Yeah, learning a new language just to understand that the locals hate you is so rewarding. I can totally see why they want to do that.
You are in the U.S please speak English
- Thread starter chunkeymonke
- Start date
Recommended Videos
I ask you this, how many people have you actually met in your country, that can't speak English??ecoho said:
I asked myself this once, only without the guff part. I asked "If every nation has a predominant language, which one is actually harder, theirs or mine?" I know english is no easy shtick to someone out there. I know it's no chance in hell that I'll learn to speak Japanese. The answer I came up with is that everyone's own language is just easier and everyone else's - from the perspective of any person on the globe - is hardest. That's the only sane answer possible. It's never easy, so you can see why not everyone can/does.chunkeymonke said:
OK, esto se va a ver increíblemente raro, pero por ejemplo, si yo de repente me meto en este foro y comienzo a escribir en español, estoy seguro de que todos se molestarían, es un foro en inglés, la mayoría aquí habla inglés, y obvio nadie excepto algunos pocos que han aprendido algo de español me van a entender, digamos que aun así, intento seguir escribiendo en este foro, y pues por obvias razones voy a tener que aprender inglés, pero se me dificulta y los primeros mensajes que escriba van a ser absurdos y probablemente no tengan sentido, pero lo estoy intentando, si en ese momento alguien llega y me dice "APRENDE INGLÉS ESTUPIDO" me molestaría mucho, porque ESO ES LO QUE ESTOY HACIENDO!
Comprendo que les moleste que un extraño llegue a hablar en otro idioma, pero si está haciendo el intento, en lugar de decirle estúpido deberían de enseñarle.
"MODS: this is to make a point, nothing written here is offensive"
Comprendo que les moleste que un extraño llegue a hablar en otro idioma, pero si está haciendo el intento, en lugar de decirle estúpido deberían de enseñarle.
"MODS: this is to make a point, nothing written here is offensive"
Agayek said:
Ooooh, I see, this isn't about those blasted foreigners, this is about making Spanish an official language in the US isn't it? I thought the OP was just bitchin' about some guy who asked for directions and didn't speak English. Well, okay, I'll change my comment.
What it's really like is if millions of French people turned up, so that a large proportion of the country spoke French, and then asking for signs to be in their language as well. Though of course we should slap down those impudent whelps because oh noez, slightly bigger signs with words I don't understand on them! The horror?
Why should they learn? I know plenty of people who only speak their native language that work way harder and are more "American" than people who speak English.
Plus if you go by this then we should all be speaking different languages anyways. No one except a save few learned speaking the languages of the Native Americans when they first got here.
It's hard learning a new language, my mother has been living here for nearly forty years and still have problems with pronunciation. Why don't you try learning another language. Plus I never heard of a person who doesn't speak English complain about how other people can't speak their language.
Plus if you go by this then we should all be speaking different languages anyways. No one except a save few learned speaking the languages of the Native Americans when they first got here.
It's hard learning a new language, my mother has been living here for nearly forty years and still have problems with pronunciation. Why don't you try learning another language. Plus I never heard of a person who doesn't speak English complain about how other people can't speak their language.
I don't know about you, but I've never had a foreigner act like I should learn their language...chunkeymonke said:
It's tough to learn a new language, and English is a somewhat difficult language to begin with, so maybe you should try to cut some slack if someone who's obviously foreign is speaking broken English.
A lot of native English speakers still screw up their own language.
Besides, what IS the problem with learning some of their language? One of the main reasons I dislike arguments like yours, is because you're acting like it's a terrible thing if you have to learn a little bit to effectively communicate. You don't have to be a linguist, just maybe have a few phrases to throw around if need be.
But yeah, God forbid one of the most diverse countries on Earth has multiple languages and cultural influences. Man, that'd be just TERRIBLE.
Woah there nelly, you can't just brush over that, what do you mean the language disgusts you? Do you have deeply nested hatred of all things Spanish? Do the sounds of the words literally disgust you? Is it a very specific phobia?GreatTeacherCAW said:
This thread will end poorly but, I wish someone could explain it to me too. It makes absolutely no sense. even from their point of view, isn't it easier to just learn the main language around you so it's easier to live in this world? Really, it makes me a little angry, but that's life.chunkeymonke said:
Okay! (Damn, that was an American Indian word... this is gonna be harder than I thought. Shit, Gonna's not a word... uh oh...)
