Being spoken to in your native language

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

I'd be very surprised if someone spoke to me in my native language as no one really speaks it anymore.

 

[blackdwarf]

being dutch i will often be asked if i'm German/Deutsch. this does annoy me, not because they are calling me german or something, but because it is always that.

for trying to speak dutch to, i find it funny, because for some reason dutch is one go those languages that is impossible to speak if it isn't your main language. always when i hear someone try, it always sounds weird and not even close. funny thing is that i have a different gamertag with the word 'licht' in it. you pronounce it like liGt (although i guess most of you still can't pronounce it), bu must people say it like lich-T, making it a different word.

 

[Nouw]

Only when it's done in a mocking/satirical manner. People love to swear and say random stuff in Korean and it bothers me.

Ruin your own damn language. If you genuinely want to learn the language for more than just profanities and pissing people off, good on you.

 

[Therumancer]

This has been something I'v wondered about for quite a while now.

Does anyone here, whose primary language isn't English, ever feel offended, or annoyed, when an English speaking person attempts to speak to you using your native language?

on another note, has someone ever spoken to you in a language that you didn't fully know, thinking that you were of a race or ethnicity that would know it? If so, did this ever offend or annoy you?

The reason why I ask is because sometimes, when operating amongst other people socially, I get this urge to say something to them in a language I think they know.

For example, I purchase things at a cashier, and the cashier has the look and accent of someone who would know Spanish, and for whatever reason I want to say something to them like "gracias," even though we both quite clearly know English. But I get the feeling that I might offend or irk some people wanting to do that, can't exactly explain why. I also feel like I'm being judgmental, assuming the person understands another language based on their looks and demeanor.

I learned Spanish, and I sometimes want to make use of it, but does it seem inappropriate to use it out of the blue like that? If so, why do you think that?

No, largely because I'm mono-lingual with English. However I have noticed a tendency for a lot of non-native english speakers to get upset when a white American is shown to know their language, which is I guess your experience that prompted this. I guess because it's considered sort of like "cheating" from their perspective.

Underatand most of my experience comes from working Casino security. For all the liberal ranting about undeserved paranoia over foreigners and their "secret" languages and how they are probably just discussing harmless thing, you'd be utterly shocked at what people will say around (or to) people who they don't think speak their language.

You'd be apalled at how many times people (especially Asians) where I worked that were suspected of various things ranging from minor gaming scams, to back of the house theft from employees, to even one case of a prostitution ring (or I will say unapproved prostitution ring, despite officially not doing that kind of thing, let's just say the host department could arrange just about anything for high rollers). In some cases we'd have some security officer/surveillance guy/employee volunteer just hang out around these people for a while without making it clear they knew the language and listen to them go on about whatever it is right in front of everyone. People simply get used to discussing the seemingly stupidest things openly if they think nobody can understand them, and then get all upset when it turns out an outsider can understand them.

I think for a lot of foreigners, not just ones that are up to anything either, they don't like the simple fact that they can be understood by people they might want to speak in front of covertly.... even if they don't ever intend to do anything illicit with it, it represents a loss of power so to speak.

Honestly I've been of the rather contreversial opinion due to my experiences that in the US there should be limitations on the abillity to use languages other than english as "unfair" as it is. It would never fly (so don't bother to rant about it) but I think in secure areas like banks, casinos, and various areas like that it should be an actual crime to use a language other than english at all for security reasons, limiting these facilities from a
lot of people, but also increasing security.

