Other Languages Spoken In Public

[EnViOuSPoPpEt]

Speaking in another language, should not offend people, if it's done in a proper way.

Having a different 1st language than English, makes you want to think in that language, and explain things easier to others who speak it. For example when I'm with my family, I have been speaking to them Macedonian all my life, so I'm not used to talking to them in English. I have noticed when we go anywhere in public a lot of cultures that have been Americanized, just put all of their personal lives for everyone to hear. We were always brought up, that private lives are to be shared in the comfort of your own home, I don't want everyone knowing my business. So if I have something urgent to tell the person that I'm with of course I'm going to speak Macedonian, it's not that I'm talking about anyone in the store. However when there is a Non-Macedonian(my brother's g/f or my Hubby) engaged in conversation I speak English , so they can respond back and understand me. At 1st Tom (alaska_sunrise) was a bit concerned that we were always talking about him lol, and he was not ignorant so learned the language, now he knows almost everything were saying it's adorable and he loves it.

Right now I speak 3 languages, and I'm learning Japanese at the moment. So all I can say to the people who think " THis is America speak American", don't be ignorant if you don't know something try to learn it. It's not hard. That way you won't feel bad when people speak a different language in front of you.

We always fear what we don't understand, but knowledge is power.

Oh and my favorite.. when I used to work retail, there was this lady that was buying pictures with her friend. I wasn't told to wrap the pictures so I didn't. And I heard in my native language " She's so lazy". I responded "Excuse me who's lazy?". The lady was so embarrassed at this point for opening her big mouth, I said" Maybe if you opened you mouth and told me that you wanted something wrapped, rather than commenting on my working skills there wouldn't be a problem now would there."

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

I'm not sure I get where you get this to b e an American thing. Have you been to France or read how uptight they are about speaking French while there?

When in Rome....

[Rev.Reverence]

GIVE US YOUR TIRED, POOR, HUDDLED MASSES... JUST TEACH THEM ENGLISH FIRST!

..............................B. S. PERIOD

I UNDERSTAND SOME PEOPLE WANT TO POINT A FINGER AT IMMIGRANTS WHO KNOW ONLY THEIR NATIVE LANGUAGE, BUT THERE IS THREE FINGERS POINTING BACK.

YOU CAN NOT SERIOUSLY EXPECT A 45yr. OLD PERSON TO UPROOT, MOVE, LEARN NEW SURROUNDINGS, CULTURAL NORMS, AND ADD A LANGUAGE TO THEIR VOCAB.

SO WE HAVE IT THAT SO CALLED "CONSERVATIVE AMERICANS" WANT TO BE CONSTANTLY ON THE FINGER WAGGING, AND WITH THE BLAME PLACING; WHILE THE REST OF THE WORLD GETS ALONG PRETTY WELL WITH EACH OTHER, AND PRETTY MUCH AGREE THAT WE ARE THE ONES WHO HAVE EVERYTHING AND WANT MORE, AND MORE, AND MORE, BUT IT IS STILL IN THE TOP 3 COUNTRIES TO HOLD A RESIDENCE WITHIN.

FURTHERMORE, THERE IS NO 'NATIONAL LANGUAGE'. THREADS LIKE THESE HAVE THE FOUNDING FATHERS TURNING IN THEIR GRAVES, NAY, FLIPPING!

SORRY UNKLE BENJI!!

HOPE MY TRUTHS WERE NOT TOO OFFENSIVE.

Rev. Reverence C. R.

P.S. I LOVE HUMAN LANGUAGES! THEY ARE ALL INTERRELATED AND BEAUTIFUL.

[Oh_My_Goth]

True,there is no such thing as (American Language) some ppl think there is.

In America its English.

We don't speak English in America, we speak American.

[Oh_My_Goth]

Its just impolite basically to speak a language you know the people around you have no clue what your saying for any length of time.

In terms of a national language... I'd be all for a specific push to make English the national language. Diversity is nice, but the ability to communicate is very important. Inability to communicate is a key problem with development, and that's definitely what we need to stay on top of if we want to keep America on the forefront of the worlds nations.

Feel free to speak whatever language you want as a hobby or interest, but there should be a "common" language so that we all can communicate. English is clearly the most realistic candidate for that.

So, is it impolite to talk about Catholicism in front of a Buddhist, just because they don't understand it.

[TygerLili]

I don't really care unless they are trying to communicate with me directly. At that point I'll act like they haven't said anything at all, like they don't even exist.

