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I agree with this entirely. A lot of people who understand English have great difficulty speaking it because they are afraid of being ridiculed. They don't like being corrected in front of others and they find it embarrassing to speak it because they aren't sure that what they are saying is proper English.
I used to live in a building with people who spoke many different languages. Only a few of us were native English speakers and one of them was a person from New Orleans (who spoke with a really strong Louisianna accent). His English sounded very little like my English. I had no problems understanding it, but I grew up in the South. To anyone else, it would have sounded like a foreign language.
Throughout the whole immigration forum all you ever do is make excuses for illegals and legal immigrants who refuse to assimilate and speak our language. I really wish you would move your butt down to their country, wherever it was or is, and demand that everyone speak your language and that you want all government documents printed in your language and that you want some sort of welfare to raise the family that you brought with you or had knowing you could not afford them and then let us all know it went for you.
STOP making excuses because these people do not and will not assimilate, especially when people like you continually make excuses for them to not become American.
Rather than learn more foreign languages, other than Canadian, shouldn't our schools focus on something more useful, such as math and physics rather than recess and tea time?
It's entirely possible this lady is just embarrassed--it could be she does understand English to an extent, but has been ridiculed for her accent. I personally know many people like this. She may speak English to you in private, but not in front of a "group".
ALSO--and quite important--the process of learning a foreign language (particularly as an adult) is not fully understood--and some people can "pick it up" rapidly, with little or no accent. Others, of equal intelligence, can barely manage even after years, and never are able to lose their thick accent.
Remember also that English is considered a rather difficult language. Even we English speakers have many jokes and puns illustrating "our" language's very complicated "rules"---or LACK of rules. Every word, it seems, requires one to learn a differnt pronunciation. It's far more complicated in this respect than many other languages, including Spanish.
I think many Americans do not have a problem with people who at least attempt to speak English. If someone is trying to communicate and is having some difficulty, most people would try to work with them and figure out what they are trying to say. Alot of Americans have travelled overseas and been in the position of knowing little of the native language so I think we can empathize to some degree. Most also are taught a foreign language at some point in their school years (with varying degrees of success) and recognize that it takes effort to become fluent in French or whatever.
I do have a problem with people who come here and either refuse or just don't bother to learn even rudimentary English.
I think many Americans do not have a problem with people who at least attempt to speak English. If someone is trying to communicate and is having some difficulty, most people would try to work with them and figure out what they are trying to say. Alot of Americans have travelled overseas and been in the position of knowing little of the native language so I think we can empathize to some degree. Most also are taught a foreign language at some point in their school years (with varying degrees of success) and recognize that it takes effort to become fluent in French or whatever.
I do have a problem with people who come here and either refuse or just don't bother to learn even rudimentary English.
yea i work in banks with huge spainsh speaking populations i can't tell you how many times i have to either i have to talk to them like a special education teacher, tellin them where to sign and put this on the slip and repeat myself 10 times or tell them to wait for a spainsh speaking teller. They arent exactly the nicest folks to serve either.
I think its downright disrespectful to ask someone to speak your language when you are in their country!!!!
Then the English are very disrespectful 'cos when we go on holiday to Spain (our favourite destination) we speak in English and critisize the Spaniards if they do not understand us, when asking for the whereabouts of a fish and chips shop for instance, we often repeat the question repeatedley getting louder and louder incrementally. Then we walk away saying why don't they understand us?
Then, you are disrespectful for sure. I have been all over the world and I never expect anyone to speak English. The fact that so many do is nice but I do not expect it at all. I have been to Mexico to visit with and stay with family members' families and the Mexicans in that small rural town do not speak English and I get along quite nicely. I do speak more than one language though.
That's true, but you are one person visiting with plans to return home.
[b]I travel to mexico every month and know for a fact there is a difference between the nice folks down there and the 20 million illegal criminals we have here. Moderator cut: personal insult B]
Then, you are disrespectful for sure. I have been all over the world and I never expect anyone to speak English. The fact that so many do is nice but I do not expect it at all. I have been to Mexico to visit with and stay with family members' families and the Mexicans in that small rural town do not speak English and I get along quite nicely. I do speak more than one language though.
Sounds reasonable to me. Fits my own experience. MOST people everywhere (EVEN the US) are reasonably polite, and will help strangers. I've relied on this myself, and helped others, as well.
Still, we must remember that a few "rude" experiences can affect a person's confidence, and I have known a number of people who really are reluctant to "speak up" for fear of being ridiculed.
Every citizen should be forced to learn English before becoming a citizen. The government (your and my taxes) should not pay for everything in Spanish too.
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