Do you get angry when foreigners don't learn just a little English?

[Wilbur ★]

?

[Square Wheels]

Yes, if you want my money learn my language. 

[Longjohn ★]

Especially Canadians, this is America, speak English .

[Wilbur ★]

I do my best to learn some of the local languages for my trips.  It makes basic functioning a little easier.  I am reasonably functional in spoken French, Spanish, Portuguese, Italian and Russian.  If they speak slowly, I can get the gist of the dialogue and respond appropriately.  I recently learned a little Turkish and Icelandic but enough to greet people and ask for basics at a restaurant.  I figure, It is their country, their language so I shouldn't expect them to cater to me with my language. 

I was in Vegas a few months ago and was enjoying a dollar beer at a walk up bar when a couple beside us started asking questions in Mexican Spanich.  They spoke so quickly, I could barely understand them.  I asked him to speak slower because my Spanish was weak.  This idiot says back in Spanish, an American should know better Spanish.  I fired back in Spanish that a Mexican should know a little English when visiting an English country.  We didn't talk much after that.   

I wonder how much Greek SW learned.. I am guessing he knows "I don't like that" and "gluten free water".

[Chris...]

Not really. Unless they are in a position where they come in contact with English speaking people on a daily basis. And of course air traffic controllers and pilots. 

[maddmaxx ★]

Dahng-rahn

[Wilbur ★]

8 minutes ago, Chris... said:

Not really. Unless they are in a position where they come in contact with English speaking people on a daily basis. And of course air traffic controllers and pilots. 

You would be surprised how bad that can be.  Especially in France and Northern Quebec. 

[tybeegb]

I guess there are people, like me, who do not have that gift to easily pick up other languages, even a few phrases.  My favorite example is from one Guard flight I went on that stopped in Norway, the next to last stop on that 17 day trip.  A Norwegian couple went to dinner with us and the subject turned to "Americans don't speak more than one language, where we in Norway are taught English as well as Norwegian in school".  I commented that that was fine, but on this trip we had stopped in seven different countries and come in contact with seven different languages, and which language should we have learned.  I agreed that we should be more versed in other languages, but which one other than English would be the most useful? 

[Wilbur ★]

10 minutes ago, tybeegb said:

I guess there are people, like me, who do not have that gift to easily pick up other languages, even a few phrases.  My favorite example is from one Guard flight I went on that stopped in Norway, the next to last stop on that 17 day trip.  A Norwegian couple went to dinner with us and the subject turned to "Americans don't speak more than one language, where we in Norway are taught English as well as Norwegian in school".  I commented that that was fine, but on this trip we had stopped in seven different countries and come in contact with seven different languages, and which language should we have learned.  I agreed that we should be more versed in other languages, but which one other than English would be the most useful? 

I am in that situation and often, there is no give at the other end.  How many firkin languages do I have to know?!?  Oh, I also do reasonably well in German.   

[smudge ★]

That's a pretty impressive list of languages in which you are "tourist fluent."  I think it's reasonable to expect at least a smidge of understanding.

[Chris...]

The French are very stubborn when it comes to the French language. I have met French people that speak fluent English but refuse to out of spite when talking to English speaking visitors to their country. 

[tybeegb]

I did learn to say the "friendly" things in the languages where I was, like "Hello", "Thank you", "Please", and that helped break the ice with most people I met.  I was so bad one time in Puerto Rico that after several days of ordering a Wendy's #1 with mayo, lettuce, tomato, and French fries that one day the server says to me, "Please do not try to order in Spanish.  We know what you want".  "Gracias", I said.  

[Wilbur ★]

Just now, smudge said:

That's a pretty impressive list of languages in which you are "tourist fluent."  I think it's reasonable to expect at least a smidge of understanding.

Learned over 35 years of travel it isn't that impressive..   

[smudge ★]

3 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

Learned over 35 years of travel it isn't that impressive..   

