Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
What are your thoughts on dialing 1 for English whenever you try to call a company and get an answering machine, not a live voice? Does it offend you that the choices are 1 English and 2 Spanish? Why are there no choices for French, Italian, Greek, etc? Why can't they set their machines up to take English automatically unless you "press 1 for another language"?
What are your thoughts on dialing 1 for English whenever you try to call a company and get an answering machine, not a live voice? Does it offend you that the choices are 1 English and 2 Spanish? Why are there no choices for French, Italian, Greek, etc? Why can't they set their machines up to take English automatically unless you "press 1 for another language"?
Are you calling companies which are owned by multi-national corporations?
What are your thoughts on dialing 1 for English whenever you try to call a company and get an answering machine, not a live voice? Does it offend you that the choices are 1 English and 2 Spanish? Why are there no choices for French, Italian, Greek, etc? Why can't they set their machines up to take English automatically unless you "press 1 for another language"?
Because the largest minority language spoken here is Spanish. That stated; when most of the illegals are deported, we may see a whole lot less Spanish heard/spoken.
Aside from a few million Quebecois/Haitians; very few people in the New World speak French-------and, the patois (dialect) in Quebec is not the same as Parisienne French.
Yes, I find it offensive to have to dial 1 for English when making a call in the United States of America. I am beginning to choose my business according to how that business operates. I have chosen not to buy products because another language was more prominent on the box than English. Actions do speak louder than words.
I definitely will be making political choices according to the opinions given on these issues.
Because the largest minority language spoken here is Spanish. That stated; when most of the illegals are deported, we may see a whole lot less Spanish heard/spoken.
Aside from a few million Quebecois/Haitians; very few people in the New World speak French-------and, the patois (dialect) in Quebec is not the same as Parisienne French.
Yes, but the differences in Quebecois French and true French are not that great; native speakers of both dialects understand each other only with a little bit less ease than we understand the English. I speak French and I have little trouble understanding people from Quebec; sometimes they use slang words or different terms for things, but it's not difficult at all. You can usually get the meaning through context or tone of voice if they use a word you don't understand; for example, some Quebeckers still say "chalice" instead of "5h!t" when annoyed.
[stickler]Parisienne is not an accurate term; it's a feminine adjective and "le francais," the noun referring to the French language, is a masculine noun. Also, Parisian French is but one accent in France. Most French people have a different accent; the variety of accents in France is very interesting, the main differences being vowels and rhotics which are sometimes velar and sometimes uvular depending on the region.[/stickler] Hey, I studied applied linguistics...I have to put it to good use at least occasionally!
As for common foreign languages in the USA, you gotta throw in Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Chinese.
Location: Huntersville/Charlotte, NC and Washington, DC
26,700 posts, read 41,733,093 times
Reputation: 41381
Quote:
Originally Posted by Mikey_NC
What are your thoughts on dialing 1 for English whenever you try to call a company and get an answering machine, not a live voice? Does it offend you that the choices are 1 English and 2 Spanish? Why are there no choices for French, Italian, Greek, etc? Why can't they set their machines up to take English automatically unless you "press 1 for another language"?
Personally, if we are gonna get this english offical language thing going we gotta stop this "press 2 for espanol" crap.
Yes, but the differences in Quebecois French and true French are not that great; native speakers of both dialects understand each other only with a little bit less ease than we understand the English. I speak French and I have little trouble understanding people from Quebec; sometimes they use slang words or different terms for things, but it's not difficult at all. You can usually get the meaning through context or tone of voice if they use a word you don't understand; for example, some Quebeckers still say "chalice" instead of "5h!t" when annoyed.
[stickler]Parisienne is not an accurate term; it's a feminine adjective and "le francais," the noun referring to the French language, is a masculine noun. Also, Parisian French is but one accent in France. Most French people have a different accent; the variety of accents in France is very interesting, the main differences being vowels and rhotics which are sometimes velar and sometimes uvular depending on the region.[/stickler] Hey, I studied applied linguistics...I have to put it to good use at least occasionally!
As for common foreign languages in the USA, you gotta throw in Vietnamese, Tagalog, and Chinese.
Bite me!
All kidding aside; thanks for the heads-up re: the nuances of the French language.
Besides: the 'Chalice' is the symbol of my religion Unitarian
What are your thoughts on dialing 1 for English whenever you try to call a company and get an answering machine, not a live voice? Does it offend you that the choices are 1 English and 2 Spanish? Why are there no choices for French, Italian, Greek, etc? Why can't they set their machines up to take English automatically unless you "press 1 for another language"?
Good question, Mikey
When I am confronted with "Push One for English" . . . if at all possible, I take my business elsewhere.
Are you calling companies which are owned by multi-national corporations?
.
..
I am not sure who owns the companies (DirecTV is one) but I find it offensive. As another poster aptly put it, I try my best to buy American whenever/wherever possible.
Before you know it, in our more liberal states, they'll make it manditory that everything be in both Spanish and English.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
