# I pit those who think stereotype/generalize foreign languages in a negative way **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [November 24, 2014, 8:34am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469 "2014-11-24T08:34:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![Johnny\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/d26b3c/32.png) [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2014, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/41 "2014-11-25T20:19:32Z")
Once again it’s left up to me to be the only one willing to say something nice about German: [German is a great yelling language.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlATOHGj9EY) Eat that, haters. ---
**Author:** ![Darth\_Panda](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ee7513/32.png) [@Darth\_Panda](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Darth_Panda)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/42 "2014-11-25T20:30:18Z")
Remember that one guy that said Brythonic languages sounded kind of molestery? ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2014, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/43 "2014-11-25T22:40:05Z")
Well, now, I did experience something like what the OP is talking about. My father and I shared a number of interests, among them singing and language study, and when my now-wife and I were planning our wedding I asked him to choose something to sing at the ceremony. He chose Robert Schumann’s famous setting of Heinrich Heine’s poem “Du bist wie eine Blume” (you are like a flower), which he planned to sing in German. “It’s appropriate for a wedding,” he said, “and it’s in one of your languages,” and he was right on both counts. And everything was fine until about three weeks before the ceremony, when my future inlaws looked at a mockup of the program and hit the roof. “Nothing will be sung in German,” they said, “because if anything is, we will not be attending.” The issue was that German was in their minds, just as the OP suggests, a Nazi language. Dad was more understanding than I was and switched to Andersen/Grieg’s “Jeg elsker deg” (I love you), in Danish, and that was acceptable. The ironic thing about all this is that Heine was not exactly an early exponent of Nazism. Not only was he Jewish, but his works were burned and banned by the Nazi regime… Anyway. I’m glad most of you have not experienced this kind of thing, but I can assure you it absolutely can happen! ---
**Author:** ![John\_Mace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/john_mace/32/185_2.png) [@John\_Mace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Mace)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2014, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/44 "2014-11-25T23:24:24Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > You must find Russell Peters on Youtube talking about Spanish versus Portuguese. > > My son watched this routine at a friend’s house. The dad is from Venezuela and just about died laughing. I’d provide a link, but can’t from here. I’m sure it’s there though. How about the [difference between Persian and Arabic?](http://videosift.com/video/Maz-Jobrani-Persians-and-Arabs-1)? ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [November 25, 2014, 11:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/45 "2014-11-25T23:50:32Z")
I’m tired of this bigotry too Girls stop hanging out with me when they find out I study Klingon ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 1:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/46 "2014-11-26T01:03:19Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > I’m tired of this bigotry too > > Girls stop hanging out with me when they find out I study Klingon I have a hard time believing that. I mean, they’d have to start first. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 7:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/47 "2014-11-26T07:57:29Z")
> [@Jackmannii](#): > > I can never be sure those people aren’t saying unflattering things about me. We are. > [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > Well, I don’t know about evil, but there’s certainly plenty of people who will wonder how anyone could say “I love you” in german because everything sounds so angry, or will ardently explain to you that spanish speakers lack personal responsibility because “la ventana se rompió” translates literally into english as “the window broke itself”. Which clearly from your example, it is impossible to say in English. 😃 > [@Inner\_Stickler](#): > > So do boy scouts. The question is are speakers of Guugu Yimithirr good at directions because language shapes thought or are they good at directions because they had to practice knowing where north was all the time. It really depends on what people are used to. People in Indiana use cardinal directions all the time, and can always tell you which way is North. It used to freaking amaze me. Whenever someone from Indiana gives you directions, it will go like this: “drive a mile North, then turn West…” Thanks. I need “Go to the 7-11, and turn left.” New Yorkers always give you cross streets an blocks. That’s one of the things I love about _Law & Order_. People give directions like real New Yorkers. One thing, though, is New Yorkers are good at telling you how long it will take you to get where you want to go. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 9:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/48 "2014-11-26T09:53:04Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > ¿Que¿ Should be: “¿Que?” The inverted question mark is used at the beginning of the sentence. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/49 "2014-11-26T11:16:32Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > [QUOTE=kayaker] > ¿Que¿ Should be: “¿Que?” The inverted question mark is used at the beginning of the sentence. [/QUOTE] I’m so sorry; he’s from _Barcelona_. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/50 "2014-11-26T11:48:03Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Should be: “¿Que?” The inverted question mark is used at the beginning of the sentence. No hayblow espanish. Por favor. ---
