Another old discussion was about why coffee shops can't make do with "small", "medium" and "large", preferring to go with their own confusing naming systems. In the case of Starbucks Tall means small, Grande means medium and Vente means large. (Apparently they also have Short meaning very small and Trenta meaning absolutely bloody massive).

I bring it up now because here in Xianyang I occasionally have a coffee in Starbucks and while those sizes are printed on the posters and the drinks list the Chinese staff never know them but usually understand the more conventional small-medium-large when they have foreign customers like me. Chinese customers use Chinese words. On the few occasions when they didn't understand "large" (the size I inevitably buy) pointing and gesturing works just fine. WHo needs words anyway?

I found that out when I was in Sicily. Most of the Europeans whom I was with were so good at just gesturing and getting what they wanted - much better than I was. I wondered if it was because they were used to doing that since their countries are all so close.