# I speak English. Know why? Because I live in America! **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [July 9, 2007, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060 "2007-07-09T17:41:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 8:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/141 "2007-07-10T20:35:52Z")
In California it is at the point where if you _look_ like you might be a Latina but in fact, are not, people get actively pissed off when you gently tell them you can’t speak Spanish. I don’t have the blood pressure points to spare outrage but it does make me weary to have to fend off “Spanish! Spanish!” because I look hispanic and have to deal with the accusatory looks afterwards. We have a social welfare benefits agency below us and I am constantly accosted in the elavators. I am not het up about the idea that people dare to speak foreign languages on American soil, that organisations (including my own) offer foreign language options-I do understand how easy it can be to enclave. I simply do not want to have the frustration in not being able to communicate directed at me. However, I really really really regret not learning Spanish and just taking French for an easy A-foreign language skills are increasingly important in my field and I’m staggered at how many law jobs these days are asking for “Spanish language skills” or “Chinese language skills” or “Korean language skills”. I am seriously toying with trying to pick up Chinese, which is most likely the language I’m going to push my kids into learning (either that or Spanish). I suspect it is going to become the most commercially valuable language in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 9:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/142 "2007-07-10T21:07:32Z")
[QUOTE=kidchameleon] Hell, **Inigo** [thinks](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=8761598&postcount=76) that the OP should learn a bit of _every_ language. [/QUOTE] Uh…I can’t be bothered to read that whole post, could you point out the part that supports that statement? I mean yeah, I’m all for global panlingualism, but I didn’t think I’d exposed my agenda yet. (Loved the 3DO _Kid Chameleon_ game by the way) ---
**Author:** ![zenith](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/e19b73/32.png) [@zenith](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zenith)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2007, 9:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/143 "2007-07-10T21:53:45Z")
[QUOTE=Sean Factotum] And for you to stay in business in a predominately Spanish-speaking area why can’t you go bi-lingual? You’re doing business with people who’s first language isn’t English. It makes sense for you (or your wife) to learn the language of your customers. [/QUOTE] The only things I need to know to stock books in these neighborhoods is when they’re open, but these people act like Americans have no right to know this. As I said, I know “abierto” and “cerrado” and that’s all I should need to know, but when these people close in mid-week, they don’t tell me when, or if they’ll be “abierto” again. I do this part-time. I don’t have an unlimited amount of time to keep checking back to see if they’re open. And if I just say"Fuck it" these supposedly English-ignorant people manage to tell the publisher, in English, that they didn’t get their books. I like it that the books all go away at these locations, but I dislike that they’re run by people with no manners who could make things just a little easier on their hosts in this country by at least clearly posting their abiertos and cerrados. It’s like such info is something that, if your not Mexican, you don’t deserve to know it. I have a very low opinion of Americans who move to walled/gated communities in Mexico, hang out exclusively with other “ex-pats”, and don’t bother to learn Spanish, as well. Should I ever travel to Mexico and find a business there with English-only signage and no opening/closing hours posted, I’ll make a point of calling them out for their impolity. ---
**Author:** ![Otto](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Otto](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Otto)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 1:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/144 "2007-07-11T01:40:20Z")
[QUOTE=Sean Factotum] Try watching a Welshman on BBC America. You’ll come close to what they were trying to convey to you. [/QUOTE] Heh. BBC America has started running notices before their programming saying that people with English accents are hard to understand so we Americans should turn on our closed-captioning. ---
