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I don't quite think you understand. It's not just about speaking in another language and people being 'offended' because they don't understand them. It's about the workplace (and school). You know you can't say certain things at work due to possibly being fired, or whatever. So, why is it possibly OK for someone to say them in a language we don't understand? Like I said before, it seems like it's only offensive if it's english.
If we were totally 100% allowed to say whatever we felt like.. then sure, this wouldn't be a problem. But since when we are at places like school and work, we do have our speech altered to abide by rules.
I curse in English at work, and nothing's ever been said. Guess they know better.
Especially the kind of people I know who have no problem with Russian or French or German but have a huge problem with Spanish, Swahili, Arabic, etc. That to me seems like it's racism disguised in the excuse of "we speak English here."
Don't you think that maybe ( just maybe ) the fact that most illegal aliens in this country speak Spanish and most of them have a sense of entitlement has something to do with it? I am sure if we had to press 2 for Chinese, the same people who don't like the Spanish language being spoken would also have a problem with that language.
At work I would always have people come up to me asking me "Speak Spanish" and I'd say "No" and they would give me the death stare and go up to someone else who did. I had a lady actually get mad because I could not communicate with her. I never had anyone ask me if spoke Russian or Chinese or Swahili...and I had customers from all around the world.
That's what I mean when talking about the sense of entitlement... "You better learn my language....or else!". It annoyed the cr*p out of me. Learn the d*am language because I am sick of the catering. Wanna call it racism, go for it.
If the French or the Germans were doing the same thing over and over again, I'd be livid. It's not racism. It's just being fed up.
Last edited by KickAssArmyChick; 05-04-2011 at 05:42 AM..
Especially the kind of people I know who have no problem with Russian or French or German but have a huge problem with Spanish, Swahili, Arabic, etc. That to me seems like it's racism disguised in the excuse of "we speak English here."
Because Russian, French, Germans, Asian, and Indian people learn the language and dont refuse to speak English while demanding you speak their language. Of all these nationalities that I have known personally or have come in contact with it is only the Spanish speaking ones that refuse to speak English. Except for one very old Polish woman who could not understand English but then she was not about working or in school or doing business.
Because Russian, French, Germans, Asian, and Indian people learn the language and dont refuse to speak English while demanding you speak their language. Of all these nationalities that I have known personally or have come in contact with it is only the Spanish speaking ones that refuse to speak English. Except for one very old Polish woman who could not understand English but then she was not about working or in school or doing business.
I know A LOT of Africans that speak ONLY French. Same with Koreans, Chinese, and Indians. You do realize that it's based on generation? The first generation is not likely to know English well. It's later generations that pick up the language. Spanish speakers follow the same pattern.
I know A LOT of Africans that speak ONLY French. Same with Koreans, Chinese, and Indians. You do realize that it's based on generation? The first generation is not likely to know English well. It's later generations that pick up the language. Spanish speakers follow the same pattern.
It's funny. The excuses start pouring in.
That is not the point the poster was trying to make.
It is a fact that Spanish is widely spoken. Yes, more than French and German and Korean. And it's also a fact that we don't press number 2 for any of those languages. It is also a fact that labels are printed in English and Spanish. Sometimes in French is the product is also distributed in Canada.
I have worked with Koreans Lithuanians, Romanians,, Egyptians, Russians, Somalians of all ages. They spoke English. Some not too well but they spoke it.
There is no catering to those. Do you realize that? I repeat, there is no catering. Go look at jobs online and tell me which language at least 80% of the jobs that require a bilingual candidate is looking for. Bilingual nowadays means English / Spanish.
I highly doubt they are speaking spanish just to be rude. It is probably a lot easier for them to converse in their native tongue. If they have a question for a co-worker for example they may understand better if they ask the co-worker in spanish and get a reply in spanish.
It's kind of paranoid for people to that just because people are speaking another language that they are talking about them behind their back. It is most likely that it is just a lot more convenient to speak in your native tongue.
Some people will never understand the concept of common courtesy. Thier sense of entitlement and arrogance is overwhelming.
Years ago, at a large office I worked in, if the staff was engaging in private conversations during work hours, other than brief "good morning, how are you ?" types of things, we were told to take our personal conversations to break or lunch time.....we were supposed to be working. We accepted this rule with good grace. It imposed no hardship.... it was a good company to work for...
That is not the point the poster was trying to make.
It is a fact that Spanish is widely spoken. Yes, more than French and German and Korean. And it's also a fact that we don't press number 2 for any of those languages. It is also a fact that labels are printed in English and Spanish. Sometimes in French is the product is also distributed in Canada.
I have worked with Koreans Lithuanians, Romanians,, Egyptians, Russians, Somalians of all ages. They spoke English. Some not too well but they spoke it.
There is no catering to those. Do you realize that? I repeat, there is no catering. Go look at jobs online and tell me which language at least 80% of the jobs that require a bilingual candidate is looking for. Bilingual nowadays means English / Spanish.
It's not an excuse. I'm going out on a limb here and going to assume that you were born in the US. See, I wasn't. I actually know immigrants pretty well and know what its like. My mom is from Cote d'Ivoire. We know a lot of first generation immigrants that don't speak English...but French.
Of course Spanish if more widely spoken...but you need to look at percentages, not sheer numbers to determine whether people are learning the language or not. Turns out, YES at similarly the same percentages as Koreans, etc.
Do you realize that in MANY communities in the nation there is "catering" to those. I repeat do you realize that. I didn't get a job because I didn't speak Russian or Armenian (in CALIFORNIA...working for the state). Look at school flyers in Orange County. Half the time it's in Korean, Chinese, Spanish, Tagalog and English.
I think that since Spanish is more pervasive in the US, people don't seem to notice other immigrants and assume that the 1 or 2 they do know is representative of the whole...when in fact, the percentages are roughly the same (when taking age, income, and educational attainment into consideration).
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