It is ta dis Yooper, eh?

[Wilbur ★]

This JFK controller got angry.. 

 

[Digital_photog ★]

1 minute ago, smudge said:

It is ta dis Yooper, eh?

I'm not sure @Wilbur speaks yooper.

[smudge ★]

Just now, Digital_photog said:

I'm not sure @Wilbur speaks yooper.

Hee hee...

[Wilbur ★]

Just now, Digital_photog said:

I'm not sure @Wilbur speaks yooper.

I must be close though.  I was in a pizza/bar in Battle Creek once with two coworkers.  A few college girls came to chat us up (that means pay for their drinks).  After talking with them for a few minutes one asks, "Are you from the UP?"  I said no, Canada.  Then they went off on some Degrassie tangent and I slid away.. 

[Square Wheels]

48 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

I wonder how much Greek SW learned.. I am guessing he knows "I don't like that" and "gluten free water".

Didn't need to learn a single word.  It seems they want my money.  If they don't speak English,  they often get someone who can.   I had two, now one stepdaughter, with us most of the time.  They mostly grew up here, plus my wife speaks some.

I would not travel here, nor live here, without leering their language,  but I am dim witted and that would take too long.

[Wilbur ★]

1 minute ago, Square Wheels said:

but I am dim witted

Don't be so hard on yourself.  You are just.. slow.   

[Chris...]

I used to get angry when Americans couldn't understand my English. The sad thing is I assimilated just so you hicks could understand me. 

[Square Wheels]

17 minutes ago, Wilbur said:

Don't be so hard on yourself.  You are just.. slow.   

That makes me feel better, I think.

[Indy]

If you are going to live somewhere, it is up to you to adapt to that culture, not them adapt to you.

[jsharr ★]

2 hours ago, Longjohn said:

Especially Canadians, this is America, speak English .

Along that line, shouldn't we Americans really speak Navajo or Choctaw or Comanche, etc.......

[jsharr ★]

2 hours ago, Indy said:

If you are going to live somewhere, it is up to you to adapt to that culture, not them adapt to you.

Not if you invade, kill the natives en mass, institutionalize the survivors and claim the country for your own.  Then you can speak your language and demand that everyone else does so as well.

[Square Wheels]

2 minutes ago, jsharr said:

Not if you invade, kill the natives en mass, institutionalize the survivors and claim the country for your own.  then you can speak your language and demand that everyone else does so as well.

We didn't invade, we discovered. 

[jsharr ★]

1 minute ago, Square Wheels said:

We didn't invade, we discovered. 

And bank robbers discover money.  It is their manifest destiny to do so.

[sheep_herder ★]

Not at all, probably because as a youth in South Texas, my friend and I often played pool in halls where we were the only folks speaking English. I did often wonder what they were saying, but you can tell a lot from facial expressions. Now, when they raise the pool cues above their heads, it is time to pay attention to what may happen next.

[maddmaxx ★]

1 hour ago, Square Wheels said:

Didn't need to learn a single word.  It seems they want my money.  If they don't speak English,  they often get someone who can.   I had two, now one stepdaughter, with us most of the time.  They mostly grew up here, plus my wife speaks some.

I would not travel here, nor live here, without leering their language,  but I am dim witted and that would take too long.

You can travel there without leering our language too.

[smudge ★]

2 hours ago, Wilbur said:

I must be close though.  I was in a pizza/bar in Battle Creek once with two coworkers.  A few college girls came to chat us up (that means pay for their drinks).  After talking with them for a few minutes one asks, "Are you from the UP?"  I said no, Canada.  Then they went off on some Degrassie tangent and I slid away.. 

I'm often times asked if I'm from Canada. Ha!

[MickinMD ★]

If they're living, working, and interacting in an English-speaking country, it bothers me.

We were in a McDonalds in a D.C. suburb and noticed there wasn't a garbage bag at one of the tray return stations - people were dumping the trash off their trays and soda/etc. was running out of the bottom of the station onto the floor.

