1.

PHONETIC DIVIDE
An English Language Assistant in Austria, Jane was working with the teacher Hans in his class. Every
week theyd practice a different sound with the pupils; this week it was u as in cup, gull, hut. After
Jane had read the first couple of examples Hans stopped her, asked the group how she was reading
and agreed with them her accent was Northern. He asked if she would mind using a Southern
pronunciation. 'Yes she bloody well would'- she thought! The more she thought about it the more
annoyed she was. Hans said They will copy you. They repeat what they hear. Jane knew her accent
wasnt too strong. She resolved that in future she would not be bullied into altering her accent. Hans
could find another method if he wanted.
WAS JANE RIGHT OR WRONG?
2. BILBAO BARS
Claire, Emma, Michelle and Tom are four British students in Spain for the year. They decide to spend
the evening in a bar or two. Not knowing Bilbao very well yet they get a bit lost and stop to consult a
town plan. They are pleased when a young inhabitant approaches and offers to show them a few bars.
They chat and he wants to know where the four come from. Tom is Irish and the women English. Tom
and the Spanish man walk ahead of the women and and the Spanish man begins to talk politics and
compare the situation in the Basque country with the situation in Northern Ireland and then asks Tom
why he is with English women. Claire, Emma and Michelle are right behind and dont know whats
going on. Suddenly Tom turns round to them and says Right, lets drop him and go.
WOULD YOU HAVE DONE WHAT TOM DID OR NOT? WHY?

3. BILINGUAL FLAT
Heidi is a Lancaster student abroad who has been invited to share a flat in Valencia with a Spanish
friend she has made, Mercedes, and her brother Carlos. They usually speak Spanish in the flat, but
when Mercedes and Carlos friends come round they all speak Valencian. Although Mercedes asks
them to speak Spanish for Heidis sake, they are very reluctant to do so because they feel Spanish is
not their language and they are less comfortable speaking it. Heidi feels uncomfortable too and thinks
she must move out so as to ease the situation.
SHOULD HEIDI MOVE? WHY?

4. PASTIERAPROBLEM
Elizabeth Windsor, a British student, has been living in a flat in Naples since October and has soon
got to know her neighbours. Anna, the middle-aged woman next door is very friendly and has been
promising to make Liz try the famous pastiera, a traditional Neapolitan Easter cake. On Good Friday,
in the morning, Anna informs Elizabeth that she'll go and see her at about 7.00 that evening and bring
the cake. Liz starts panicking, unsure of what might be expected of her.
WHAT SORT OF THINGS MIGHT BE WORRYING LIZ?

5. ROMAN AGE
Steve is on an 8-month work-placement in Italy. He gets on well with his colleagues and they go out
for a drink in the evening. Getting to know one another they begin to talk of themselves. Steve

explains he comes from a typical British family. His father works in an office and his mother is a homehelp. His sister goes to a comprehensive school. They all live together in a semi-detached house. He
mentions that his grandparents are in an old peoples home. Suddenly there are funny looks and the
conversation seems to run into the buffers.
WHAT HAS HAPPENED?

6. GOOD-TIME GIRLS
Karen and Beth are two lively British students, English Language Assistants in a small town in France.
They share a flat with Eva, a German Language Assistant. To celebrate Eva's birthday, they invite
Nathalie, a younger French student who lives with her family across the landing, out to a bar for the
evening. They say they'll be home by about 11.00 pm. Nathalie hesitates, but agrees. In the bar
Nathalie drinks mainly fruit-juice. The others share a bottle of wine, sample an intriguing French
liqueur or two, get rather over-happy, make a bit of noise. They persuade Nathalie to stay longer and
walking home Caroline and Eva link arms and sing English pop songs. Nathalie doesn't get home until
past midnight. When they next invite her out Nathalie declines and seems less friendly.
HOW DO YOU EXPLAIN THE COOLING OF THE RELATIONSHIP?

7. BROKEN-HEART
With Nancy, an American student, Anna, Ruth and Catherine are three British students spending 9
months as English Language Assistants in France at Chateauroux. They make friends with BTS
students at the lyce where Catherine works. After going out as a group for some months Anna
decides she likes one of the French students, Manu, a lot. She wants to send him a Valentine card and
give him a present of flowers, as she would have in England. Nancy, Ruth and Catherine agree its a
good idea and Ruth and Catherine also decide to send cards to the boys they like. Nancy says shell
send cards to the three girls because in the States everyone sends cards to their friends to thank them
for being friends. Still, Anna wonders about Manus response and asks Pascal, a French student friend
of Manu, who is very shocked at the idea and says she shouldnt send Manu anything.
WHATS THE PROBLEM?

8. POLITICS AT HOME
Daniel is an English Language Assistant in Germany, living with a lively German family where there is
free talk about everything. Heiki, the mother, is a Sozi whereas Daniel supports William Hague. During
a discussion he says that a vote for Blair is a vote for Europe and that in Germany a vote for the centre
- left is a nationalist vote and not a vote for Europe. Heiki gets angry and doesnt give Daniel a chance
to explain further what he means.
WHY HAS FREE SPEECH BROKEN DOWN?

9. FISH IN TUNISIA
Patricia is a British student on a work-placement in Tunisia. She lives with her employer and his family
in the town of Sfax. The family is nice and meals together are an important aspect of family life. One
evening fish is served. Patricia picks up her knife and fork and begins to eat. Its not easy but she

carries on. Suddenly she looks up, sees that all the family are watching her strangely and feels she
has committed a faux-pas.
WHAT HAS SHE DONE WRONG?

10. BARBER-SHOP POLITICS

Robert is a Scottish student on a nine-month work-placement in a town on the south coast of France
near Cannes. There are local elections pending. The Front National and the Communists are both
quite strong forces locally. At his home university he has been told that the French talk a lot about
politics. Needing a haircut Robert goes to the hairdressers, which is quite busy. By way of making
conversation while in the chair he asks the coiffeur what he thinks the results of the elections might be.
The hairdresser looks surprised, side-steps the issue and begins to talk about something else. Robert
gets the distinct feeling qu il a gaff, i.e. made a false move.
HOW COULD THIS BE INTERPRETED?

11. BODY LANGUAGE

Margaret Jones is a British university student who has been working as an English Language
Assistant in an Italian school for a month. She has already met most of her colleagues. They are all
very nice and friendly, but Mario Rossi the P.E. teacher, a young man in his late twenties, seems to
make a point of talking to her in the corridor and often puts a hand on her arm or shoulder while doing
so. She finds this slightly disturbing and does not feel completely at ease.
HOW COULD THIS BE INTERPRETED?

12. FOREIGN POLICY DISCUSSIONS

Never much interested in newspaper reading or in current events, Betty Bradley from Exeter had still
done quite well in her undergraduate studies in anthropology and won a scholarship for overseas
study in Germany. Again reflecting her academic abilities, she was quite fluent in German, having
studied it both in high school and college. Upon arrival in Germany, she settled in well and began her
graduate studies. During four or five informal gatherings of students at the local beer hall, German
colleagues asked her about U.S policy on nuclear arms in Europe, the presidents seeming
unsureness in foreign policy, and recent trade agreements between the United States and the Soviet
Union. Betty was unprepared for such questions, had little to say, and as such was not so frequently
included in the beer hall gatherings later on during her sojourn. Betty was puzzled at her non-inclusion.
HOW COULD THIS BE INTERPRETED?