Speak English Please

Hi wlee, I'm rather with jb above on this one. I'm English but live in a foreign country. My son speaks Greek fluenty and I speak it but not perfectly but certainly enough to get by and join in, but not well enough to understand everything in a full on discussion where people rabbit away too fast, and all at the same time. I use English at home and if making a business telephone call will ask if they have an English speaker as it's more difficult to be certain of what is being said without facial contact. Some of the foreigners who live here make no effort at all to speak the language which I feel is disgraceful, but as jb said if I was meeting a fellow Englih speaker for coffee in a public place we will use English and don't consider that rude or that it shows a bad upbringing at all. I would still greet other friends that come in in Greek. And sometimes I don't want all the Greeks to know what I'm talking about. The electric company and my main bank do not use English at all and why should they and they will tell anyone that goes in with English only that they don't understand, however if you speak Greek but don't understand the odd word they will help one out in English. But if you yourself suddenly went to live in a foreign country and were learning the language, believe me you would not chat to other English speakers in the language of that country but in English, unless you were in a mixed group. After saying that though the majority of my friends are Greek so that is what I usually speak in.

My parents immigrated here from another country, they worked hard, opened their own business and was very successful. They learned how to speak English, conduct their business in English and raise 5 children. Now the five children speak their native language fluently and also are all college graduates without any accent speaking English. My parents were very afraid of two things, 1) their children would not learn or assimilate the American culture well enough to be accepted and then later, 2) that their children assimilated too well and would forget about their native culture. While individuals living in foreign countries most undoubtly should and be required to learn the language of that country, they should also not forget their heritage. I understand your frustration at the foreigners who refuse to speak english. I agree with jb and thea's points of view. But it is a very natural reaction to speak in your native language with members that speak your native language, whether in public or in private. When I am out with my parents I speak to them in our native language because it is easier for them to understand and it is natural since I have spoken to them all my life (with English thrown in when I can't think of the translation) and I am also partially deaf (yes, I also wear a hearing aid) hence the loudness. Somethings can't wait till we are in private to speak and it is just quicker to say it in our native language. More often than not the conversations are usually about groceries (if we are in the grocery store) or how long the line is (if we are in a long line)or about money (if we are at the bank). There is no disrespect intended, it is just natural.

let me get this straight - you think that everybody in the states should speak only english to each other? now i agree that you should not go to a foreign country and not be able to speak the language - that is ignorant. but speaking the language you are most comfortable with to your friends - please tell me what exactly is wrong with that? now the thing of having signs in two languages is extremely common the world over when there are a lot of people who speak a certain language around. do you object when you go to greece and see signs in greek and english for example? or south america where there are a lot of signs in english and spanish. i have to say that wanting to tell people what to speak like this appears to me rather intolerant. fine - if someone speaks spanish to you knowing you won't understand - that's rude. to each other - no. and why do you want to listen in on other people's conversations anyway?

Rabbit, did I mention that while I was in England recently I saw some New Forest ponies? Any thoughts?

I do agree that it can be uncomfortable to be around people having a loud conversation in a different language, and I do also agree that one should assimilate oneself into the country as much as possible. But I also know how very hard it is to be an immigrant in a country which seems to hate them! This is supposed to be the big melting pot of the world, the country where everyone is welcome and different cultures are mixed - and it IS, in terms of the variety of people here. Americans have the reputation of being friendly and welcoming. So when I married my American husband and moved here I was shocked to be made to feel incredibly unwelcome. I went through the long, painful, incredibly expensive legal process to live here. I constantly have people saying they've heard the food is horrible or whatever else it is they think is true about my country, I have told people telling me I shouldn't be taking their jobs (actually my company closed and I am now unemployed, happy now?...lol) I constantly have people hearing me speak and then turning to each other and going 'whaat did she saaay?" as if I am not there. And don't even start on healthcare - apparently I am a communist just because I come from my country, before they even hear my views! So I have a lot of sympathy with immigrants from anywhere - yes, absolutely they should come in legally and they should, for their own sake too, try to learn enough language to get along. But I know how hard it is not to live in your own country. Yes, I made a choice to get married but I never though it would be like this and if anyone asked me if they should move to America I would say don't do it. Which I guess might solve your problem....lol :0) Please have some compassion for people if you don't know their story. They might HAVE to be here, and they may be making every effort to learn but not be there yet. Every time someone says something like that to me it makes it harder to live another day here, and I am ENGLISH, with the same language (almost) and the standard southern English accent that people recognize. Even then I get people telling me to speak like an American if I want to live here. I don't. I just don't want to leave my husband. And the people who made me feel that way should be ashamed because they have misrepresented what I still think is a great country. Maybe those people speaking Spanish in your grocery store WANT to go home, but can't, like me.

