Do you get treated with hostility in Miami if you don't know Spanish? (restaurant, moving)

[MiamiResident]

Originally Posted by Sjd1

Throughout the US there are people who will criticize those who speak other languages by saying "This is America, we speak English". I'm wondering if it's the same in Miami except it would be more "This is Miami, we speak Spanish". Do people who don't know Spanish get hostile treatment?

Lol...

No. This city is bilingual.

America is a Spanish word FYI.

[tropical1987]

To be honest, and I am surprised no-one has mentioned this, you wont be treat with outright hostility if you speak English, but you will be treated better if you speak in Spanish generally

[flyers29]

Originally Posted by tropical1987

To be honest, and I am surprised no-one has mentioned this, you wont be treat with outright hostility if you speak English, but you will be treated better if you speak in Spanish generally

Agreed, though not something you need to really worry about in some parts of town.

[MadManofBethesda]

Originally Posted by MiamiResident

America is a Spanish word FYI.

No, it's not, FYI.

You might want to research its etymology before making any additional erroneous pronouncements.

[Travelassie]

Originally Posted by pampliment

Lassie

I see many Scotts getting across their message without needing Spanish, very expressive, lovely, gentle and communicative people. Why Cubans or Hispanics should have any grudge against Scotts from Scotland? You are no "gringo" in a spaghetti movie, but Scott.

I never said they did. As I said, this happened to me very few times in all the time I lived in Miami, and the folks who did it were strangers I never saw again. And as I also said, their reasons for doing so were best known to themselves. IMO it was never worth even thinking about after it happened, let alone spend any time assigning motives. It certainly was not the norm, as I mentioned in my post.

What do Scots from Scotland have to do with any of this?

[straight shooter]

Originally Posted by Sjd1

Throughout the US there are people who will criticize those who speak other languages by saying "This is America, we speak English". I'm wondering if it's the same in Miami except it would be more "This is Miami, we speak Spanish". Do people who don't know Spanish get hostile treatment?

On the contrary, I have experienced the opposite. For instance, when I want to be treated with respect or get something accomplished it is usually english only. It seems that when you speak english most people are not in their comfort zone so they don't get too comfortable, complacent, disrespectful or unhelpful.

Example: If I am going to return something or complain about something it is usually english and I have noticed a difference. But if I am going to haggle on a price I want people to feel comfortable so I will negotiate in spanish most of the time.

[pampliment]

Just one thing I remember from government offices, post offices years ago. Maybe now is different.

There were always three or four very fat "tokens" whose English or Spanish was not proficient at all, and there was always some American women in her forties that was the only person in the entire office that knew what was going on.

If you spoke directly to that women, you could save hours of "ugg", "donno", "you forgot the cheese", etc.

And I agree with the previous post, if the employee looks like somebody that loves novelas, long conversations, gossip and has her nails painted in different colors...better to speak English.

[MiamiResident]

Originally Posted by MadManofBethesda

No, it's not, FYI.

You might want to research its etymology before making any additional erroneous pronouncements.

Enlighten us then. How America is not a Spanish word?? Lol..

[pslhomie]

Originally Posted by MiamiResident

Lol...

No. This city is bilingual.

America is a Spanish word FYI.

Please learn history. We should all be speaking Italian LOL

Amerigo Vespucci: Facts, Biography & Naming of America

[JustKeepMoving]

You will likely be excluded often. I find that people will continue to only speak Spanish even though they can speak English.