4 Ways to Overcome Language Barriers While Travelling

It's easy to romanticise a trip when arranging one. We think of delectable meals in France, breath-taking landscape in Greece, Peruvian heritage, and all-night dance celebrations in Colombia. From afar, the next trip destination appears to be enticing and enjoyable — an experience that will take us away from the monotony of everyday life. In the weeks preceding up to departure, many of us extol the virtues of our holiday spots, oblivious to the numerous challenges that travel entails. One such example is language obstacles. Arriving in a new country and navigating it may be scary, especially if the native tongue is not your own.

When you lose your ability to communicate verbally, even simple actions like ordering a meal or buying a bottle of water become challenging. While virtual travel does not give this problem, you can’t be travelling virtually forever. While English is the official language of many nations – you can hear it on Thailand's street corners, Estonia's cobblestoned streets, and Sri Lanka's beaches - an estimated 80 per cent of the world's population does not speak English fluently, and there are 7,102 living languages.

As a result, the odds of encountering a language barrier while going abroad are rather considerable. Knowing another language may help you not only ask for directions, advice, and assistance in critical emergency circumstances but also have a better understanding of the culture and even form connections that will endure long beyond your time in that country. Any adventurer will have to fumble through some perplexing circumstances, but there are several things that travellers may do to reduce the burden of miscommunication. Here are some tips for overcoming the language barrier while travelling overseas.

1. Brush Up on the Basics

Even in locations where English is commonly known or spoken, knowing a few fundamental terms before travelling to another nation is always a good idea. Words like "hi," "goodbye," and "thank you" are apparent, but phrases like "where is the washroom," "do you speak English," "please repeat that," "pardon," and "I'm allergic to..." are also crucial.

Before you travel to your destination, consider whether you have any friends, relatives, or acquaintances who are from or have visited that country and can provide you with some phrase suggestions. There are also several mobile apps available that may assist you in practising and pronouncing essential words.

2. Make Friends

Making friends with people who speak the language is one of the most effective language immersion tactics. You'll be able to pick it up rapidly after that. Bonus points if you fall in love with someone who doesn't speak your native tongue — you'll be amazed at how quickly you pick it up! The goal is to become as familiar with the language as possible. It gets easier as you get closer and more involved with it.

3. Pay Attention to Your Surroundings

When you're out in public, get to know the road, street, and store signs, and attempt to listen in on informal discussions going on around you. This will help you educate your eyes to look for visual signals and your ears to recognise quirks in speech such as accents and voice inflexions.

4. Use Body Language Well

Body language is a global language that cuts across all boundaries, countries, and cultural divides. People communicate both verbally and non-verbally all around the world, and it's easy to overlook how much is expressed through facial expressions, gestures, and head nods when we get caught up in linguistic differences. When words are removed from the equation, a tourist will rapidly realise the importance of body language. When someone asks for directions, for example, they generally point and gesture their way along the path. When a waitress asks if you want your coffee refills, she normally points to the empty cups on the table. If you're unable to communicate with words or phrases, relax and see how far you can get using nonverbal communication.

Try and follow these 4 points next time you’re travelling to a country whose language you’re not familiar with and we guarantee it will be much easier for you to navigate your way through the language barriers. Meanwhile, till the time the pandemic situation settles down and travel restrictions are lifted, you can always visit new places via virtual travel tours, which will help you familiarize yourself with the destination, its culture, its history and its language. You can also study and learn the language simultaneously via mobile apps as well!

Happy travels!