This is really annoying me..

[Beauty Mark]

I think it's scary, but at the same time, I'd be more scared of not knowing what a doctor was telling me or not knowing what the police wanted me to do.

I don't pretend it's easy to learn English, but I think it's so important to learn the native tongue of whatever country you choose to live in

 

[righteothen]

i just don't understand why a person who lives here can't at least learn the basics. i went to japan for only two weeks, but i still learned enough for that trip to get by, and at least be safe if something happens (you know, things like "i don't speak good japanese" and "can you help me?").

at the very least, if you aren't going to learn the language, could you please ask if they can speak yours. if i go to another country and just start talking in english to someone, it would be considered rude to not ask.

i've had the "junk" thing happen to me, too. i took 5 years of spanish (i barely remember anything, though), and look totally european. i can tell what people are saying (at least the gist), but i can't reply (i go blank on the words). so when people start junking me, i correct them in english. i love the look that they give me, but i still think it's sad that i even had to see it in the first place.

 

[aziajs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark I don't pretend it's easy to learn English, but I think it's so important to learn the native tongue of whatever country you choose to live in.

Right. How can you live in a country and not speak the language?!?!?!?! The thing that really kills me though is that a lot of these people just flat out refuse to learn. What???

 

[MiCHiE]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aziajs Right. How can you live in a country and not speak the language?!?!?!?! The thing that really kills me though is that a lot of these people just flat out refuse to learn. What???

I agree. The same coworker who was trying to speak to the guy I mentioned in the previous post was the same one, years ago, saying that everyone in the US should learn Spanish. I'm sorry, but talk to the hand. And, you can speak any language you would like when you do that.

 

[Raerae]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MxAxC-_ATTACK My mom is a nurse in Labor and Delivery, and she knows spanish,(you pretty much have to learn it these days) but shes your typical blonde haired blue eyed woman so know one knows it. shes had patients talk "junk" about her right in front of her, thinking she doesn't know spanish. I wish I could have seen the faces when she answers back in spanish.

I love this btw...

I don't know a lot of spanish, but I know a little. So I can get a gist of a conversation if I try hard enough. Not to mention I know most of the rude words.

Best is when you see people taking english, and you get near them, and they switch to a different language.

 

[Raerae]

Quote:

Originally Posted by aziajs Right. How can you live in a country and not speak the language?!?!?!?! The thing that really kills me though is that a lot of these people just flat out refuse to learn. What???

Because when you live in a state like Mexifornia, everything is in english, and spanish (or in a lot of my area, spanish only). Why should they bother? Every company has bi-lingual staff typically in order to cater to the hispanic dollar.

It's more profitable to staff 1 person who speaks spanish, then to turn away customers who want to speak spanish.

 

[giz2000]

Quote:

Originally Posted by makeupgal You know, this boils my blood! I am Cuban and I mean 100% Cuban. Born there, moved here when I was 6 months old. I learned how to speak English by the time I was 4 because I would be starting Kindergarten. I am adamant that if people are going to live here LEARN THE LANGUAGE! The law states that you must be able to speak English before you can become a citizen. I do not speak Spanish to my children. I can't even count how many people chastize me at the mall or at the grocery store because my kids don't speak Spanish. When they see me, it's obvious that I'm Hispanic. My children have blue eyes and fair skin, so they ask if they are my children. Once I say yes, they start rattling off in Spanish to them. My kids tell them they don't speak Spanish and I get the dirty looks and speeches about how I am a bad mother for not teaching them how to speak Spanish. The sad part is, if you were to tell one of the customers to learn the language if they are going to live here, you would get fired! Unbelievable!

I totally agree...I was born in NY, but raised in Miami. I am not Cuban but my parents are from Ecuador and I speak, read and write fluent Spanish. What boils my blood is that there are people who have lived here for ove 25 years that don't speak English at all. How can you expect to adapt to a country when you don't speak the language? Now, Miami has its sections of town where NO ONE speaks English. Scary, but true. I find it ridiculous. I mean, I wouldn't spend 25 years in France and not learn French...sheesh!

 

[giz2000]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raerae I love this btw... I don't know a lot of spanish, but I know a little. So I can get a gist of a conversation if I try hard enough. Not to mention I know most of the rude words. Best is when you see people taking english, and you get near them, and they switch to a different language.

I find it hilarious when people assume that someone does not speak their language, and then they proceed to talk crap about that person right in front of them. I had a friend who was from Vermont (blond very white...and very cute!!) who majored in Spanish while in college. He was very fluent, and yet people took one look at him and would speak in Spanish thinking he wouldn't understand them. When he responded in perfect Spanish (non-accented by the way!) the look on their faces was priceless!

 

[SparklingWaves]

Where I live, I literally here commercials over the intercom in Spanish at a Walmart. But what gets me is this. Everyone around me is speaking another language in line - Vietnamese, Iranian, German, Polish, & Spanish. I feel like am the outsider. I am thinking, "Where the heck am I?" I don't know what the heck anyone is saying.

I remember vividly as a child having Korean children in my classes. They did not get any special tutors or books. They were so far advanced it was not funny. All they did was refer to their dictionary to talk to me and the teacher.

As an English speaking person, I feel like I have been thrown in a foreign land. I don't like it when men come up to me speaking something that I don't understand and laughing. It really ticks me off. I feel compelled to learn at least the Spanish language.

