The English Language
Lately, I have been thinking about people moving to this country, and learning he English language,, but insist on using their "Homeland" language. I think it's great to keep up one's traditional language, and to teach their children their traditional language, but........for some reason,, it really bothers me when people from a different country speak their traditional language in public. I sometimes get the feeling that they are talking about me, or possibly talking trash about someone else.
Am I wrong to feel like that? How do you feel when others speak a foreign language
in public? My feeling is, you're in America, speak the language!
End of rant, pleaseshare how you feel about this issue.....
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How do you feel about this issue?
First generation immigrants sometimes have trouble assimilating to English. Their children will speak English quite well.
I have no problem with it. Eventually, they will all learn English, one way or another...even by osmosis.
Very true, but, how do you feel about them not speaking English when they're out in public?
I have no problem with it Nona. I do it quite often, although my language was spoken in America long before it was America.
they will all learn English, one way or another...even by osmosis. LOL
I have no problem with it Nona. I do it quite often, That's fine,, but, some people speak ONLY their traditional language when in public, for some reason, that bothers me. I will l seldom let out a few Italian wordswhen I'm out in public, if I spoke fluent Italian, I would never speak strictly Italian in public.That's just me....
Well, it depends...
When Matthew was about 1 year old, we went to Land Between the Lakes for vacation, taking our speed boat with us. We were getting ready to take our boat out, and were working around getting things stowed away, when three guys from India came careened around the end of the dock in a row boat/john boat, motor running on high, and crashed into the dock, first one side and then the other. It was obvious that they didn't have a clue as to what they were doing. Then, 9 other people, all East Indian, plus a small 6 month old baby, started getting in the boat. We were able to see the whitecaps on the waves even in the harbor, as the wind was blowing fiercely. They waved to another group of about 20 people on shore...
My husband ran over to help them, and told them, "That's too many people for that boat! You should only have 3 people in that boat!" They pretended they didn't speaka de Englais, and said, "Tank oo bery bery much! We go now!", clearly annoyed with us. The woman with the baby sat down, precariously perched on the side of the boat... None of them had life jackets on, and there were only 3 boat cushions for 9 people plus a baby! Water splashed over the sides of the boat, eliciting delicate squeals from the female passengers.
I told my husband, "Quick! We've got to find a ranger!" So, we got our boat unhooked and fired up and quickly putt-putted over to the main dock. There was a ranger right there. My husband tried to explain. I tried to explain.
Wondering if I were speaking English, or what, the ranger listened and finally asked me, "Ma'am, is someone in danger?"
I said, "Not right this second sir, but as soon as they get out in open water, they're all dead. There are 9 people in that row boat, one of them a small baby. The boat is shipping water, tied up at the dock! No life jackets, overloaded. Please, you've got to hurry before that baby drowns!" I was frantic about that baby! The dock worker was adamant that he had only rented it to 3 people, and I finally said, "Hush. It's not your fault! They're packing them in like sardines in that boat, and they are all going to die! They're going around the corner to the other dock and there were 9 people plus a baby in a row boat meant for 3, when we left to find you!"
The ranger finally awoke, as if from a coma, and got in his boat and took off after them. By the time we got back around to the other dock, on our way out to the main lake, which was blowing foam, (!), there were 12 people in the boat and the ranger was making them get out. The very same guy I talked to was speaking to him in clear English, and I could have murdered him. So, yes, there are a few times I have been truly annoyed that someone is speaking their language, not ours.
Not to mention the MacDonald's in any college town, who seem to only hire those who speak Balsamic Latvian, Outer Mongolian, or Tagalong, and the "canihelpyou?" sounds like "watachikapu?" Usually, I politely ask to speak to the manager, and tell him my woes, politely, but with feeling. "WHAT KIND OF MORON PUTS SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T SPEAK ENGLISH ON THE SPEAKER? I trust you will rectify the situation..."
MOST of the time, it doesn't bother me at all. Sometimes, it does. I took German in high school, which is about as useless as one gets when speaking with foreigners here in Louisville.
Ha ha! If Nona's theory is correct everyone who came to America, from the Pilgrims on down, should be speaking the native languages.
My father came to Canada from White Russia when he was 13 years old, and my mother was born in the Ukraine. As long as I can remember from the time I was born the only time they spoke Russian was when they didn't want me to know what they were saying. They rightly believed that it was important to always speak English, and because of it their English became perfect in both pronunciation and grammar.
However, I don't follow that fold. I came to China 9 years ago and have never tried to learn the language, other than a few phrases. However, English is China's second language after Mandarin/Cantonese and is taught in all the schools. Many signs, such as street signs, have English under the Chinese.