Two languages are compulsory up to Bac level and beyond, depending on what you are doing - but until relatively recently the emphasis was on written work, comprehension & argumentative essays, so an awful lot of people don't feel confident speaking English: often the more sophisticated and high-powered their job, the less they will want to speak a foreign language where they come over as what they would consider semi-literate because they don't speak fluently.
I have seen a British person going on and on in English at a wretched woman who works in the supermarket, expecting her to speak English and getting crosser and crosser because she didn't. And then I discovered that person had been living in France for years & years. I think that's just rude.
I agree Brian. Part of the fun of living here for me is the language. My late wife did a four year French/Spanish degree in TCD and loved French. She'd carry a little notebook with her and jot down any new word or phrase she came across for subsequent investigation. Her excellent French made me a bit lazy but I've had to buck up a bit since she passed away. Dealing with the legal complexity of her succession certainly extended my French vocabulary.
I was just pointing out (as you do too Peter) that they will have been taught English to some level (probably quite high if only to read it) and that some medical terms can be understood by both parties because they are neither English or French therefore IF they refuse to accommodate you by speaking some English it is not through a lack of knowledge. I have yet to meet one who has not been very helpful with explanations.
Peter, Dutch, French, German and Italian originally but not just French, since the five original members of the EEC (bilingual Belgium!) were equal partners. Now 24 languages are recognised as official languages at every level, with several others at national and regional.
However, it is quite true that in the UK a medic or mechanic, also a bank manager or brain surgeon are hardly like to get past 'croissant' let alone string together a sentence or holding a conversation. I am amazed how many people I have met who have been here upward of a decade still can't quite manage in the supermarket where lots of people, including French, look at the displayed amount to help them count out cash. That medics are good at French is one thing but they do not need other languages. Even Latin is limited to words and phrases rather than the stuff I had to learn way, way back. However, what Karen says is right about learning the French words and phrases, otherwise when it comes to an impasse where the medic does not know English then you are both stuck.
As for infirmières speaking English, having helped people I have yet to meet one who does locally, ditto the people at the laboratory who used to need help with my daughter because of language. There I disagree Karen. Perhaps where there are large clusters of English speakers there are, but most places not.
I have yet to find a doctor or infirmiere who doesn't speak English even though we always try to speak in French to them!
Stop worrying about it but do try to learn the French words from them for the medical conditions you are experiencing i.e. Prise du sang (blood test) so that the next time it will become easier for you
Strange attitude Melissa. Most professionals I know speak decent English and most doctors I've ever seen will try to speak it if only to practice their English but why should you expect any foreigner to speak English ?
Remember, the official language of the EU is actually French I believe tho i'm sure I will be corrected if im wrong.
How many UK/US/NZ/Australian GPs speak French well enough to explain a diagnosis & treatment, do you think? How many UK hospital staff, at all levels, speak French? And how many would, assuming they could, for fear of misinterpretation & possible litigation if things went wrong? I do see that it is nice if people here speak English, and most people under about 50 can manage at least a bit - but you shouldn't expect them to. I hear of people getting stroppy because the garage-man doesn't speak English, well why should he? Did your garage-man in your English speaking country of origin speak French? Be realistic, please!
Melissa, A doctor needs, for professionl reasons, to be very precise in communications. Medical terms in French and English aren’t interchangeable. I’m sure that is what prevents them from giving advice in English unless they feel very confident in the language.
Actually the fact that they are doctors tells me that a) they know a lot of latin, b) at some time in their schooling and training they would almost certainly have been taught a lot more English than most of us have French so I think it is just a stubborn refusal to speak/understand English rather than they can't/don't. C'est la vie en France! Take pen, paper and possibly a tablet (not the edible type) along if necessary.
Hi, There are plenty of English people living in your area and you will find a Doctor who speaks English so don't worry, we found one but he is not close enough to you. Since moving to SW France we find that there are a lot of French people who speak English which also helps if you are stuck.
Shouldn't worry too much Anne, there is a large expat community near you so most of the GPs etc will speak good english. Certainly good enough english to help you out.
I have found it extremely rare for a doctor to speak English and I'm not in a rural area. Even my three visits to hospital have been sans anglais and this can be frightening and isolating when you're sick. On only one occasion did I come across a generalist who tried to speak a little English after a few moments because he'd spent some time in Australia. He enjoyed the opportunity. It's usually the same with the specialists. If they know any English they won't admit it as it's too rudimentary. Sometimes (but usually not) a doctor can read a report in English but there's no way they'll speak English. I take a French speaker with me when I visit a specialist because I know the conversations will be in French, too fast (waste of time asking them to slow down) and I'll miss something important. Nurses make no effort at all, nor radiographers. This weakness is across the board and I don't understand how someone with a doctor or nurse's education (often with some English language opportunities) can be so incompetent in the language. I don't expect them all to speak English because this is France but France is so close to England, international conferences, medical publications etc it's rather surprising. Fortunately I was once a medical detailer in NZ so understand medical terminology and will challenge doctors' ideas, even in my non-fluent French.
Dr Cheppeau in Piegut-Pluvier speaks excellent English as does the receptionist. Only about 15mins from Nontron, and the surgery is on the main road through the central of town…
I don't think I have come across a doctor who does not speak a reasonable level of English. It seems to be French pride that makes them say they do not, only to converse with you in near perfect English as soon as either a) they gain a little confidence with you or b) the conversation becomes too stilted to bare (because of the medical terminology etc).
I thought almost any French professional with such a level of education could converse in English to a better level than they themselves believe. Or maybe I have just been very lucky! ;-)
Simply go to a surgery or local health centre, take a French speaker if necessary, ask the secretary if there is an English speaking doctor and, if not, whether they know if there is one locally. I have helped a few people do that, certainly all three where I go do, the next practises too and all of the specialists I have seen do. I think a large proportion of medical people do and certainly one did say that a lot of the medical publications he reads are in English.
The laboratory is another matter. Perhaps, perhaps not. However, having a couple of bloods a year myself, I know that you don't need to say or do much apart from present your arm for the sample to be taken. The difference is that they throw all the 'commands' at me knowing I understand them, despite having had hundreds of tests over my lifetime...
Anyway, I believe Nontron is fairly well inhabited by English speakers, so it should be easy enough to find the medic very quickly.