What bugs me more is that I have to select english on an ATM machine. It should be in the national language, whatever that may be. Ours happens to be english. It's an extra step that inconveniances me just to satisfy people who want to live here but are to lazy to learn the language.

"your laziness should not be my problem"

I agree with both points here. I hate when I call a information number and have to press 3 for English, or when I buy a new DVD player and have to search 20 minutes to find the English instructions on how to assemble it.

I have no problem with people speaking their native language amongst themselves, as long as they're not pointing at me and laughing. Working in customer service, however, I would get people who would just come up to the counter and have no idea what I was saying and try to act like they didn't know how to pay for their items.

If I were going to be in another country for more than a couple days you can bet I'd be studying at least enough of their native language to get around, and I feel anyone who plans on being in this country for more than a week better learn some English.

[EnViOuSPoPpEt]

We don't speak English in America, we speak American.

It is English.. Americanized English.. It's not American. If it was you would be speaking Native American, but your not.

[Troy Spiral (13)]

I'm not sure I get where you get this to b e an American thing. Have you been to France or read how uptight they are about speaking French while there?

When in Rome....

Not only french , but "good" french. Half-ass french, they just pretend they have no clue what your saying at all as if its beneath them to listen to your just-learning version of french.

But I'd not say Americans are immune to this sort of attitude or give us a free pass on it just because other people do it too (or worse).

Almost totally opposite in Germany, i would bumble my way through the worst possible German and they would typically be very attentive and try hard to figure out what i meant. (I was told by my German GF at the time that some Germans seem to bend over backwards to make foreigners feel welcome, her theory was the stereotype of the Xenophobic German, was something some Germans tried hard to counteract as much as they could.)

It could be just my personal good and bad experiences, but, I've heard this same commentary from far more than just a few people.

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

It is English.. Americanized English.. It's not American. If it was you would be speaking Native American, but your not.

Um... there is no such thing as THE "Native American" language. There isn't one language that was spoken by Native Americans. Ojibwe is one you will hear in Michigan alot, but it's one of many. I know a few words and my second oldest son can hold a short conversation in it.

The USA is on the short list of countries without a national language. It's also one of the few cultures that does not expect you to learn the local language if you immigrate here. Most countries expect you to learn to speak the local language.

[Kit Kat P]

they might be saying that your hot, babe.

Generally it's spanish, and it's never that I'm hot. I've gotten to the point where I'll catch the few words I understand and then say something simple in spanish and then they just walk away like I offended them. If you don't want to hear your conversation don't have it in front of me. If you don't know it I'll do my best to bridge the gap. If your conversing w/ someone that doesn't speak english or doesn't feel comfortable speaking english I'll enjoy listening. But if your just trying to be rude or talk about the size of my ass w/o my understanding, don't.

On a side note I love hearing other languages. I've actually just sat in coffee houses by DLI and just listened. But what I love are the clean languages. You can start hearing when somone is tearing the language apart or slumming it.

[Gaf The Horse With Tears]

But I'd not say Americans are immune to this sort of attitude or give us a free pass on it just because other people do it too (or worse).

I'm not giving us a free pass.. I'm just saying this is not "an american thing". It's a people thing.

[Oh_My_Goth]

It is English.. Americanized English.. It's not American. If it was you would be speaking Native American, but your not.

So the indians named this land America?? I don't think so.

If I was speaking in the Native tongue, it would not be called Native American.

Besides, ask anyone who speaks English (that doesn't live in America), what we speak here.

Thanx for reprimanding me though, I am soo turned on now

[pharoh]

I'm not giving us a free pass.. I'm just saying this is not "an american thing". It's a people thing.

I agree.

[phee]

I agree.

100% agree.... I have been to France...

[Steven]

So the indians named this land America?? I don't think so.

If I was speaking in the Native tongue, it would not be called Native American.

Besides, ask anyone who speaks English (that doesn't live in America), what we speak here.

Thanx for reprimanding me though, I am soo turned on now

you speak with forked tongue

[Steven]

So, is it impolite to talk about Catholicism in front of a Buddhist, just because they don't understand it.

they might actually understand it quite well, they just dont identify with it.....

incidently sometimes speaking in your culture's native tongue allows you to emphasize certain ideas in specific ways that are recognizable within that culture....its sort of a deeper level of communication.