**Author:** ![kidchameleon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/898d66/32.png) [@kidchameleon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kidchameleon)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 3:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/145 "2007-07-11T03:55:51Z")
[QUOTE=Inigo Montoya] Uh…I can’t be bothered to read that whole post, could you point out the part that supports that statement? I mean yeah, I’m all for global panlingualism, but I didn’t think I’d exposed my agenda yet. [/quote] Well, to do this: > [@Inigo Montoya](#): > > Or for fuck’s sake at least learn how to say something like “No, I don’t speak Vietnamese, do you know someone who can speak to me in English for you?” for every language is quite a daunting task. > [@](#): > > (Loved the 3DO _Kid Chameleon_ game by the way) Sadly I can’t take any credit for that. Or better yet receive royalties. ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/146 "2007-07-11T08:42:01Z")
[QUOTE=elucidator] Yeah, my Spanish stinks, I can ask you where the library is at, but if you answer, I still won’t know how to get there. Don’t even remember how to say “smart ass” in Spanish, which would be so handy right now! [/QUOTE] Can’t help you with that translation, but I strongly recollect us having this “Americano” discussion previously. I still tend to think this bit of pedantry is highly regional, probably mostly localized in the minds of would-be-clever Unitedstateseans who’ve learned a bit of Spanish and noticed (one lonely night at home finger-spinning the illuminated globe, a real garage sale find) that hell if there ain’t TWO whole continents that got the name “America” in 'em. Leastaways every Brazilian I’ve met so far has used (and and seemingly understands) the term “Americano/a” to mean someone from the U.S., and would no more refer to themselves as American than they would Westernhemispherean. Let not the nitpickers tarnish the memory of your flirtatious encounter. These are the joyless offspring of the sadists who chanted back “I don’t know— _can_ you go to the bathroom?” as you stood, knees-a-trembling, near the classroom door as a yellow puddle spread beneath your ankles. ---
**Author:** ![Mellivora\_capensis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mellivora\_capensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mellivora_capensis)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/147 "2007-07-11T08:56:54Z")
I’m reminded of that brilliant line-up scene in _The Usual Suspects_. “Geeakeysyoufaaaeeekosaher!” “In English, please.” 'Wa?" “In English, please.” “Geeakeysyoufaaaeeekosaher…wa uh faa.” “Next!” ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 9:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/148 "2007-07-11T09:51:30Z")
[QUOTE=featherlou] Could those of you who are posting completely in non-English supply an English translation? That is actually a rule of this board. [/QUOTE] My apologies. [QUOTE=WotNot] Je suis intéressé par vos idées. Avez-vous un bulletin en français ? [/QUOTE] “I am interested in your ideas. Do you have a newsletter in French?” Though that does rather spoil what was, in any case, quite a small joke. ---
**Author:** ![Mellivora\_capensis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/8797f3/32.png) [@Mellivora\_capensis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mellivora_capensis)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 11:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/149 "2007-07-11T11:09:23Z")
[QUOTE=featherlou] … Mexicans are also Americans (as are Brazilians, Cubans, etc.), but that would totally muddy the waters of the OP. … [/QUOTE] Are you sure about this? I’ve always regarded the term “American” as exclusive to the USA. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 11:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/150 "2007-07-11T11:23:35Z")
[QUOTE=OneCentStamp] Hey, Khoisan is a made-up white man’s word. The Khoikhoi and San peoples have nothing in common except that the white devil couldn’t tell them apart! 😉 [/QUOTE] Well, no. Related languages, for a start. And insofar as “race” has any real physiological referent, the Khoikhoi and Bushmen have physical adaptations not common to humans without K/S descent. I think I will politely leave the details to **Mr Dibble** , if he chooses to address them. ---
**Author:** ![elucidator](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/8edcca/32.png) [@elucidator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elucidator)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/151 "2007-07-11T14:21:53Z")
[QUOTE=Vinyl Turnip] … as you stood, knees-a-trembling, near the classroom door as a yellow puddle spread beneath your ankles. [/QUOTE] Lies! All lies! Who told you this? It was that little shitass Billy Foster, wasn’t it! I’ll get him for this, I swear it!.. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 2:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/152 "2007-07-11T14:43:20Z")
[QUOTE=kidchameleon] Well, to do this…for every language is quite a daunting task. [/QUOTE] Oh. I meant learn to say it in Engrish, sort of a fundamental customer service skill to use a decent word track. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 5:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/153 "2007-07-11T17:15:14Z")