Of course then again I've also been of the opinion that english should be a prerequisite to live in the US (but not nessicarly to visit), or at least to hold any kind of employment or business. I say this for safety reasons despite what you might think, and not in the sense of being safe from the "evil foreigners". To put it into perspective... let's say your working security and patrol a specific route through the back of the house regions. You don't deviate from that path without good reasons. Some dude comes running up to you in a panic and start chattering and wants you to follow him. Obviously without a good reason your not going to. Let's say he's doing it because one of his co-workers just slipped on a wet floor and impaled himself in the kitchen and needs immediate EMT assistance. In the meantime while your calling for a translator that guy could be dying, and of course it raises the question the whole time if your being distracted from your route. I have first hand experience with this kind of thing. While it's not first hand experience there are also a number of incidents on record (in training videos and such ) of people who can't speak english gassing people by mixing the wrong things in janitor closets. International symbols are great, but in practice not everything is labeled that way, and there is frequently no way to tell if that kind of thing sunk in, in the long term. Outside of a large company it's the same thing, I mean you could be working at a Mcdonalds on grave shift with some guy who doesn't speak english, you get injured and there is probably at least going to be a delay if he ever has to call 911. Being bi-lingual with spanish is one thing, but trying to find someone who speaks say Veitnamese isn't quitre as easy and depending on the dispatch might not be on staff. With emergency lines in many cases they need to check a list of translators, find someone who knows the right language, do a transfer, and then do the local dispatch secondhand through the translator who might be on the other side of the country.

I'm not a nice guy I suppose, but I doubt my rather strong opinions here are going to change (even if a bit off topic). The bottom line is simply that I've had some experience with the same thing you seem to have.

 

[OldNewNewOld]

By some logic, I should be offended if they don't try to speak my language.
They are obviously in my country. They shouldn't come to a country and except everyone to speak their language. They should try and learn a bit of the native language they are going to.

That's at least how I'm doing it.

 

[Owlslayer]

Not my mother language, no. I´d just encourage them to try harder, or something along the lines of that. Tho I´d imagine my mother language isn´t very popular, so that`s that.

However, sometimes i do get a little upset, when people think i speak Russian. And this happens a lot where i live at. And i can understand why some people whould guess so, a lot of people around this part of town speak Russian. And even tho i learned Russian in school, i quickly forgot most of it, and I`m pretty sure i couln`t speak anything that would make sense. And it`s not that big of a deal.

However, i really get pissed when people understand i don`t speak russian and then they get mad that i can`t do that. And I´ve had that happen to me, on several occasions. I´m not talking about being in another country, but living in my home country, where Russian isn`t a mother language, and people who can`t speak my language, even tho they live here, get angry that i can`t speak their language.

 

[Blow_Pop]

on another note, has someone ever spoken to you in a language that you didn't fully know, thinking that you were of a race or ethnicity that would know it? If so, did this ever offend or annoy you?

Yes. I get spoken to in Spanish all the time. Pale ass white girl in California and people assume I speak Spanish because its now practically a requirement for us to be bilingual to cater to all the illegals that we're too fucking timid to kick the hell out of our country. It both offends and annoys me. I should not have to learn another language just to cater to people who refuse to learn the language of the country so that they can make me work harder and keep themselves on welfare(no seriously, that's like my whole city practically). I think if you're going to live in a country you should be able to hold a basic conversation in that countries native tongue. Visiting is a different story but living.....*sighs*

Thou I don´t really see why, besides the fact that it(swedish) is the largest of the nordic languages.

Well, Swedish sounds cool - that is a good reason

Tack för att du förärar mitt språk, främling! (BTW, to save you from running this through google translate, it means: "Thank you for honoring my language, stranger!")

Swedish is such a beautiful language. Especially in music. One of these days I'd like to learn it. And then go and visit Sweden.

Nnnnnn... there are so few non-Chinese people I'd trust to say anything remotely coherently in Cantonese. However, I hardly care, because I'll just laugh it off and just say that I don't understand pidgin Chinese.

If you want to learn a Chinese dialect (or even speak it for shits), do it properly: TONES, people, TONES! We've got a shitload of 'em.

See this is why you should talk to me more. So you can teach me a new language and I can confuse the hell out of people when I want to pretend I don't speak English to get out of conversations in places I don't want to be in in the first place ;] Actually more so just so that I can speak it and eventually travel. Also, I'm mad at you again

I'm a rare breed of people who would rather learn a language even just the basics and then travel to the country.

 

[Dreamfiller]

There is no thing funnier. Then a foreign guy trying to speak Finnish, because no foreigner can, and its hilariously -BAD-. XD

 

[DoPo]

For all the liberal ranting about undeserved paranoia over foreigners and their "secret" languages and how they are probably just discussing harmless thing, you'd be utterly shocked at what people will say around (or to) people who they don't think speak their language.