 

[Beauty Mark]

In private conversation, I don't care as much. I think it's rude and cowardly of people to speak in other languages just so they can insult you without you knowing.

I also can't stand when people, particularly if they are US-born and have, at most, distant family in x country, refer to that country as their country. I'm not even patriotic really, and I think you should take some pride in being from the US. If not pride, then just be honest. Your country is the US, whether you agree with its politics or not.

 

[KAIA]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark In private conversation, I don't care as much. I think it's rude and cowardly of people to speak in other languages just so they can insult you without you knowing. I also can't stand when people, particularly if they are US-born and have, at most, distant family in x country, refer to that country as their country. I'm not even patriotic really, and I think you should take some pride in being from the US. If not pride, then just be honest. Your country is the US, whether you agree with its politics or not.

OK. I gotta say something about this... I CAN NOT STAND when people say : I'm Italian AND Polish.... (just as an example)
Me: MMMM did you born in Poland???
X person: NO
Me: Did you born in.... Italy??
X person: NO. I born in the U.S
Me: So... then are your PARENTS BORN IN ITALY and/or Poland???
X person: MMM NO. But my great-great-great grand father or whoever born in Poland and My Mom's grand-grand-grand Father born somewhere in Italy.
Me: *Laughing*
Come on now.. to me this sounds like this people aren't proud of being american or they get embarrased or something, it's funny because they don't even know where Italy is.
ONE THING is to say YOU ARE FROM "X" COUNTRY and another VERY DIFFERENT is to say I AM AMERICAN but I have ITALIAN/POLISH HERITAGE... that in my opinion is the correct way to express.

 

[Calhoune]

Oh I understand that.

When I went to Minnesota (I'm swedish) to visit eveeeeryone said they were dutch, norweigan, swedish, german. Me, who hadn't had an opportunity to talk my native language for about 5 weeks was thrilled to speak it again.

"I'm swedish!"
"Ohh! *simple swedish greeting phrase and question*"
"Uhh what??"
"Aren't you swedish?"
"Doesn't mean I know swedish"

Well turns out his great, great, great grandmother was swedish. I got that with everyone too, trying to talk norweigan, swedish or german.

I guess it's one thing to be really proud of your heritage, but when you claim to be from that country I get confused @@

*and I don't mean this in the way that has been discussed, that they must speak the language because they're "from" there, it's just like me saying "I'm vietnamese!!" when in reality my great great grandad was or something like that

 

[Beauty Mark]

I'm actually Korean in that I was born there and my direct biological lineage, to my knowledge, is Korean. However, I don't feel right claiming that, because I was adopted and have very little to no Korean culture in my life; I never incorporated it, because it would be really artificial, since my family is white.

It's just me probably, but I really don't understand "learning about the culture" when I didn't grow up in it any way, shape, or form.

 

[aziajs]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark I'm actually Korean in that I was born there and my direct biological lineage, to my knowledge, is Korean. However, I don't feel right claiming that, because I was adopted and have very little to no Korean culture in my life; I never incorporated it, because it would be really artificial, since my family is white. It's just me probably, but I really don't understand "learning about the culture" when I didn't grow up in it any way, shape, or form.

I think it's important to learn about your culture so that you don't grow up without a connection to it. I know of several white adoptive parents who try to teach and incorporate their child's heritage - be it Chinese or Black or whatever - into their lives so they don't have that disconnect. I think it's sad when I see little Black children running around but they have NO clue about Black culture because their parents didn't make it a priority. Actually, I think it's important even if your parents are Black. There are things you pick up from being around family and friends but there are alot of other things that children can learn and benefit from other than what they see everyday.

 

[Beauty Mark]

My parents tried, but I honestly don't see how Korean culture is "my culture." I didn't grow up there even as a child. My culture is US culture, and I'm well connected to that. I don't see how it's important that I learn specifically about Korean culture just because I'm told I'm Korean. What if it turns out that I was really born to Chinese people who were living in Korea? It seems anthropological for me to take on that culture than anything. While that's fine if people want to do that, I just have never felt a connection. It felt artificial to me to go the festivals and celebrate the holidays; I felt more of a connection with Hindu celebrations because they involved my friends than anything Korean.

Learning about other people's cultures is great, and I do that. I also choose to learn about Korean culture to the extent that I want to know why some people have the issues with Koreans that they do. However, I think it's pointless for me to take on Korean culture as my own, because I'm not Korean culturally. I don't know anything about living in the country. My culture is of being a US female citizen and transracial adoptee, not being a Korean woman.

 

[MarieLisa_Smile]

I'm 100% Vietamense, but people think im Chinese, Korean, Spanish

Customers think I'm the boss woman daughter knowing that they are Spanish lol..

This man thought boss man was my husband

p.s. I hate it when people see vietamense peoples at the mall or else where and they start saying like "Ching Chong Chang". Why they gotta be so inmature about that you know?

Don't ya agree?

I'm Viet, but I was born in New Orleans baby. I mostly talk English teehee.. I sometime speaks Viet probably to my parents and some people only... Sometime you will catch me speaking Viet and English together in one sentence.. Big smiLes.

 

[KAIA]

Oh yeah.. and there are other countries besides Mexico & Puerto Rico that are Latin...
Also, being Vietnamese doesn't mean you are chinese, and being from Bangladesh doesn't mean you are Indian. They're different countries...