# Press 1 for English **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 22, 2013, 3:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612 "2013-06-22T03:21:12Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 8:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/21 "2013-06-22T20:47:04Z")
My point is that you seem to think that you can write posts as fast as you can type. You don’t feel any need to look up spellings. You don’t feel any need to re-read your posts and edit them. You don’t feel any need to think carefully about whether they make any sense. You think that any time beyond the amount that you spend just typing as fast as possible is a waste of your time. You think that your time is precious, whereas our time is worth nothing. You think that your posts are so wonderful that it’s our job to make sense of them, despite the fact that they are incredibly hard to read, because we’re so worthless compared to you that it’s O.K. for us to spend a lot of time trying to figure out what you meant. ---
**Author:** ![Magiver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4491bb/32.png) [@Magiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Magiver)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 8:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/22 "2013-06-22T20:52:07Z")
> [@Wendell\_Wagner](#): > > My point is that you seem to think that you can write posts as fast as you can type. . My point is that you seem to think you can argue literal translations of words and ignore the obvious points made. As far as misspellings, I can’t help it if I think a correctly spelled word gets by that’s similar to the word I meant to use and you understood the meaning of. Have a nice day, we’re done here. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/23 "2013-06-22T20:59:44Z")
Jesus christ on a fucking pogo stick all I did was a simple question! I made no comments about it, whether or not it’s annoying, , whether or not it’s right or wrong and all of a sudden it turns into a big fucking argument about bullshit that has nothing to do with the question and snarky remarks about how pathetic Americans could never handle the living in countries with multiple languages. Do all y’all think we could proceed with out the snark and bullshit and just answer the fucking question? ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/24 "2013-06-22T21:02:25Z")
> [@sahirrnee](#): > > Do people in France have to press 1 for French? Do people in Spain have to press 1 for Spanish? Both France and Spain have indigenous minority languages: Breton, Basque, Franconian German, Galician, Catalan, etc. France is famously intolerant in its promotion of French against these other langauges, but they are still around. Just in case you thought that everyone in France was ethnically & linguistically French, or that everyone in Spain was ethnically & linguistically Spanish. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2013, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/25 "2013-06-22T23:06:00Z")
> [@sahirrnee](#): > > Jesus christ on a fucking pogo stick > all I did was a simple question! The way the question was asked made it a pretty loaded question. The clear implication was that Americans shouldn’t have to be bothered to select their own language in their own damn country. If that was not the thought behind your inquiry, what _was_ on your mind when you started this thread? ---
**Author:** ![Ca3799](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9f8e36/32.png) [@Ca3799](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ca3799)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 12:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/26 "2013-06-23T00:08:15Z")
My experience has bee just like **cochrane** ’s- you have an option to pick another language, usually spanish, if you wish, and no action causes the call to continue in English. I find it hard to be sympathetic to those who find this minor-est of inconveniences annoying. It takes, what?, 2-3 seconds to ask one to marke ocho. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/27 "2013-06-23T00:29:19Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > The way the question was asked made it a pretty loaded question. The clear implication was that Americans shouldn’t have to be bothered to select their own language in their own damn country. If that was not the thought behind your inquiry, what _was_ on your mind when you started this thread? I got no such impression from **sahirrnee’s** post. ---
**Author:** ![Siam\_Sam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/d78d45/32.png) [@Siam\_Sam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Siam_Sam)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/28 "2013-06-23T00:32:06Z")
In Thailand, it’s common to have options for English and Thai. Sometimes even Japanese or a Chinese dialect. ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/29 "2013-06-23T00:44:13Z")
> [@sahirrnee](#): > > Do all y’all think we could proceed with out the snark and bullshit and just answer the fucking question? You’re new here, aren’t you? ---
**Author:** ![Northern\_Piper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/northern_piper/32/5304_2.png) [@Northern\_Piper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Northern_Piper)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/30 "2013-06-23T01:19:44Z")
> [@Procrustus](#): > > The way the question was asked made it a pretty loaded question. The clear implication was that Americans shouldn’t have to be bothered to select their own language in their own damn country. If that was not the thought behind your inquiry, what _was_ on your mind when you started this thread? > [@cochrane](#): > > I got no such impression from **sahirrnee’s** post. I got the same impression as **Procrustus**. ---
**Author:** ![Desert\_Nomad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/desert_nomad/32/177_2.png) [@Desert\_Nomad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Desert_Nomad)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/31 "2013-06-23T01:22:38Z")
Czech Republic: Press # for English when calling my internet company. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 2:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/32 "2013-06-23T02:22:53Z")
> [@Northern\_Piper](#): > > I got the same impression as **Procrustus**. That’s nice. But there was no such implication in her post. ---
**Author:** ![suranyi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e36b37/32.png) [@suranyi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/suranyi)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 4:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/33 "2013-06-23T04:44:40Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > That’s nice. But there was no such implication in her post. I agree. By my reckoning, all posts including the OP were perfectly straightforward until about post 8. That’s when the snark started. ---
**Author:** ![nion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/c5a1d2/32.png) [@nion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/nion)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 5:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/34 "2013-06-23T05:22:01Z")
> [@suranyi](#): > > I agree. By my reckoning, all posts including the OP were perfectly straightforward until about post 8. That’s when the snark started. I also agree. I think **Procrustus** read too much into the OP. I know I’ve been guilty of things similar and try to avoid doing so. ---
