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I only speak the language I can speak fluently. When some customer at work comes in and asks me if I speak spanish, I tell them no and continue trying to help them using my primary language.
Ahhh Si seniorita!
I guess that means "I see ", talking to a woman high school senior.. (I think)..
America. What a concept. Did you know that America includes Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Argentina, well, I think you get the point. We are in the United States.
In most countries, especially Europe, most people speak another languages. As a speaker of 5 languages, I am ashamed to see people from the United States as tourist in another country. They never speak the language and expect everyone around them to speak English.
Do you know how hard it is to speak another language. Most Spanish speakers living in the Unites States do speak a little English. Which means they speak more languages then you do already.
Why are you so paranoid anyway? Are you that sensitive and low self-esteemed (and egotistical) to think people are talking about you when they speak in Spanish?
Sure, I agree that if some one is living in a country where a different language is spoken they should learn it, but is it the Spanish we dislike. What if it was French or Italian? Would you still be angry?
The point is, it is easy to say LEARN ENGLISH, when in fact the majority of you had at least 3 grammatical errors in your written English, all but two of you appear to only speak one language yourselves.
Have a great day!
Thanks for your arrogant take on things, Mr. one post.
The 3 people speaking Spanish are all fluent in English, it happened to be a slow time at work, so they were all talking in Spanish and laughing. I could tell some of my other co-workers were wondering of they were laughing at us.
I did take one of the Spanish speaking co-workers aside and I mentioned that some of us felt it was disrespectful to be speaking Spanish in our public work environment. I said it was kind of the equivalent of whispering in someones ear so other people will not hear. I did make it clear that no one cared what they spoke in the break-room on their own time, but if we are to work as a team it was alienating some of us. He seemed upset by me saying this and said," Sure, you don't care if we speak Spanish when you need an interpretor, but other times you get offended."
I'm wondering if I was out of line by saying this to him. I felt that he may want to know. Thanks for other input, I guess I'm looking for assurance that I wasn't out of line by saying this to him.
I don't think you were out of line but another suggestion is you could have also told him you'd enjoy learning a 2nd language so "please translate what you are saying".
I am English speaking, know Spanish, and French. I get offended when I go to McDonald's and the cashier immediately assumes I do not know English and starts speaking Spanish to me. I just get annoyed. I do agree that if a person comes into the U.S. he/she needs to learn the language, it is called assimilation. Just as when I went to France years ago, I learned French and did not have one issue while there.
I have never been offended by hearing co-workers speaking in spanish. I DO get tired of hearing gossiping hens chatter incessantly in english, and chances are I would get just as tired of hearing hen's gossiping in spanish.
And if you REALLY feel like they were having fun at your expense, maybe you have had fun at minority's expense in the past and are just projecting.
It wouldn't hurt to just speak to them directly and tell them how you feel, especially from the team concept. They probably don't mind conversing in english, and you might find they actually DO want to learn the language. It is very difficult for some to learn another language. Just say hola, can you speak english while we are working, por favor?
You might find out it is no problemo! And if it IS a problem, you can say, Hasta la vista, baby!
I speak what little spanish I know on a daily basis, and find that my efforts are always rewarded with them opening up to me in broken english and a LOT more friendliness.
Its a two-way street. And btw, they DO know what country they are in, and they DO know which gringos have a chip on their shoulder by them speaking spanish.
America. What a concept. Did you know that America includes Canada, Mexico, Cuba, Argentina, well, I think you get the point. We are in the United States.
In most countries, especially Europe, most people speak another languages. As a speaker of 5 languages, I am ashamed to see people from the United States as tourist in another country. They never speak the language and expect everyone around them to speak English.
Do you know how hard it is to speak another language. Most Spanish speakers living in the Unites States do speak a little English. Which means they speak more languages then you do already.
Why are you so paranoid anyway? Are you that sensitive and low self-esteemed (and egotistical) to think people are talking about you when they speak in Spanish?
Sure, I agree that if some one is living in a country where a different language is spoken they should learn it, but is it the Spanish we dislike. What if it was French or Italian? Would you still be angry?
The point is, it is easy to say LEARN ENGLISH, when in fact the majority of you had at least 3 grammatical errors in your written English, all but two of you appear to only speak one language yourselves.
Have a great day!
I speak one language. If I were going to spend time in another country I would learn that language and not expect the entire country to change for me. I have been turned down for jobs because I only speak this countries native language.
Harp about grammatical errors if you wish. If people want to speak poor English it's better than a foreign language. You are 66% better. You only made one error. Congradulations.
I've been around "second languages" all my life. it doesn't bother me. The ENTIRE rest of the world speaks their native tongue and English. I suggest we, as Americans, should get with the program and learn a 2nd language. Is it really rude or are you (the generic "you" referring to who is bothered by this) just annoyed b'c you can't understand what they are saying and you think they are talking about your or something? Just curious b'c that's usually what I'm thinking when I don't understnad another language.
What does bother me though, is in job listings employers ask for "bilinguals". I'm bilingual just not in Spanish. They need to specificy "Spanish and English" bilinguals b'c people like me will apply and get shot down. not good for my self-confidence.
I've been around "second languages" all my life. it doesn't bother me. The ENTIRE rest of the world speaks their native tongue and English. I suggest we, as Americans, should get with the program and learn a 2nd language. Is it really rude or are you (the generic "you" referring to who is bothered by this) just annoyed b'c you can't understand what they are saying and you think they are talking about your or something? Just curious b'c that's usually what I'm thinking when I don't understnad another language.
What does bother me though, is in job listings employers ask for "bilinguals". I'm bilingual just not in Spanish. They need to specificy "Spanish and English" bilinguals b'c people like me will apply and get shot down. not good for my self-confidence.
I believe the biblical account of the Tower of Babel shows us that when the people's speach is confounded, they will become separated. That is what is happening in our country. We are becoming separated. It is annoying to me to buy something in a local store, and have to search for our native language on the container !!!
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