**Author:** ![BaldDudePeekskill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b5e925/32.png) [@BaldDudePeekskill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BaldDudePeekskill)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 12:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/51 "2014-11-26T12:14:00Z")
Certain languages do sound different to an untrained ear. Since English is our common tongue here, I’ll use it as a reference. The farther away from English sounds one gets, the more ‘unpleasant’ is the language perceived, hence the thought that Arabic and German sound ‘harsh’ and French and Italian are perceived as more melodious. I’m a native English and Italian speaker who is also fully fluent in Spanish and German, and even i perceive a certain quality of ‘other’ while listening or learning an unrelated language, such as Hebrew or Dutch. Classifying a language as evil is a xenophobic reaction, which I feel may even be evolutionary. The survival of the clan could have been possibly threatened with the arrival of non native speakers, perhaps. The amazing thing about languages is that not every language uses the same phonemes, every human is capable of making them. ---
**Author:** ![Nava](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/da6949/32.png) [@Nava](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nava)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/52 "2014-11-26T15:12:29Z")
> [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > I’m so sorry; he’s from _Barcelona_. So it’s either _¿Qué?_ or _Què?_, neither of which matches the original version. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 3:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/53 "2014-11-26T15:19:44Z")
'Kay. ---
**Author:** ![Inner\_Stickler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inner_stickler/32/318_2.png) [@Inner\_Stickler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inner_Stickler)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/54 "2014-11-26T15:28:30Z")
> [@BaldDudePeekskill](#): > > The farther away from English sounds one gets, the more ‘unpleasant’ is the language perceived, hence the thought that Arabic and German sound ‘harsh’ and French and Italian are perceived as more melodious. :dubious: I don’t know if anyone’s ranked languages by dissimilarity of sounds but I’d be very surprised if german differed from english much more than french or italian. I’d believe a dislike due to unfamiliarity with a language, but not “distance from english sounds”. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/55 "2014-11-26T15:38:04Z")
> [@kayaker](#): > > No hayblow espanish. Por favor. Apparently I don’t type it that well myself. I forgot the accent mark. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/56 "2014-11-26T15:40:33Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Apparently I don’t type it that well myself. I forgot the accent mark. :smack: No sweat, I forgot my umlauts. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 4:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/57 "2014-11-26T16:46:04Z")
> [@Nava](#): > > > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > > > I’m so sorry; he’s from _Barcelona_. > > So it’s either _¿Qué?_ or _Què?_, neither of which matches the original version. **The Other Waldo Pepper** doesn’t want to let you in on the joke but he was quoting [a 1970s British sitcom](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Manuel_%28Fawlty_Towers%29). It was very humourous if you got the reference. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 7:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/58 "2014-11-26T19:35:47Z")
> [@chappachula](#): > > And Goidelic sounds like it should be a mathematical term. I would have guessed medical. “You have a bad case of goidels, Ms. Jones.” ---
**Author:** ![robert\_columbia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e79b87/32.png) [@robert\_columbia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robert_columbia)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/59 "2014-11-26T19:37:47Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > Should be: “¿Que?” The inverted question mark is used at the beginning of the sentence. Both of you are missing the acute accent. ---
**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\ **Post date:** [November 26, 2014, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469/60 "2014-11-26T19:38:54Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > I’ve had lots of students groan when I give them a song in German, because “German is ugly”. I’m pretty convinced that most Americans get their sense of German from Nazi movies. > > I also had one student who outright refused to sing in German because Nazis. I know some things about the German language. I took lessons in German once. I learned to sing art songs in German when I took voice lessons in college. I have seen (and listened to) lots of subtitled German movies. Yes, German **is** ugly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-pit-those-who-think-stereotype-generalize-foreign-languages-in-a-negative-way/705469.md?page=4)