About camping, Please help me.

[Pawpaw]

Dear everyone,

Thank you for reading this message.
I have 4 things need helps about camping.

1) I am making a leaflet for people who can understand English.
This leaflet is about a campground.
At the beginning of the leaflet, I want to put a sentence which explains there is no one who speak or understand English.
In this case, are these sentences acceptable, and polite enough?

------------------------------------------------------------------

We are very sorry. No English speaker is available here.
So please refer to the further information written in English.

or

Sorry, we don't speak English.
Please refer to this leaflet explained in English.

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2) There are many English words which have been created and developed in my country. These words, of course, don't make any sense to native speakers.
Anyway, I want to know about camping in USA or UK or CANADA.

There is a campsite called "free tent site" where you can built a tent anywhere you like within the site. In this case, what should I name this site?
There are 2 campsites. One has individually divided sites with its own car parking area.
Another one is this tent sites.

3)Please teach me the difference between campground and campsite.

4)I don't quite understand the difference between lodge and cabin and cottage as well.

If there is any question, please let me know.

[Youscream_Icecream]

Konbanwa Pawpaw-san!

I am no expert, but I'll try to help you to the best of my ability. Ja, yoroshiku ongaishimasu!

1. Both of the sentences are well made. However, if I may suggest, I advise you to use this opening sentence :

"There are currently no English speaking information officers. Please refer to this leaflet for information in English. We apologize for the inconvenience."

2. What you described is refferd to as "Individual Camping Area / Campsite" in NAmE / North American English.

3. A campsite is a piece of land where campers could pitch tents or park their camper. A campground is an area designed for camping. A campground consists of campsites and other camping facilities.

4. Lodge : A building that provides temporary accommodations.
Cottage : A vacation home, usually located in countryside or near a beach.
Cabin : A wooden hut.

References :
1. Encarta English Dictionary 2009.
2. Oxford Advanced Learner's Dictionary.
_________________
Need a speaking partner?
I'd be more than happy to oblige. PM me for more details and I promise you it wont cost a cent!

[Pawpaw]

Good morning, Yourscream I icecream-san,

Thank you for your quick answer, nevertheless I fell asleep last night.
I'm very happy to receive your specific reply, very helpfull!
Arigatougozaimashita! I've been wondering why you are so fluent in Japanese, anyway.

1st answer is perfect! I've always wished to be able to write like that.
2nd, I understand well.
3rd answer cleared my confusion.
4th answer, I think I would buy a cottage for myself. There are clear differences.

Thank you again for your time! I really appreciate it.
I am on halfway through the task, although I have never liked camping, I prefer lodging and eat in restaurants.

[Youscream_Icecream]

Ohayo Gozaimasu!

It is my pleasure to help you with your task. I hope that everything goes well for you. I take it that an acquaintance of yours asked you this favor?

I find myself addicted to learning many languages. I like French, German, Russian, Chinese, Japanese and many other languages. Unfortunately, I feel like I am a jack of all trades. And a jack of all trades is a master of none. So I guess that I'll be taking it easy, one step at a time.

Most of my Japanese comes from anime like Higepiyo, Keroro Gunsou and Lucky Star. I am currently watching Bleach series. One of the nihon no senseis in the university where I used to enroll said that my Japanese had been influenced largely by anime-no-kotoba, which makes it rather rude at times.

I understand that many housewives in Japan tend to eat at home, although they sometimes buy treats such as cake and dumplings for their family. Although this might seem like an overgeneralization, I wondered if this is true.
_________________
Need a speaking partner?
I'd be more than happy to oblige. PM me for more details and I promise you it wont cost a cent!

[Beeesneees]

PawPaw,

To add to IceCream's information, in the UK we generally don't use the word 'campground'. We would use 'campsite' or refer to 'the camp grounds'.

"The campsite has many facilities. In the (camp) grounds you will find several shops, a launderette and a children's adventure area."
_________________
Cheers m' dears!

[Pawpaw]

Good morning, Beeesnees! and thank you very much for your reply. Oh, you have many "e"s !!
There is such a difference between the UK and North American English.
As we have many facilities like you mentioned, it should be called "campsite" in the UK.

[Pawpaw]

Youscream_Icecream-san,

My curiosity is now fulfilled! Soudattanone?
And I am very happy to have an acquaintance who is addicted to many languages.

[Pawpaw]

About camping, I would like to know some more things below.

1) The name, if there is one, where designated to dump ashes.
There are some designated points where campers can dump their ashes within the campground.
Can I call them "the ash dump" or "the ash dump stations"?

2) I often find the sentence on the campground website in the US.
I can't understand the meaning of "The sites may not be level,...".
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RVs up to 40’ long may be accommodated in pull-through and back-in sites.
The sites may not be level, so campers should plan accordingly.
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3) I am wondering which is common, "the garbage station" or "the dump station", or any other name?

4) "W.C" or "Restroom" or "Toilet", which one do you think is world widely accepted?

I would be very appreciated if you could teach me.

[Beeesneees]

[Beeesneees]

[Pawpaw]

Dear Beeesneees,
Good evening, and thank you again for your great help!
I got cleared everything I wanted to know so far.
I find it difficult what is common and what kind of phrases are well understood to native and non-native English.
We are expecting campers from Asia, such as Taiwan, Korea, Hong Kong, China.
In this case, I imagine they are taught in American English like us.
I like to listen to Queen's English. I didn't know British people are called "Brits".
I'm very happy to see you and good-night! (10PM our time)

[Alan]

Hi,

I hate to be a wet blanket but if your message is intended for people who can't speak/understand English, how can anyone understand the information? Or have I missed something?

Alan
_________________
English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Beeesneees]

My understanding from the first post in the thread is that Pawpaw wants to produce a multi-language leaflet, of which one of the languages is English... and the English section needs detail because there will be no English speaking staff.

I assume the signs will be multi-language too.
_________________
Cheers m' dears!

[Pawpaw]

Good morning, Alan,
Thank you for your reply.
I hate myself that I can't explain what I'm trying to do.
I need to be get organized, and to think it over again.
Or may be this task is too difficult for me yet.

Thank you BeeesNeees,
for trying to organize my points.
Yes, the signs are good idea!
I'm going to check pictsigns.

[Pawpaw]

Dear Alan, please let me try to explain. You are not missing. I'm not good.
I can only prepare the document written in English for the campers.
I imagine English is taught widely in the world.
And I also imagined non-native English speaker could read some important words like toilet, garbage like these.
I wanted to know common used words for them.

Advised from BeeesNeees, using the signs will help understand.
I found many pictographs on the web, and some are international standard.

I want to say thank you giving me so much ideas and messages.
I am learning a lot from you all.