We notified a woman worker who was cleaning up in the seating area. She just shrugged her shoulders and said something like, "No speak Anglais."

THAT kind of thing bothers me.

[Further]

I was in Montreal Canada, buying gas, a question came up about dollars vs Canadian money exchange rate. The guy that had greeted me like a brother suddenly didn't understand anything other than "no English" 

 

Ps   I must say he was polite about not understanding me anymore

 

[Zephyr]

Just now, Further said:

I was in Montreal Canada, buying gas, a question came up about dollars vs Canadian money exchange rate. The guy that had greeted me like a brother suddenly didn't understand anything other than "no English" 

 

I guess when you are French, mathing is hard in English.

[parodybot]

1 minute ago, Further said:

I was in Montreal Canada, buying gas, a question came up about dollars vs Canadian money exchange rate. The guy that had greeted me like a brother suddenly didn't understand anything other than "no English" 

 

jsharr told me that Canadians are like pool balls.  

 

If you hit them just right with a pool cue, they have incredible english.

[ChrisL]

10 hours ago, Chris... said:

The French are very stubborn when it comes to the French language. I have met French people that speak fluent English but refuse to out of spite when talking to English speaking visitors to their country. 

I've seen this myself and Frenchie will go out of his way to screw over an American too.  Years ago while visiting family in Holland we took a Dutch tour bus to Paris.  The tour guide knowing we were Americans told us to tell the locals we were Dutch.... Fast forward a few hours and I'm buying a coke from a street vendor.  He says, "you mericaaan?" I reply in Ik been Nederlander, niet Amerikaans.... Frenchie sells me the coke for a franc.  A few minutes later my cousin bought a coke from the same vendor and was bitching it was so expensive, 5 francs.  I asked my cousin if the vendor asked if  he was American, he did and my cousin said he was....

I've heard this is a Parisian thing but haven't spent any time outside of Paris.

[ChrisL]

I was born here but my family immigrated in the 50s and became citizens.  They also learned the language and although held true to their heritage embraced being American.  They were really bothered that other immigrant groups failed to assimilate and in SoCal many street signs are in Spanish or even Vietnamese.  They thought this was B'S.  You live here you learn the language.  I share their feelings but am not as vocal.as they were.

It is true that most Americans can only speak one language where most Europeans speak 2 or 3. My parents spoke 3 languages fluently, I am bilingual. But what chaps my ass is when Hispanics speak to me in Spanish assuming I speak the language due to my dark skin.  When I tell them I dont habla, I'm not hispanic I've been told more times than In can remember, you look Mexican you should speak Spanish.  I've often replied, you look like an ass, how come you don't speak donkey????  I often get quizzical looks back but English speakers nearby always laugh....

[Further]

It really angers me when the tourist's English is so obviously better than mine...

[LoneWolf]

If you are a tourist, I do not expect you to know my language.  I mean, I don't know yours if visiting your country unless you speak English.  I know a bit of pidgin Spanish left from my high school and college courses, so I can ask where the bathroom is, and probably some basic phrases and comprehension, but I don't use it, and a tool not used gathers rust.

If you are moving to the country I live in?  I have no problem with you as a person, but I believe you should learn some English.  I find it a bit ironic that some people immigrate for the idea of "a dream of a better life" (aka "The American Dream"), but then congregate in little areas of people of their culture and heritage..  Yes, it's what's "comfortable" and "familiar".  And I don't think anyone should lose their culture or heritage and just become a bland cultural tapioca.  But moving into a new place means assimilating some of it for multiple reasons.  Getting around.  Holding a job.  Understanding laws. And challenging, moving beyond yourself.  Even in the worst times I've had in my life, those times have helped me move beyond who I was at that time in a way that improves me.  To not move beyond who you are is an isolating experience; you're not sharing the things that make you great among others, nor are you benefiting from them.