One-fifth of Britons ‘never’ make an effort to articulate a nation’s native language when traveling abroad, according to a recent survey.
53% expressed a preference for pointing at items on a menu rather than facing the discomfort of mispronouncing a word.
The survey involving 2,000 adults revealed that 30% often find themselves stumbling over foreign words or phrases.
Terms like ‘gyros’, ‘tagliatelle’, and Vietnamese noodle soup ‘pho’ were among the most challenging foods to pronounce.
Meanwhile, ‘rendezvous’, ‘faux pas’, and ‘pain au chocolat’ emerged as the most difficult French phrases to articulate.
This study was initiated by the bakery brand St Pierre to commemorate the introduction of its new croissants.
A representative stated: ‘Mispronouncing foreign terms is a common experience for many. It serves as a reminder of the richness and diversity of languages.’
The top 10 foreign words people found most challenging to pronounce are:
- Hygge
- Tzatziki
- Edamame
- Prosciutto
- Gyros
- Quinoa
- Foie gras
- Pho
- Gnocchi
- Tagliatelle
Although Britons may find it tough to navigate other languages while traveling, there’s one term they master – beer.
Earlier this year, research indicated that the average adult in the UK can order a beer in three distinct languages, while 10% can manage to order a pint in five or more languages.
That’s quite remarkable, but did anyone ever doubt the expertise of the British when it comes to beer?
The survey in question included 75,000 Amazon employees in the UK, as part of the Chatterbox series, which serves as a gauge of contemporary public opinion.
Regarding where we trip up, the most frequently confused terms were ‘fizzy’ and ‘still’, with 38% of Britons making a mistake in this area.
‘Left’ and ‘right’ also caused confusion for 27%, while a quarter stumbled over ‘please’ and ‘thank you’. At least we’re courteous.
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