Why do people visit China expect to get by with just English?

[divx]

I'm gonna state the obvious since it doesn't seem to be obvious to a lot of people, if you go visit China (mainland), do NOT expect anyone to speak English at an usable level over there, so if you can only speak English, you will have a heck of a time unless you have a guide. I don't know why is that people kept asking if it's doable, where did you get that impression? Chinese people don't bother with English, and yes, I'm aware that the schools teach English but so does our schools which teaches French, and how many of you can speak French at an usable level? I thought it is reasonable to expect Quebecker to speak English, but when I went there around 2000, and went in to A&W (or was it KFC) that nobody speaks English, I had to point to the menu item. Is it too much to ask for the Quebeckers to speak English than to ask the Chinese to speak English?

[FrogPrince]

Its amazing how fast people learn English when you wave a dollar bill in front of them.

[Jimboski]

Money Talks.

[doberman_baby]

I have friends who don't speak a single word of Chinese going to china and had no issues.
YMMV.

[time space]

Marco Polo might as well have stayed home.

[hordosr]

its engrish

[peano]

Why do people visit China at all?

[Jimboski]

Why do people visit China at all?

Buy stuff for cheap!

[Talamasca]

I'm gonna state the obvious since it doesn't seem to be obvious to a lot of people, if you go visit China (mainland), do NOT expect anyone to speak English at an usable level over there, so if you can only speak English, you will have a heck of a time unless you have a guide. I don't know why is that people kept asking if it's doable, where did you get that impression? Chinese people don't bother with English, and yes, I'm aware that the schools teach English but so does our schools which teaches French, and how many of you can speak French at an usable level? I thought it is reasonable to expect Quebecker to speak English, but when I went there around 2000, and went in to A&W (or was it KFC) that nobody speaks English, I had to point to the menu item. Is it too much to ask for the Quebeckers to speak English than to ask the Chinese to speak English?

You'll find it amazing what sign language and pointing can do. I've been in rural Egypt where English was not spoken and I didn't speak Arabic but I got by. A smile is universal.

[divx]

Money Talks.

I've witnessed foreigners get ripped off when they try to buy stuff, a bottle of water normally 2 yuan they were charged 10 yuan. That's what you get for letting your money talk instead of yourself.

Marco Polo might as well have stayed home.

Well he sure did have a heck of a time visiting.

its engrish

They don't even speak at that level.

[drdrma]

Why don't people use paragraphs?

[Mark77]

I'm going for a wedding.

And yes, I will be met by a billingual person. Although the point of my previous inquiry was to see how utterly useless I might be if I am seperated from them.

[Nakuruin]

I don't speak mandarin and a lot of the people I encountered didn't seem to know Cantonese so i mostly communicated in English or i just shook my head to show that i didn't understand. A lot of them in Beijing seemed to speak a conversational level of English though, and i overheard a few conversations when these foreigners were asking about features of the product and the sales associates were able to communicate quite well.

of course i understand the situation is likely to be different in smaller cities and rural areas since they have no need of english.

[navyseals]

Why do people visit China at all?

Food, culture, shopping, business.
Why are people so dumb?

[boyoflondon]

Chinese people don't bother with English,

Ahhh, I guess that answers why so many people that migrated here and have lived here for years don't speak English either.