confusion. the coffee and soda water happened only once but exemplifies this.
"I realized that If I had to choose, I would rather have birds than airplanes."
Charles Lindbergh
Charles Lindbergh
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- 440 newbie - handle with care
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I put a lot of effort into studying Hanoi Vietnamese.
In Hanoi it was never really appreciated but when in the south people were amazed and appreciative.
It's what they listen to on the news etc.
Sorry off topic, but my posts don't seem to be appearing.
In Hanoi it was never really appreciated but when in the south people were amazed and appreciative.
It's what they listen to on the news etc.
Sorry off topic, but my posts don't seem to be appearing.
- horace
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You're a " newbie" and I think your first few posts have to be approved or something like that just in case you are posting spam or porn or are a complete wanker, not saying you are.James Dalyell wrote: ↑Wed Oct 16, 2019 1:56 pmI put a lot of effort into studying Hanoi Vietnamese.
In Hanoi it was never really appreciated but when in the south people were amazed and appreciative.
It's what they listen to on the news etc.
Sorry off topic, but my posts don't seem to be appearing.
k440, something to do when you're pissed.
It varies with levels of education and exposure to foreigners. You might get cut some slack in a city but country bumpkins especially seem to delight in not understanding. Perhaps the only chance they get of feeling superior to someone else.
What I really don't get is their apparent disregard for context in communication. If a tourist walks into a cafe and asks for 'a filter coffee with sweet milk' they positively love to interpret this as 'my hovercraft is full of eels'.
Re. the thread title I don't see Vietnam as the Basil Fawlty - it's the foreigners who are. Particularly when they try to run businesses here (not including yourself Mr Hanno).
One Frenchman who manages a very popular patisserie in HCMC is pure Fawlty in his interactions with customers and staff, to the extent that he has become an attraction in himself.
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