Oh, totally. I'm being absolutely frank here. When you're talking to somebody else and you're sure nobody else understand, that gives you freedom to say things you'd never consider saying under normal circumstances. And it's incredibly easy to hide it - don't look at who/what you're talking about, don't point, don't make any gestures, keep eye contact with your partner and don't change your tone. So basically, act as if you're talking normally and don't gesture. You can use language to describe whatever you need, so instead of pointing, you can say "The guy with the red hat and the jeans. Four o'clock from you. Wait before you turn because he saw me looking at him."

I think in secure areas like banks, casinos, and various areas like that it should be an actual crime to use a language other than english at all for security reasons, limiting these facilities from a
lot of people, but also increasing security.

Of course then again I've also been of the opinion that english should be a prerequisite to live in the US (but not nessicarly to visit), or at least to hold any kind of employment or business.

Yes, that makes absolute sense, if you ask me. Especially the latter part. But not only in the US, SkarKrow, mentioned Polish people living for years in the UK and not speaking English. I dislike them. Not the Polish, but the ones who don't learn the language of the country they live and work in. They could speak bad English but English nonetheless, that would help so much. I hate being thought illiterate or stupid when I have an accent just because there are people who are. I studied English for more than a couple of months before coming here, thank you very much, also I held an actual test to let me study here.

And the view for me back home isn't much better, there are a lot of people who, after understanding that I study abroad, ask me "Oh, do you have many lectures in English?" or "How long did it take you to learn the language?" That is why I prefer to not mention it, if I can. As if I just went to study there on a whim and language is not a strict requirement or even a recommendation. But that's nothing compared to being asked "So, do you know English?".

 

[himemiya1650]

No I'm not that bothered. More like I'm Filipino in a Cantonese-dense area so everyone attempts to speak to me thinking that I might be Chinese... or something.

 

[slipknot4]

Uhm, no one besides Swedes and Finns knows Swedish, problem solved, and I don't think I'd be offended. I'd just question them because English would be the easiest alternative for both of us.

 

[Weaver]

It depends on WHERE I am. When I was touring Germany I tried my best to speak German. My German, of course, sucks but the people who spoke both languages would usually just smile and help me out with pronunciation, grammatical errors, etc. then tell me whatever I asked in English.

No one seemed offended, they almost seemed happy that I went to any effort at all to try to learn German.

 

[Black Arrow Officer]

I live in Latino-heavy area of California. They usually speak Spanish with each other and it can be a little intimidating to non-Spanish speakers, but I know Spanish so it's not a problem for me. Besides, 99% of them speak English as well. Rough English, but understandable English. Nevertheless, it's usually expected to speak English if a white person is involved in the conversation.

 

[Kekkonen1]

Like DoPo was talking about earlier, I am the other way around (although I am not sure why, according to said DoPo "some (maybe most) of them are damn pricks" =) would love some clarification on that =). Being a foreigner (Swedish, many Swedes in this thread) who has lived in Japan for quite some time now I do get irritated sometimes. Or wait, not really irritated or offended, but a bit sad. I speak fluent Japanese but still, people will sometimes answer my near-perfect Japanese with their lousy English or you can hear that they are using really easy Japanese like they are speaking to a child (this of course does not apply to Japanese people I actually know). I just want to shout at them that I study Political Science in Japanese dammit, I think I can handle you giving me directions or whatever it is about.

Being an obvious foreigner in Japan means that every god damn time you have to endure being told how good your Japanese is (even if you have only uttered one or two words so you know that he would have said it even if it wasnt good at all), Where I'm from, how long I've been in Japan, How I studied to become so good in Japanese, why I'm in Japan etc etc. it doesnt really offend me, but like I said it makes me a bit sad because I have worked so hard to fit in and being able to speak Japanese almost on a native-level but since I am so obviously foreign (190cm tall, they also NEVER get tired of telling me how tall I am, like I wasnt aware of it) its all for naught.