**Author:** ![BleizDu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/9dc877/32.png) [@BleizDu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BleizDu)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 10:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/35 "2013-06-23T10:15:24Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > Both France and Spain have indigenous minority languages: Breton, Basque, Franconian German, Galician, Catalan, etc. France is famously intolerant in its promotion of French against these other langauges, but they are still around. Just in case you thought that everyone in France was ethnically & linguistically French, or that everyone in Spain was ethnically & linguistically Spanish. But since French is the official language and the one most widely spoken in France, you won’t find yourself having to press a number to get to it, or get another language for that matter. Unless probably if you call a number for a company or administration that deals a lot with foreigners. I live in the far end of Brittany, where nearly all markings/signs are bilingual (French/Breton), and in a place where you can routinely hear people speaking in Breton, but no company will offer you a menu in Breton if you press a number. Only the ATM offers you a language choice. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/36 "2013-06-23T12:33:48Z")
> [@nion](#): > > I also agree. > > I think **Procrustus** read too much into the OP. I know I’ve been guilty of things similar and try to avoid doing so. I think it’s just a sensitive topic with some people. In the US, language gets tied up with race and class and immigration, so it’s hard to talk about sensibly sometimes. There’s nothing like that in the original post, agreed. It’s either innocent, or a supremely subtle troll thread. (And I tend to believe the OP meant it innocently) I think we in the US will see more of Press 1 for English, or Press… in the near future. It’s just good business to be able to serve people in the language they prefer. Whether that’s Spanish, Chinese, Arabic, or whatever. The companies that meet that need will prosper. ---
**Author:** ![Sahirrnee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sahirrnee/32/13937_2.png) [@Sahirrnee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sahirrnee)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/37 "2013-06-23T14:31:25Z")
> [@kunilou](#): > > You’re new here, aren’t you? Not really and you’d think by know I’d know better. :rolleyes: I thought it was a pretty straightforward question. I know most Europeans speak more than one language but that still doesn’t answer the question. I know a lot of countries have multiple languages and dialects and that still doesn’t answer the question. A lot of people are providing all kinds of information that still doesn’t answer the question. I could assume that rather than admit they don’t know the answer they prefer to dispense what they do know in order to make themselves feel better, or maybe they all just failed\* reading for comprehension\*? :dubious: However, it would be rude of me to assume so I won’t. 😃 My question had nothing to do with race, religion, immigration, class, ethnicity, politics, values, PITAs, etc. All I want to know is if some guy in Poland who calls his local cable company has to press 1 to continue in Polish? Does a woman in Peru have to press 1 to continue in Spanish when she calls their DMV? FWIW If I was bitching about it there would be no doubt in your mind that I was bitching. If it annoyed me there would be no doubt that I find it annoying. AFAIK there is no posting rules on this board that says I have to justify my questions and/or comments, nor do I have to explain myself to anybody. If some people choose to assume there is something more to it than a simple question then that is their issue not mine and it is not my job to deal with the issues of other people. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 4:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/38 "2013-06-23T16:33:22Z")
Alright, well, in the UK it is not normal to be offered a choice of language at the IVR stage, no, so we don’t need to “Press 1 for English” in most cases. I’m guessing this is because there isn’t one single, obvious second language like there is in the USA - should a business offer service in Polish? Hindi? Welsh? Chances are most companies feel it’s just not worth the expense. In Wales, government services are offered in Welsh, but usually that’s a different telephone number, not a “Press 1” type option. ---
**Author:** ![Procrustus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/procrustus/32/2994_2.png) [@Procrustus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Procrustus)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 4:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/39 "2013-06-23T16:40:31Z")
> [@sahirrnee](#): > > Not really and you’d think by know I’d know better. :rolleyes: > > I thought it was a pretty straightforward question. > > I know most Europeans speak more than one language but that still doesn’t answer the question. > I know a lot of countries have multiple languages and dialects and that still doesn’t answer the question. > > A lot of people are providing all kinds of information that still doesn’t answer the question. I could assume that rather than admit they don’t know the answer they prefer to dispense what they do know in order to make themselves feel better, or maybe they all just failed\* reading for comprehension\*? :dubious: > > However, it would be rude of me to assume so I won’t. 😃 > > My question had nothing to do with race, religion, immigration, class, ethnicity, politics, values, PITAs, etc. > > All I want to know is if some guy in Poland who calls his local cable company has to press 1 to continue in Polish? Does a woman in Peru have to press 1 to continue in Spanish when she calls their DMV? > > FWIW > If I was bitching about it there would be no doubt in your mind that I was bitching. If it annoyed me there would be no doubt that I find it annoying. > AFAIK there is no posting rules on this board that says I have to justify my questions and/or comments, nor do I have to explain myself to anybody. > If some people choose to assume there is something more to it than a simple question then that is their issue not mine and it is not my job to deal with the issues of other people. Why do Americans who speak Spanish have to “press 2 for Spanish”. Just asking. ---
**Author:** ![aNewLeaf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ac91a4/32.png) [@aNewLeaf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aNewLeaf)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2013, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612/40 "2013-06-23T17:17:47Z")
> [@sahirrnee](#): > > I could assume that rather than admit they don’t know the answer they prefer to dispense what they do know in order to make themselves feel better, or maybe they all just failed\* reading for comprehension\*? :dubious: I really don’t care for your tone, in this post or earlier. That’s how internet discussion boards work. You might find Yahoo! Answers meets your needs better. I don’t know how many people in other countries have to select a language. I don’t know how many people in this country have to select a language. I don’t know how many people use a phone rather than some other method of communication. I don’t even have a phone, I go speak to people in person. In Spanish if necessary, though I prefer English. I have no information of value to you. Please feel free to put me on your ignore list if that feature exists on this board. Sorry to have wasted your intertubez. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/press-1-for-english/661612.md?page=3)