Any American who says he/she speaks American is well... how do I put this in terms they can understand. An idiot. English is the language spoken, if you think you speak American. So to all who do, quite being ignorant of yourselves, your just giving Canada fuel to make fun of you.
A message, from Canada.
A message, from Canada.
I'll help, right there's this thing (crap, thing originates from the Vikings, fuck. Ummmm, I'll try again) there's this stuff (oh heck on a bottle top, just rememberd English is the bastard son of Latin and early German. What the fuck do I do now?)Koala Tree said:
Honestly I can't wait until the amount of people speaking Spanish primarily (currently 50 million people) outnumber the amount speaking English, or another language takes point. Because asking anyone to stick to one language is not only insensitive, but it destroys culture. By integrating language and boiling it down to one fine processed grain, then there's only so much to say.
With so many languages, there are so many ways of expressing yourself. Writing a poem in Irish can have many more connotations than in English, simply down to the structure and metrics of a different language. The same words in English could mean nothing. Without language, there is no poetry. Without those, you lose a culture. Anyone who attempts to take that away from someone should be put against a wall for the most callous and arrogant behaviour I can consider.
With so many languages, there are so many ways of expressing yourself. Writing a poem in Irish can have many more connotations than in English, simply down to the structure and metrics of a different language. The same words in English could mean nothing. Without language, there is no poetry. Without those, you lose a culture. Anyone who attempts to take that away from someone should be put against a wall for the most callous and arrogant behaviour I can consider.
Having lived in Australia for over a decade, and English being my 1st language, I can say I honestly didn't have a problem with it. Actually, having spent the last 4 years in Indonesia I'm quite surprised at the number of people putting in the effort to learn English here, it gets to the point where many billboards and even words written on emergency vehicles are in English.
Travelling to Europe you would be amazed how many people can speak English too. Sorry, went a little off-topic there, but I'm really just pointing out that there are many who would gladly put in the effort for their own sake, AND others'.
Travelling to Europe you would be amazed how many people can speak English too. Sorry, went a little off-topic there, but I'm really just pointing out that there are many who would gladly put in the effort for their own sake, AND others'.
I'm not sure how many people that live in America speak only German but thats why I learned Spanish. And when I accidentally trip over a gangsta on the street and he calls me a funny name I can tell him his mothers a whore in his own language.enzilewulf said:
I'm disappointed no one brought up an aging hippie liberal douche video yet. (Yes, he was in the south park episode)
Here's the bottom line. (1.) We shouldn't force our language on them. (2.) They shouldn't force their language on us. (3.) Neither side should ever move to a country, with intent to stay for life, without having a basic grasp of the native tongue. It's simply not polite or safe.
I'm not asking you to recite the Encyclopedia Britannica but at least be able to communicate your needs and understand my own.
[small]It's not even their fault anyway, it's those PC people that make such a fuss about requesting they learn a language.[/small]
Here's the bottom line. (1.) We shouldn't force our language on them. (2.) They shouldn't force their language on us. (3.) Neither side should ever move to a country, with intent to stay for life, without having a basic grasp of the native tongue. It's simply not polite or safe.
I'm not asking you to recite the Encyclopedia Britannica but at least be able to communicate your needs and understand my own.
[small]It's not even their fault anyway, it's those PC people that make such a fuss about requesting they learn a language.[/small]
Yes, it is. If people are more comfortable speaking one language then another, then they have that right. Some people are sensitive about their accents, or they do not feel that they have grasped the English language fully yet, it is one of the most difficult to learn. More then the people in question will begin to pick up the language.
Why would this bother you? I mean, really? I can only see this being annoying if they were speaking in another language and expecting you to understand. If you are annoyed that you can't understand what people are talking about when they are not speaking to you, don't be. It's none of your business. Cultural diversity is a good thing, you can't conform everyone to the same mold.
I've met a lot of people who were newly immigrated to Canada when I was in High School, many were from Korea. I've heard few speak in English, because they simply hadn't grown accustomed to it yet. Never bothered me.
@ Ace of Spades: You, sir, have won.
Why would this bother you? I mean, really? I can only see this being annoying if they were speaking in another language and expecting you to understand. If you are annoyed that you can't understand what people are talking about when they are not speaking to you, don't be. It's none of your business. Cultural diversity is a good thing, you can't conform everyone to the same mold.
I've met a lot of people who were newly immigrated to Canada when I was in High School, many were from Korea. I've heard few speak in English, because they simply hadn't grown accustomed to it yet. Never bothered me.
@ Ace of Spades: You, sir, have won.