[Steven]

Generally it's spanish, and it's never that I'm hot. I've gotten to the point where I'll catch the few words I understand and then say something simple in spanish and then they just walk away like I offended them. If you don't want to hear your conversation don't have it in front of me. If you don't know it I'll do my best to bridge the gap. If your conversing w/ someone that doesn't speak english or doesn't feel comfortable speaking english I'll enjoy listening. But if your just trying to be rude or talk about the size of my ass w/o my understanding, don't.

On a side note I love hearing other languages. I've actually just sat in coffee houses by DLI and just listened. But what I love are the clean languages. You can start hearing when somone is tearing the language apart or slumming it.

I would never speak rudely about the size of your ass....

[Oh_My_Goth]

they might actually understand it quite well, they just dont identify with it.....

incidently sometimes speaking in your culture's native tongue allows you to emphasize certain ideas in specific ways that are recognizable within that culture....its sort of a deeper level of communication.

True Dat

[Troy Spiral (13)]

I'm not giving us a free pass.. I'm just saying this is not "an american thing". It's a people thing.

Oh i didn't mean to put words into your mouth, was a generalized comment / statement. Not really relating to what you said particularly. But since the rest of the post was fairly directly related to what you were saying (and in agreement with it) i can see where it might have been taken that way. Lack of clarity on my part.

[freydis]

I've heard from a few folks that when visiting Iceland, native Icelandics will sometimes get offended if you try to speak the language. They'd rather speak English with you, than hear their own language coming out mangled.

But seriously.... I *do* think that if you *move* somewhere, you should make the effort to speak the language, and not get offended if people can't understand you, or ask you to repeat yourself several times. I give props to anyone learning to speak english. I also try my very best to have the patience to figure out what they're trying to say. This is pretty hard in my line of work, while trying to communicate complex concepts and instructions over the phone.

To move somewhere where they primarily speak another language, and expect to be accomodated and coddled because you don't even want to *try* to learn it is ignorant. You don't want to bother? Don't move here. I won't try and move to your home country and not learn your language, either.

Just because people move here from other countries and speak other languages does not obligate me to learn theirs. Nor does it make me "ignorant" or "prejudiced".

[Nienna]

I speak several languages badly. It doesn't bother me one bit if there are people around speaking in a language other than English. Frankly, If I'm with someone who has a language in common with me, I usually try to speak in other than English in public. It's not their business anyways. Much easier to say scandalous things.

[jadnifer]

Not only french , but "good" french. Half-ass french, they just pretend they have no clue what your saying at all as if its beneath them to listen to your just-learning version of french.

But I'd not say Americans are immune to this sort of attitude or give us a free pass on it just because other people do it too (or worse).

Almost totally opposite in Germany, i would bumble my way through the worst possible German and they would typically be very attentive and try hard to figure out what i meant. (I was told by my German GF at the time that some Germans seem to bend over backwards to make foreigners feel welcome, her theory was the stereotype of the Xenophobic German, was something some Germans tried hard to counteract as much as they could.)

It could be just my personal good and bad experiences, but, I've heard this same commentary from far more than just a few people.

Reminds me of the movie National Lampoon's European Vacation and they are at a restaurant and he screws up the language and the waiter makes fun of him.

I have mixed feelings about this. Of course I would be offended if someone that knew English started talking in another language and were obviously talking about me. Hell, I'm offended when people talk about me in English, why would I not be when they are speaking a different language, if not moreso because they think that they are pulling one over on me.

I think that if someone is going to move here from another country, they should at least try to larn the language. English is the hardest language to learn and English is also the fastest spoken language, so I give credit where credit is due. I don't like the fact that I have to press a button for my language, but their really isn't anything that I can do about it, so I don't let it get to me. What bugs me though, is they have a LOT of foreign people that work for like help desks and stuff when you call. They can speak English but not very well and then they get mad when you ask them to repeat themselves or you ask to speak to someone else because you are having too much of a hard time understanding them. I'm not saying that they deserve a job any less than the rest of us if they are a LEGAL citizen, but the majorite of the people already living here should be able to understand them.

I know that if I was going to move to another country, I would work my ass off to learn the language. I wouldn't expect everyone to go out of their way to speak English to me just because I want to be lazy. I am not saying that all foreign people are lazy.

I am glad that there is diversity. However, even though we don't have a national language, the language that the majority of the people living there speak should be the one that is spoken, at least when conducting business.

Please excuse my spelling and grammar errors....it is night-night time for me.