What is your standard response to...

[Behan]

A guy came up to me on the train recently and in English he told me he was studying it. I cut him off and told him in Japanese that I was French and didn't study English at all. I was so proud of myself for beating off an eigo bandit. Usually they have their way with me.

[kurohinge1]

Originally Posted by kusai Jijii

...balding salarymen fucks that come up to you in public places and ask if they can speak English AT you?...

I'm just curious, as a friend of mine tonight told one guy to fuck right off to his face tonight....


anyway, fire away....

It's only happened a few times to me, and the souls I met were somewhat entertaining. Nevertheless, it can be a challenge to extract yourself. It's a reminder of how ugly life would be if you were famous/infamous.

However, I don't think I would ever get to the point of acting like your friend. Oyaji trying to be friendly seem rare enough to treasure. Now there's one more who will just bad-mouth FGs to friends & family.

[Behan]

I don't want to get confrontational or anything but I just wish those kinds of people would leave me alone. I would never do that to Asian-looking people back home, assume that they are all Japanese speaking Japanese and start a free nihon-kaiwa lesson.

[Tengu Kid]

I always just try to keep in mind that although this happens every week to me, it might be the first time for them...the other day I was in a park trying to read a book and an old dude sat down next to me `are you american?`.. `no` and turn back to the book. the questions kept coming untill I was only answering with grunts without looking up from the book. after about five minutes of trying to focus with some old dude going off in my ear i just walked off. he didnt seem to notice...

[Cyka UchuuJin]

i always have my ipod earphones in, even if it's not turned on, just to avoid people talking to me. yes, i know it's terribly unfriendly, but that's me.

saying you don't speak english in other languages doesn't always work either. i was once in a chemist and had someone come up to me and ask if i wanted to 'go somewhere private' with him (which shocked me at the boldness of it) and as i usually do, i reply in my first language (russian) that i don't understand. the guy's face lit up and he said in pretty good russian 'oh that's great, i like russian girls better!'

earphones...best solution.

[Iraira]

Originally Posted by Cyka UchuuJin

i always have my ipod earphones in, even if it's not turned on, just to avoid people talking to me. yes, i know it's terribly unfriendly, but that's me.

saying you don't speak english in other languages doesn't always work either. i was once in a chemist and had someone come up to me and ask if i wanted to 'go somewhere private' with him (which shocked me at the boldness of it) and as i usually do, i reply in my first language (russian) that i don't understand. the guy's face lit up and he said in pretty good russian 'oh that's great, i like russian girls better!'

earphones...best solution.

Solution: the African toungue clicking language. No way, any Japanese person, I mean, ANY Japanese person would be able to converse in that. if that fails, try pig-latin.

[Greji]

Originally Posted by Cyka UchuuJin

i always have my ipod earphones in, even if it's not turned on, just to avoid people talking to me. yes, i know it's terribly unfriendly, but that's me.

saying you don't speak english in other languages doesn't always work either. i was once in a chemist and had someone come up to me and ask if i wanted to 'go somewhere private' with him (which shocked me at the boldness of it) and as i usually do, i reply in my first language (russian) that i don't understand. the guy's face lit up and he said in pretty good russian 'oh that's great, i like russian girls better!'

earphones...best solution.

Tell him you into goats and by the time he figures out an answer to that, you're gone!

[Hamaki]

In English I say, "Sorry, I don't speek English'.

[Greji]

Originally Posted by Hamaki

In English I say, "Sorry, I don't speek English'.

Well, at least you're not lying....karifonia-ben and all that....

[Cyka UchuuJin]

Originally Posted by Greji

Tell him you into goats and by the time he figures out an answer to that, you're gone!

the problem with that, is that in russian, we do call men goats (as in the same way that in english men are pigs)

i'll stick to the earphones. hasn't failed me yet!