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I honestly have never heard that it was "rude" to not speak English in a private conversation.
This is the most bizarre thing i've ever heard
Again, it's not private when it's spoken loudly so everyone else can hear it. What's bizarre is knowing how to speak English in the USA but refusing to do so or worse yet residing here and refusing to learn it.
See the above post concerning volume.
Again I don't speak anything "loudly" in public. But I also admit I really don't concern myself with perfect strangers "desires".
And since this country does not have a "official language". I would say you're rude for speaking only English
We have a national de facto language and it's English. It's rude to speak your own nation's language in your own country? Now you've really gone off the deep end.
Huh? Wow. Where do you live? I hear regular American citizens of Latino descent speak Spanish all the time when they are engaging in private conversations, etc. This is their right. Nothing "illegal" or wrong about that.
Maybe you need to travel across America more and expand your horizons. The Spanish language has nothing to do with any immigration status.
By the way, do you realize that there are many illegal Canadians and Europeans in America as we speak?
For the umpteenth time! Speaking any language loudly so everyone else can hear it is not private and is rude. When it's a foreign language it's even more irritating as it sounds like constant babble.
Who's talking about "your" status? The fact is that we do have millions of illegal alien Spanish speakers here. More than any other linguistic group. Canadians and Europeans here illegally pale in comparison.
Why do American citizens of Latino descent speak loudly in public in Spanish when they know English? Assimilation problem, perhaps? Again, it has nothing to do with rights but rudeness and being inconsiderate of those around them.
You bring up a good point. How many Americans travel abroad and openly speak English in Europe, Asia, South America,etc.?
My DH travels extensively to Europe and most Europeans speak English as it's commonly taught in school there, so YES he speaks English while there. Same when he travels to China. Everyone he spoke to spoke English. In most countries in Europe and Asia, English is taught in school so most know it.
The U.S. is a melting pot of nationalities and even though English is our most "common" language, there are over 350 languages spoken here. Most schools have just recently made it a requirement to take a second language for high school graduation purposes. And to be honest, its hard to tell my children which language would be best for them to take.
As far as my opinion of speaking in another language in public, who cares. If it doesn't concern me then no big deal. Now I do think there's situations where it's rude, such as co-workers speaking another language or if you're at someone's house and a group of people start speaking in another language excluding you. I've been in those situations and it's uncomfortable and IMHO, rude.
We have a national de facto language and it's English. It's rude to speak your own nation's language in your own country? Now you've really gone off the deep end.
Your post said "loudly". You emphasized that a conversation spoken "loudly" in public is no longer private.
So yes, it is rude. If speaking loudly in public as to be overheard by others is rude in french or Spanish it is EQUALLY as obnoxious in English.
And if the conversation is not loud enough to be heard by other, i.e. a de facto " tone then your entire argument of "rudeness " is invalidated.
And as has been said numerous times, the reason any American citizen speaks any language they chose is because if they are a citizen they can.
Last edited by eliza61nyc; 10-09-2018 at 08:45 PM..
The unfortunate truth via illegal immigration from south of our border. Are you gleeful about that? Many of those U.S. born Latinos are also via illegal immigration. It's neither natural nor lawful.
Wrong once again but thanks for playing.
First of all if they were born here they are LEGAL. Period. Don't like it, change the INA or the 14th amendment. All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside. Next, having a baby here is actually quite natural.
You are entitled to your own opinions, you are not entitled to your own facts
Last edited by eliza61nyc; 10-09-2018 at 09:02 PM..
Your post said "loudly". You emphasized that a conversation spoken "loudly" in public is no longer private.
So yes, it is rude. If speaking loudly in public as to be overheard by others is rude in french or Spanish it is EQUALLY as obnoxious in English.
And if the conversation is not loud enough to be heard by other, i.e. a de facto " tone then your entire argument of "rudeness " is invalidated.
And as has been said numerous times, the reason any American citizen speaks any language they chose is because if they are a citizen they can.
It's more irritating to have to listen to foreign languages loudly as it sounds like constant babble. As I another poster pointed out there are many things that aren't against the law to do but they are still rude. There is no law against rudeness. We aren't going to agree so why don't you just drop it and not reply to me anymore?