I hear you wlee9696. As a language lover who knows four languages, I think it is great to be able to speak a few words while visiting other countries. But if one lives in a country it goes without a saying he must speak the language. People take for granted the countries they moved to, that's the point. If I moved to a country, the first thing I would do is show gratitude to this country - I would learn its language, culture, history etc. But then again if the president of the USA is ashamed of his country and keeps apologizing for it, no wonder these people have no respect to your country. Maybe you should first issue a bill that any president elected should be 100% patriot and have manners - ref: First lady,Michelle Obama, wearing short and going into the presidental limosine.

This is an interesting discussion. I do feel that it is vitally important to learn the language where you are living - it will cripple your everyday abilities if you do not, because you won't be able to fully express yourself. However, I'm in a linguistics class right now, and I do know that it takes two years being fully integrated into a culture to become proficient in the language. It is not an easy task. I also think it is absurd to suggest that two people who speak the same language shouldn't speak it in front of you, especially if they don't even know you and they are not trying to communicate with you, but to one another. My husband's second language is English, and it is so refreshing for him to be able to speak to someone in his native tounge. Your native tounge has a lot to do with the way that you think, and it is so much easier to express yourself when you're speaking it, no matter how well you can speak another language. There are some times when I'm with my husband and some other Moroccan friends when they spreak mostly Arabic, and even though I know basic Arabic, it's pretty impossible for me to keep up with the conversation. I feel left out and like there is no point in me even being there with them. So to some extent I get your point, but I think you're taking it a little bit extreme in saying that people shouldn't speak their native language in public. I'd also like to note that coming to the Dulles International Airport (Washington DC) I was shocked that there was not even one word of Spanish, or any other language for that matter, on any signs or in the instructional video they showed when we were waiting to go through customs. I think that is ridiculous and I feel so sorry for the people visiting that aren't proficient in English. Even the Spanish flight I took translated everything into English and even Arabic when we were leaving Morocco.

I know exactly what you talk about but I have been living like this since I was little, my home country was used to be British so we always have two languages pretty much on anything like what you mentioned - press 1 for English or both language signs etc. It doesn't bother me very much as soon as the people that speak other laguage can speak English and won't talk when they are in a group of conversations.

hello wlee9696, I do understand your problem. but it's not the way the person use his/her language, but it's how the person talks. all i can say in this issue, it's "LOUD MOUTH" insensitive person. even in my country i get annoyed when people are talking out loud. but i do agree with the voice should be lowered. who ever they are, not only that it's rude but it shows the person doesn't have manners. it will only annoy some Americans alright.

Yes, I would love them to speak English. I am a non-native English speaker and it has always been to my advantage to travel to Commonwealth country. I did have problems traveling to Asian countries particularly China. Malayians do understand English but the standard is going down the drain!This is because of the running apund policy on English usage in our school curriculum!