[QUOTE=Mellivora capensis] Are you sure about this? I’ve always regarded the term “American” as exclusive to the USA. [/QUOTE] United Statesians have appropriated it, but that doesn’t mean the rest of us gave it to them. 😃 More seriously, this wasn’t an issue until we got such easy, steady global communication, and it still isn’t much of an issue - most people understand readily enough that when you say American, you mean a citizen of the United States of America. It doesn’t make it wrong to call Canadians, Mexicans, Cubans, Brazilians, etc.\* Americans as well, just like Germans, French, Italians, etc.\* are all Europeans. America is two continents, not a country. \*Etc? There are six million of us! ---
**Author:** ![VinylTurnip](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/b2d939/32.png) [@VinylTurnip](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VinylTurnip)\ **Post date:** [July 11, 2007, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/154 "2007-07-11T17:59:57Z")
[QUOTE=featherlou] America is two continents, not a country. [/QUOTE] Zounds! You mean that “sea to shining sea” lyric I’ve been singing all my life was actually referring to the Beaufort and the Weddell? ---
**Author:** ![Nzinga\_Seated](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/b5ac83/32.png) [@Nzinga\_Seated](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nzinga_Seated)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/155 "2007-07-12T02:25:47Z")
[QUOTE=Frylock] I don’t believe his claim that he has been yelled at repeatedly by people who were angry at him for not knowing these languages. -FrL- [/QUOTE] Well… I wasn’t going to say nothing but… In my job, I support a small handheld computer. We get customers of every stripe. I mean across the board. English, Japanese, Chinese, Middle Eastern, African, Spanish. I _never once_ had a customer yell at me for not speaking their language. Not a single time. Every time I hear these stories I …welll, not to say I _disbelieve_. But I am wondering if maybe it is something in the rep’s demeanor that is causing the customer to become upset? I have customers get angry with me for almost ever conceivable, real or imagined, infraction. And I have muddled frustratedly through some of the thickest accents on the planet. But I never, ever had a customer yell at me for not speaking their language. ---
**Author:** ![Omegaman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e480ec/32.png) [@Omegaman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Omegaman)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 4:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/156 "2007-07-12T04:52:03Z")
Que!~ Puto~!? Pinche’ pera’! Fumando un verga! Pinche’ Punieta! Quiete! Quiete! I’m not exactly sure what this means, but it sounds like the standard response to such conversation. (as I remember it) ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 5:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/157 "2007-07-12T05:31:29Z")
**Nzinga, Seated** - if you are saying it’s **Otto** ’s fault he got yelled at, simply for being an opinionated blow hard, then you are blaming the victim, dude, and that is “not cool”. Enjoy my regards, CK ---
**Author:** ![Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/heffalump_and_roo/32/7691_2.png) [@Heffalump\_and\_Roo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heffalump_and_Roo)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/158 "2007-07-12T05:41:46Z")
[QUOTE=CarnalK] **Nzinga, Seated** - if you are saying it’s **Otto** ’s fault he got yelled at, simply for being an opinionated blow hard, then you are blaming the victim, dude, and that is “not cool”. [/QUOTE] Did I miss a joke there? If **Otto** were being yelled at because he was a bad communicator and wasn’t able to get his point across in ANY language, that would make him, by default, not the victim. I’m not saying that’s what’s happening, but if it’s never happened to **Nzinga, Seated** and she has roughly the same type of job, it’s reasonable for her to speculate on it. And when is blaming the victim not cool? It happens at the Pit every day. I must have missed the memo. If I missed the joke. . . oh. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 5:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/159 "2007-07-12T05:52:40Z")
[QUOTE=John Mace] !\*\*Otto \*\*needs to !give some specific !examples. [/QUOTE] I thought there was a two click rule around here. ---
**Author:** ![CarnalK](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnalk/32/486_2.png) [@CarnalK](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CarnalK)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2007, 6:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060/160 "2007-07-12T06:02:40Z")
> [@Heffalump and Roo](#): > > Did I miss a joke there? It sure looks like it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/i-speak-english-know-why-because-i-live-in-america/411060.md?page=9)