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I'm Vietnamese and I went into a Bank of America branch to take care of some business. The viet teller could tell that I was viet also so he started talking to me in Vietnamese.... I was like WTF (to myself) and I proceeded to respond to him in English.
Why do people assume that I want to speak Vietnamese to them just because I'm Vietnamese? I look young btw, like I'm in my 20's and this guy was young too.
This was in a public place of BUSINESS. I can understand if I was a really elderly person who looked like they couldn't speak english or if I didn't speak english, but why would someone assume that just because we're the same nationality we should start speaking our own language in a place of business?
I just think it's bizarre and annoying. Every time someone does this to me I always just ignore them and respond back in English. I can understand if it was in a Viet restaurant or something but this was inside Bank of America and this guy speaks English.
It really irritates me when people do this. I just wanted to vent.
It IS annoying, true. My wife "looks" like she "must" speak Spanish..(she hardly does). People sometimes speak it to her....some, I suppose, who assume they 'share' something....some (of other ethnicities) who want to "show off"....a few who simply assume that they MUST communicate in Spanish or she won't "get it".
It happens...it's condescending...it's annoying. You have the right to 'vent'. Thanks for doing so...(I live in your area, apparently)..
Well, I was going to respond to your post one way, but I stopped, put myself in your place and I think I understand where you are coming from, compared to my own perspective.
Here’s the thought that changed my mind a bit: If I were to move to South America (which I may just do if the opportunity arises!) and I was going about my daily business, it would bug the hell out of me if everyone assumed I wanted to speak in English rather than Spanish and just started using English with me. And I would probably do the same thing that you do--just continue speaking the language of the country (Spanish).
My guess as to why people do this is perhaps a ‘linguistic kinship’ of sorts or perhaps shared heritage (or at least the other person assumes this). And I think that some heritages are more ‘okay’ with that sort of thing than others are. Assuming English as a second language, certain groups will naturally revert to their native languages more than other groups. I would have to say that Spanish speakers would be one group that does this rather quickly in a social or professional situation here in the US. Of course, over 12% of the population speaks Spanish, so they do have some linguistic ‘power’ in the US.
Okay, now having said that, from my own perspective, I only wish that I could find folks who would converse with me in one of the languages I think I know . I don’t have too much trouble practicing Spanish (although Hispanics are hesitant to speak Spanish with gringos are times), but other languages... forget it. I did have someone once who noticed I had a Norwegian theme on my t-shirt and asked me about it. He was Norwegian and I was able to hold a basic conversation with him in Norwegian--I was elated. Unfortunately, since then, my Norwegian proficiency has been all downhill.
But yes, coming at it from your perspective (if I lived where another language was the norm), I’d be quite annoyed with this sort of thing also.
And you came all the way to post a vent in the Great Debates forum?
Why that just sounds like something everybody does after reading the stickies. Then post something that should lead to a debate on speaking foreign languages in AMERICA again, for the umpteenth time. Only this time, this time it will be different because your Vietnamese.
The person in the bank had no way of knowing what language you prefer. It might have been his experience that most Viets are more comfortable using Vietnamese, especially in a busness transaction, where it is more important to be clearly understood. He did what experience had taught him was the best thing to do under the circumstances. You have no right to get angry with a person who is trying to do the right thing.
The person in the bank had no way of knowing what language you prefer. It might have been his experience that most Viets are more comfortable using Vietnamese, especially in a busness transaction, where it is more important to be clearly understood. He did what experience had taught him was the best thing to do under the circumstances. You have no right to get angry with a person who is trying to do the right thing.
That's a point, but I'm afraid it falls short. I've been witnessing such interactions for years, and believe me, relatively FEW people want assumptions made about them. Ask a black person who encounters some well-meaning 'clod' who thinks he can 'bond' with the guy by affecting an 'ebonics' accent. It doesn't help to 'bond'...almost always, it insults and causes hurt and frustration.
Like it or not, the 'de facto' language of the US is English. The POLITE thing to do, on the part of ANYONE, in meeting a stranger in a public setting..ANY stranger, of ANY ethnicity..is to address that person in correct English..not a foreign language that you "think" he requires...not in slang, not in 'jive', not in 'Spanglish'...but in English. That's the 'default' way not to cause insult and misunderstanding. If the person does NOT speak English, he can let you know, and you can respond as needed.
ASSUMING that a person "must not" speak English, because of how he 'looks', is a huge insult....I know, and I see this situation regularly. I've NEVER heard of anybody..(here in the US)...who's told me he was insulted by being spoken to in English...not one. I have, however, heard NUMEROUS cases of those angry and hurt by being spoken to in some language or dialect by a stranger who does so because he thinks the person 'looks like he needs it'...
Here in the multiracial USA, few people appreciate being taken for a 'foreigner' or a 'tourist', on looks. It's a sure way to annoy people.
And you came all the way to post a vent in the Great Debates forum?
Why that just sounds like something everybody does after reading the stickies. Then post something that should lead to a debate on speaking foreign languages in AMERICA again, for the umpteenth time. Only this time, this time it will be different because your Vietnamese.
Well, alright, lets hear it.
I don't mind at all if people want to speak foreign languages in America... I only care about that bank teller because his actions were directed at ME and it affects me personally and I find his behavior condescending towards me. I probably did post in the wrong section. I don't want to debate at all about the subject if foreign languages should be spoken in the U.S. I only wanted to debate about this bank teller and how he offended me personally. That's all I care about.
I only get angry when it affects me personally. I could care less what language other people want to speak to each other as long as it doesn't affect me.
And btw, I don't "look" like someone who should speak vietnamese, I look extremely sophisticated and americanized. There's nothing "fobby" about me. I don't look "super asian", I look kinda mixed I think...
Last edited by jackie100; 08-07-2009 at 10:15 PM..
ASSUMING that a person "must not" speak English, because of how he 'looks', is a huge insult....I know, and I see this situation regularly. I've NEVER heard of anybody..(here in the US)...who's told me he was insulted by being spoken to in English...not one. I have, however, heard NUMEROUS cases of those angry and hurt by being spoken to in some language or dialect by a stranger who does so because he thinks the person 'looks like he needs it'...
Here in the multiracial USA, few people appreciate being taken for a 'foreigner' or a 'tourist', on looks. It's a sure way to annoy people.
I look extremely americanized and sophisticated. I am sure the bank teller KNEW I could speak English, he just thought that since we were of the same nationality we must have some special bond and speak in our language or something.
When I don't know someone, I don't know them. I am not going to like them more or feel "closer" to them just because we have the same nationality. I HATE it when people act like they "know" me because we're of the same background. It's condescending and patronizing.
If the guy comes in and doesn't seem to understand English, I'll try Spanish. It's pretty much the only language I know more than just a few bits and phrases of. I have frequently heard people that come from a different country speaking another language--and sometimes I'll know enough of it to recognize the language, but not enough to speak with them fluently. For example...Tagalog.
It would be in the best interest of communication, if I spoke to them in the language they were MOST comfortable with--but my best languages are English, Spanish, and Japanese.
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. I don’t have too much trouble practicing Spanish (although Hispanics are hesitant to speak Spanish with gringos are times), but other languages... forget it. I did have someone once who noticed I had a Norwegian theme on my t-shirt and asked me about it. He was Norwegian and I was able to hold a basic conversation with him in Norwegian--I was elated. Unfortunately, since then, my Norwegian proficiency has been all downhill. 