Hi Wlee9696 I am kind of on the fence with this one..Although I know what your saying in public speak English but if I go to a foreign country and I am with my fellow Americans I am going to speak my own native language if for nothing else then out of force of habit because that is the language I was raised on. If I need to speak to one of the people from the country I am visiting I will speak their language but if they speak English I would prefer to converse in English. The USA has a lot of Hispanic people who live here just like the Canadians as well they have French and English we have English and Spanish although America does have a lot of mixed cultures we have a little bit of everything

i think this issue applies to any situation involving languages and dialects. like when u're a stranger in the province, but they do know the language u speak for u to follow a conversation in the group, it is polite way for the locals to somehow speak ur language. we cannot deny the fact that english is also a universal language. it so happened that we have foreign friends who usually visit us in the country. they are not americans but we understood each other through english. it will be not nice on our part having them as visitors in the party and they have no slightest idea of what we were talking about. some of us is uncomfortable with that kind of conversation not because they don't like it but because they're not just use to it. it really has something to do with orientation. :)

okay i understand what you are saying but there is no NEED for you to hear our confersation what if i wanted to tell my friend something very private and urgent that i cant talk about in front of a complete stranger, it pisses me off when someone speaks spanish with me even though im not spanish and the only word i know is hola, some people just cant speak english just like we think its hard to speak spanish its harder to speak english and PS: we are all immigrants in the end so for that person that says close the borders and send them back home they should do the same thing to you too you are an immigrant so am i, im an american born and raised and lets be honest this land is native american so should we be kicked off because we dont speak american indian?

you have to also understand that maybe those people feel better speaking that other language.

Someone entering a foreign country should seek to learn the country's language and adjust himself according to what is acceptable in his adopted country not the other way around. I understand your frustration. Your country's willingness to accomodate the immigrants are highly commendable though. I haven't been to America so I don't know the details and can not really argue objectively other than express general sentiments. Cheers!

I'm not american, but I agree. Even when people from a colonialized country such as the USA start demanding that foreign people better get used to the way things are in the country rather than expecting pity and acceptance over their lazy attitude, then it's because it's even more true than it already is around here in Europe. Anyway, ideas like this just don't go forward because those liberals don't mind being stepped on.

Languages is for communication, it is a tool to pass massage to each others. It will be better if you can speak "local language" but it is nothing wrong to speak your own languages as long as they can understand especially you travel to other country with your friends, definately you will use your native languages when talking to each other. To speak a language everyone dont understand in public is rude if you know to speak the "local languages", else it can be forgive.

It does help to know the language of the country you are in and it is out-of-place to speak loudly in a foreign language anywhere. That is arrogance. At the same time it should be easy to pick up on a language when you are living in the country itself. Just watch, look and listen a little more attentively and walk around with a dictionary and a book on conversational phases in the language you are trying to learn.

I sooo understand where you're coming from. Whenever I visit the US, I sometimes wonder if my plane ran out of fuel, landed in Mexico, and I got off all unknowing. One incident last year comes to mind: I went into a small restaurant and asked for water while I was perusing the menu. My waitress couldn't understand what I was saying, so no worries. I speak Spanish, and we got along quite well. We even chatted a bit, as business was slow at that hour, and I got to hear all about her, her dreams of a better life, her poor family back in Mexico (or was it Guatemala? I forget exactly which now), etc. If this woman was telling the truth, she entered US soil 3 years ago (then, now, it would be 4 years) which made me wonder how she expected to go far in life (in the US) if she still didn't know what "water" was after 3 years. I actually understand how hard life can be for many 3rd worlders (I currently live in a 3rd world country), and why many risk life and limb to enter a developed nation for a better life. Having gone through all that, however, I cannot understand why some (heavy emphasis on "some") don't take the final step and learn the language, which no doubt could take them further. Looking back at that incident (among many), I know how I would feel if I didn't speak Spanish. I live in the Philippines, but have not been here long enough to understand the language. It is a nightmare getting customer support over the phone here, because even though there is often an English language option, they don't speak English. They'll greet you in English, but that's about as far as it goes. I don't mean they speak bad English. They don't speak it at all. I suspect the American call centers here stole all the fluent English speakers. To keep my blood pressure low, I'll usually call an English speaking friend, and three-way the call. My local doctor has noticed an improvement in my health! Though I do not sympathize with your irritation at hearing a foreign language spoken loudly (like to eavesdrop, eh? kidding!), nor at the multi-lingual signs about you (in LA, I've seen signs translated in Spanish, Mandarin and Farsi), I understand your frustration at having to choose a language option, instead of being able to just dive in and speak English, expecting to be understood.