And dont even get me started on people taking for granted that I am an American just because I look foreing. Or everyone wishing me a happy new year during the new years even though they just said it in Japanese to the other people around us. English isnt even my native language dammit! If you are going to say it in "my language" learn it in Swedish! =)

But yeah, I guess I usually dont really consciously (spelling?) get this riled up about this. This topic just brought it out I guess. I dont really get angry and I never say anything to the people around me when they do these things but silently endure(except when I am mistaken for being American, then I will inform them that it is actually quite rude to assume someone is from the US just for looking foreign and that they should be careful because people might take offense for real). I do realize that it is mostly out of good-will or curiousity, but for them it's a one-time occurence since they only meet me for the first time once, but for me it is something that happens with almost every new encounter. It was a bit novel at first but that has since worn VERY thin and it's kind of depressing to always be reminded that no matter how good you get at Japanese or how many Japanese friends you make you will always be an outsider.

So with that said I think you should be careful in just suddenly speaking Spanish or some other language to someone whom you think knows it. They might just be trying to fit in and making a real effort at learning your language, and you instead trying to use their language kind of invalidates all their efforts.

 

[wooty]

People always speak to me in English as best they can, even if I start off the conversation in their language first.

I noticed this the most in Japan, but im not going to complain about how correct it was, their English was about on par with my nihon-gõ

 

[Shock and Awe]

Well if I was in another country and it happened I wouldn't be offended, hell I may even think it kind of nice, especially if I was having difficulty.

 

[DoPo]

although I am not sure why, according to said DoPo "some (maybe most) of them are damn pricks" =) would love some clarification on that =).

Of course - I was talking about the ones who refuse/avoid to talk to their fellow countrymen (in their native language, or otherwise) while abroad. I'm not talking about holding a conversation in a language, no one around you understands, in the middle of a large group of people. I'm talking "at all". There are lots of reasons why some might do that but some just don't want to be associated with their "former" country. However, these people find it filthy and appalling when they do. At the very least, they might demand conversation to be in English (or whatever the official language is), even when you're alone, or they might refuse to even acknowledge the other person.

They go to great lengths to stay away from their compatriots and consider them below themselves. I mean those people, when I say "damn pricks".

 

[Kekkonen1]

DoPo: aah ok, I get it now. Thanks =)

 

[trollnystan]

Sure! I feel sorry for people trying to learn Swedish 'cause Swedes tend to go," English speaker, YAY! Now I can show off/practise my English!" I'd have a hard time with it though as I enjoy using English more than Swedish; it's the language I talked at home and one I'm more comfortable expressing myself with. But if someone one wants to practise Swedish on me I'll surely do my best =)

Someone shouting, "Hey Swedish Chef, Bork bork bork! I'm so fluent! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!1!one!!" can just go eff off right now though )=|

(I also think you should probably tell the person that you wish to practise the language in question, otherwise yes you might come off as a bit of a weirdo.)

 

[IamLEAM1983]

It isn't so much the attempt to speak my native language that'll offend me as how and in which context this attempt is made.

I'm from Quebec. My native language is French. We're surrounded by anglophones, however, and *most* of those I've met tended to display genuine interest for Molière's tongue. Even if they can't speak it, they're usually polite enough to land a "Bonjour" or a "Merci beaucoup" in the right places. I won't mind if they mangle or butcher it in the process - they've tried. It's the principle that matters.

Where it does bother me is when you meet up with one of them old geezers with the attitude that was common before Bill 101 passed. Up until the sixties, French Canadians were treated like an oppressed minority. This means a lot of people just didn't make an ounce of an effort. It's pretty rare nowadays, but you still occasionally meet fairly young members of the senior citizenry who speak a few bits and pieces of French but utterly refuse to use them. Not because they're uncomfortable, but because they feel they don't *have* to use them.

Then they throw a shit-fit if they're serviced by someone who isn't bilingual and who only speaks French.

The situation in Quebec goes both ways, really. There's still a lot of people who could benefit from figuring out that speaking English won't make a sellout out of you or that speaking French won't mean you're deferring to the white negroes in town.

Being bilingual pretty much is the norm, nowadays.