Dealing with Problems by Telephone

[Linda1953]

 :)All the phone numbers given by people are a great help :Dbut if you can't speak Turkish how do you manage discussing any problems on the telephone at all?







Linda

[perry]

If someone lists a phone no. then almost certainly the person they are refering you to will speak enough english to understand what you want.

[Jock]

Why not learn the language? Much easier if you want to deal with people either by phone or in person.

[teresa321]

Good in the long term Jock but not in the short. We will get there slowly but surely, even after I have finished my Turkish course at cllege I will be surprised if I can hold much of a conversation over the phone. How long did it take you to learn Turkish Jock, do you have any tips for those of us about to start?

TeresaX

[Jock]

It is difficult to learn but best way is just to have a go, even if you get it wrong! Most British people are afraid to speak another language as they think they will look foolish if it "does not come out right" but if it does'nt, the Turks will soon correct you (in a nice way of course)  The longer you spend in the company of Turkish people the more you will get the hang of it! I still learn every day! The grammer is particularly difficult. Good luck with college!

[teresa321]

I think you are right about the "feeling foolish" part. I did 'O' level French at school and I remember a young man asking me if I spoke French and I stood grounded to the spot and said "Non" quite firmly. He proceded to speak to me in broken English which I could have easily matched in broken French. I was about 19 years old and I have never forgotten it.

I am now at an age where that element has passed and I stand with a large English/Turkish dictionary having charades type conversations with the gardener, and there is a lot of laughing at the same time. He eventually gives in and gets a Turkish schoolchild to talk to me in school English (which is very good). In fact it got even funnier once when he got another gardener to help and he spoke German and Turkish and proceeded collected a Dutch couple who spoke everything under the sun.

My husband is still a bit shy and when I first taught him important words like "hesap lutfen", he held back until he finally uttered them and found out people knew what he meant.  He was inspired and now "merhabas" everyone in sight including the dogs - as they are obvoiusly Turkish as well.  Small beginnings but we will gradually pick some more up as confidence grows.

The funny thing we have found is that where we live, there are many Turkish people whe we "Gunayden" (pardon spelling) and they "Good Morning". There are some German people who we "good morning" and they "Gunayden".

A lovely cheery bunch we all are

TeresaX

[Anne]

Teresa, where did you get your phrase book?
We've been looking for one for ages to no avail.
Anne

[teresa321]

We got our big dictionary opposite Gima supermarket in a book shop it was @ £8, I couldn't get one in England apart from a little pocket type.  I am going to get another one for here.  I have got a couple of phrase books I have picked up in bookshops but I am sure you will get better ones in Turkey.

Teresa X