I’ve always admired those with a gift for tongues.
Traveling in Europe this summer I would have had a much easier time if I was fluent in …
Italian
German
Spanish
Swiss German
French
Basque
Catalan
Ladin
Asturian
I only speak a smattering of French, German and Spanish.
When a woman asked me if I had seen her lost dog, I spoke enough German to reply, “I’ve not eaten your hound.“
My greatest language barrier, however, was in Scotland. Who knows what those old Scots are saying?
Click PLAY to see a Yank trying to learn to speak Scottish.
Rick McCharles 
I was in Europe for a year and a half starting in early 2002. I was in many countries – France, Italy, Spain, Belgium, Netherlands, Austria, to name a few. I found that no matter what, when in doubt – English got you by the easiest. I speak French, and did have some Spanish which helped in Italy for sure. But overall, sadly, English was the universal. Not good for us Anglos who wish to master other languages, but don’t have to!