Wrong once again but thanks for playing.
First of all if they were born here they are LEGAL. Period. Don't like it, change the constitution.
Second, having a baby here is actually quite natural.
They are only citizens by a PC policy it's not based on the writings of our Constitution. Either way, they are still a "product" of illegal immigration and are "naturally" costing us billions of dollars. If their parents hadn't come here illegally they wouldn't be giving birth on our soil.
It is late and I am tired after a long day of work, so will only address those comments that I have actually read.....
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldglory
I was being called on what? I wasn't speaking of this video. I was speaking of using foreign languages in general loudly and out in public when ones knows English. Why do I have to keep repeating this over and over? Reading comprehension perhaps?
define "loudly" ... a personal conversation with your companion??
Glory, I understand your point if you are talking about someone addressing a number of people at one time, in a speech, for example, but if my friend and I are walking down an aisle in a grocery store and choose to speak in Spanish to EACH OTHER, then how is that disrespectful to anyone?? By the way, I am a blue eyed blonde, born and raised in Houston and South Texas..... so absorbed a lot of Spanish by osmosis.... and I am sad I have lost most of it in the 30+ years I have been here in St. Louis.......
Quote:
Originally Posted by USMC1984
If I was in public, I would speak in the local language no matter whom I was speaking to...In private, different story.
LOL.... in many cases, you would probably be better understood if you stuck with English......
Quote:
Originally Posted by phantompilot
Can you stay on topic? This is about immigration and residency, not tourism.
Tourists are obviously tourists. They are not residents.
This issue has absolutely NOTHING at all to do with tourism, nor would the proposals for a language fluency requirement have any impact on any tourist.
do the tourists have big neon "Ts" on them?? Otherwise, how can you tell a tourist from an illegal furriner??
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldglory
If you're going to repeat yourself over and over then so will I. This is not about rights or laws it's about respect and speaking English in public if you know how to. Are we going to keep beating this dead horse to death?
Even if someone is fluent in more than one language, it can be more comfortable to speak in their native language..... if said speech doesn't impact anyone around them, how does it matter WHAT language they are speaking??
Quote:
Originally Posted by Ruth4Truth
Some may, I've only run into that once. Generally, they're impressed if you speak their language, if you speak it well. It depends.
But yeah, if it's about surveillance, that's just weird. A bit creepy, even. What is there to surveil? Is this about paranoia--people imagining that foreign-language speakers are talking about them, or are planning an act of terrorism in plain sight/earshot? This is weird.
yep.... if they are not speaking plain English, there must be something nefarious going on......
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldglory
They can speak it if myself and others don't have to hear it in public. It's no longer a private conversation then. However, as I said if you know English and so does the person you are speaking to then why choose a foreign language instead? Oh that's right, we have the right to be rude and considerate so let's do it anyway.
I am trying to understand why someone speaking French or German or Danish or Celtic or Dutch or Gaelic or Welsh, or even Russian or Czech or Hungarian or Italian would be such an insult....
Quote:
Originally Posted by eliza61nyc
we're trying to find out who we are being rude to?? that's what's confusing to me.
I live in a major American city, who is paying attention to what others are saying if they are speaking at normal decibels.
First, 99% of this country has earbuds on or has got their face smashed into their phones. I guess that's rude also because they are ignoring their fellow strangers.
This is the strangest view I've read in a long time.
So if I'm walking down the street and someone passes me speaking Spanish and they know english, they are being "rude" to me because they passed me speaking Spanish??
Seriously??
In order to be rude to someone you have to be performing some type of 'action" toward that person. what "offense" is a person having a private phone conversation performing toward you, a stranger.
EXACTLY!!!!!
Quote:
Originally Posted by Oldglory
Well at least you gave me a civil response which is appreciated. What I am saying is if the Spanish speaker knows English and is talking to someone in public who also knows English then why not speak it? It's not a private conversation when it's loud enough for others to hear.
sometimes it is more comfortable to speak to a friend or relative in the language you grew up with.....
sometimes it is more comfortable to speak to a friend or relative in the language you grew up with.....
Bingo.
This unfortunately flies over the heads of several very provincial, uncultured individuals in this thread.
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Now you've really gone off the deep end. 
