No Habla Ingles?
Nov 22nd, 2006 by Debbie
Why do people think it is acceptable to speak to their friends/co-workers/family in their own language, when no one else in the group can understand them? Would they like it if I started speaking in a foreign language around them?
Case in point: I get my nails done at a salon that has only Asian women working there. They all speak English, this I know because they speak to me in English. So I know they can all speak it. But when they speak to each other, it is in their language, and sometimes they laugh, and just keep talking and talking, and I can’t help but think “maybe they are talking about me?” Maybe I am just being a little self-conscious, but it’s rude!
It reminds me of that Seinfeld episode where Elaine gets her nails done and swears the ladies there are talking about her, so she gets George’s father, who understands their language, to come on an appointment with her. Turns out, they ARE talking about her and having a good time doing it!
Maybe I’m just a little paranoid…. but when I see them look at me from the corner of their eyes, and then a few remarks go flying in their language, along with a few smiles or chuckles… well what’s one to think?? We all know women can be so caddy! YES we can!!
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Agreed, I spent a few years living in brasil, and one of the first things I learned when I went down there is “speak the language”. Don’t speak English, even if it’s just you and friends, people are around and will think the wrong thing. I did my best to show that courtesy when I lived abroad, why don’t you?
Absolutely! Even worse are those that are speaking English, but switch to another language when you walk by …drives me nuts! I would never normally never say a word about an overheard conversation, but I have to admit to being very tempted to make a comment when those in my office switch from English to Spanish when I walk by
I can relate to this subject. I work in a school in England in which it is mainly children from Pakistan who attend. As so many of the children are second language learners we have a lot of women who work as Bi lingual support assisstants. It drives me mad when I am in the staff room with them and they start talking in punjabi. I can understand the children talking in their own language but the women!!! Luckily I have worked there long enough to pick up some of the language so I do tend to understand if they are talking about me, but I do think it very rude of them.
Ann
Well I am in a bit of disagreement here it seems. I think we the English speakers of the world tend to think…speak English you foreigners! I admit I was one of them until I lived in Europe for 5 years. I tried to learn the language of where we were living…which was Germany even if many spoke English as it is taught in schools. But I found English being my 1st language I would speak that when with my family…it was comfortable to me and I didn’t need to think about what verb form to use, etc. I now respect those that move (or visit) this country and can speak English as well as most do. But I am never offended when I hear them speaking their native language…I understand and do not feel they might be talking a bout me. The only time I take offense is when they are in a customer service job and can not speak English well enough to do their job here…that should be a requirement to work here. When I worked in Germany I did at an American University where English was spoken as I knew I was not fluent. My husband needed to speak German as he worked in the civilian sector and needed to know German.
I live in Arizona, and this is HUGE here. We have so many people coming from Mexico and they don’t know any English…they actually had a VOTE to acknowledge that English should be the official language of Arizona. The Wal-mart here has signs in both languages. I think you should know the language where you live and speak it in public. What you do in your own home, is your business.
I am right there with you. I get frustrated when I hear people speaking another language here too. I work for an exchange student organization and our first requirement for ALL students when they are here…”ENGLISH ONLY.” We explain to them that it is rude to speak with another in their native language because others may think they are talking about them. Host families might think they are saying something negative about their family too. So, they need to speak the language. We are in the United States and you should speak English. I lived in Peru as a missionary and it was required for me to learn Spanish and speak only Spanish even when I was with other English speaking missionaries. It would have been rude to speak English around the Peruvians. We just spoke Spanish. Same with here in the U. S. Speak English. Save the Spanish for your homes with the people you know who speak Spanish.
First of all, I this country has a serious problem accepting things that are outside the realm of the American ideal. I come from California, and I too get irritated by the fact that in the California school system our cumulative test scores are lowered by the overwhelming population of ESL students. I too am irritated by the fact that sometimes people work in stores where they should be able to speak English but are, in fact, sadly inept. I too think that it should be manditory to be(come) sufficient in the language spoken by the country where one lives. But to say that it is rude when people, who have every right to speak in whatever language they please, speak their mother tongue is simply intolerance. You should, instead of judging them, think about how they feel and try a little harder to put yourself in their shoes.