Being spoken to in your native language

[Mersadeon]

I think it might be viewed as offensive if you, for example, try to talk to the cashier in spanish - since he might think that you think that he isn't good enough at talking english.

Personally though, I like it when people try to talk german to me - I don't know, I guess I feel a bit flattered when someone actively thinks about how he or she could make me more comfortable.

 

[TheIronRuler]

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?

.
First of all you introduce yourself in that language and ask the man if he can speak the language.
Blurting out 'gacias' out of the blue is degrading. One time a bloke came to me and started speaking Arabic. Dear god that was funny, I'm whiter than a Aryan. So I explained to him that I'm a Russian Jew and that I don't understand him. Problem solved.
When someone tells me a phrase in Russian, which is not connected to anything just to say that he knows I'm Russian is degrading. It's annoying because it feels like they're making fun of me.

 

[thenumberthirteen]

I don't know. My friend is a 4th generation British Indian, and he only speaks English (and even then he's not that good at it ^_^) so just because someone "looks" Spanish doesn't mean they speak it. In those situations I leave it well enough alone.

My advice is to leave the languages for when your actually travelling to that country, or just speak to everyone in Klingon or something.

 

[Abedeus]

I have a native Spanish teacher at school (two actually, but only one is relevant) who often tries to use Polish words and sentences. We like it, frankly. He likes to learn (he already speaks English and Russian well), and it's kind of fun to have a foreigner interested in your language.

 

[LilithSlave]

I've seen a lot of people claim to feel this way on the internet. I'm a native English speaker myself and English is my primary language, as an American. So I can't speak of that. But I think most people who do this are horrid trolls. Trying to make people feel bad for doing something good with their time like learn another language.

I do understand that some people feel needlessly exotified and demeaned that some think it's appropriate to speak to them in their native language, just because they're of a certain nationality. But a lot of the time it's just because someone has been interested in learning a foreign language for years, and have been desperate to have a chance to practice it with a native speaker. No ill is usually meant when someone speaks to you in your native tongue.

I'm glad that most people in the thread feel the same.

 

[TheMagicLemur]

The people who get offended by things like that, deserve to get offended. It's just so silly. I'm swedish, and if you'd try to say hi to me in, perhaps Danish, or Norweigan, I wouldn't mind. I'd probably just laugh and correct your misstake, no harm done.

What if I were to walk up to you and start yelling "Bork bork bork!" like The Muppets' Swedish Chef? That's definitely real Swedish, right?



Being an American, I of course assume all non-Americans know English and just make up gibberish to piss off tourists.

 

[SckizoBoy]

Bah, don't give in like that, learn Xhosa instead.

LOL... now, that's just mean! Hell, I can't even pronounce the word 'Xhosa' properly!

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.

If I knew Mandarin, I'd teach you that... but Cantonese?! Crap, is it difficult to learn... >_>

Half of what you say can't be written down, half of what you write you don't say in normal conversation. And I'm having difficulty imagining you in a qipao... ¬_¬

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

Quoted purely for tehlulz... sorry! :3

 

[TheMagicLemur]

I've seen a lot of people claim to feel this way on the internet. I'm a native English speaker myself and English is my primary language, as an America. So I can't speak of that. But I think most people who do this are horrid trolls. Trying to make people feel bad for doing something good with their time like learn another language.

I think in real life, particularly if you are living somewhere that doesn't speak your native tongue, it would be a huge relief to have someone make an effort to talk to you in your own language, or even show that they can understand when you speak it (many immigrants who don't -speak- english well can still understand it pretty good, so just knowing they could speak more comfortably would help).

I've been debating learning Spanish because I've seen older Mexican immigrants trying very hard to speak to like a store clerk or what have you and explain what they need only to be treated a)rudely for not speaking fluent english and b)like a toddler because they can't express themselves properly. I'd like to be able to help in those situations.

 

[LilithSlave]

What if I were to walk up to you and start yelling "Bork bork bork!" like The Muppets' Swedish Chef? That's definitely real Swedish, right?

I'm an American and my ancestors were some of the first American settlers. And that would offend the heck out of me. It would be like going up to a Chinese people and saying "ching chong nip nong wong".

 

[TheMagicLemur]

What if I were to walk up to you and start yelling "Bork bork bork!" like The Muppets' Swedish Chef? That's definitely real Swedish, right?

I'm an American and my ancestors were some of the first American settlers. And that would offend the heck out of me. It would be like going up to a Chinese people and saying "ching chong nip nong wong".

Wait, so you mean -- oh man, no wonder the people at the China Wok groan when I go in there.

 

[Blow_Pop]

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.

If I knew Mandarin, I'd teach you that... but Cantonese?! Crap, is it difficult to learn... >_>

Half of what you say can't be written down, half of what you write you don't say in normal conversation. And I'm having difficulty imagining you in a qipao... ¬_¬

*gasps* How could you say something so hurtful? Actually I've worn shirts similar to the top half of those (are they dresses? Cause that's what they look like) And I don't look TOO bad in them. I can badly pronounce a few derogatory words and a funny phrase or two in Mandarin but that's the extent of my knowledge. OH! And one of my mates from Sweden agreed to help me learn to at least have a basic conversation in Swedish! *claps hands and dances around excitedly* I'd rather learn to speak it first honestly. And then learn to read it. Still. you should teach me. And talk to me more.

 

[Ieyke]

say crikey around Aussies

Just a heads up - most Aussies translate 'crikey' as 'please punch me in the face'.

People usually think twice when they have that sort of instinct around me. I look a bit on the "if you tried to punch me in the face, I would ruin you" side of things.
All the same, I do try to avoid ticking people off if I don't have to.


So yea, my friend's Aussie friend was in town last August...I had to try soooooo hard not to say certain things that come naturally to me when he was around. I think I only mostly succeeded.
My natural vocabulary is very "pan-English speaking country" (+pirate +ye olden timey). I watch so much Top Gear and spend so much time talking to British guys that sometimes I get mixed up as to whether I'm using English or American spellings and pronunciation.

For example, I have no idea if "grey" or "gray" is the American spelling.
I automatically write "daemon", "armour", "honour", and "colour" instead of "demon", "armor", "honor", and "color".......etc etc etc
I say "boot" instead of "trunk", and "al-loo-min-e-um" instead of "ah-loo-min-um" sometimes......etc etc etc


If I spent time worrying about if I'm keeping my vocabulary restricted to the appropriate country I'd waste waaaaay too much time.

 

[Totenkopf]

Nah, I'm not offended. In fact, in most cases hilarity ensues - watching English folk fumble about with a few snippets of German is quite entertaining!

Oh yes, whenever I hear that I think it's rather droll, really ^^

Though I have to say... I'm not completely innocent concerning this topic, when you hear me speak in English you'll hear a case of (relatively) heavy German Axe-Ent and eternal struggle with the th

I was told my English is understandable, though I really hope I'll find a way to improve my vocal skills in this regards, it's quite embarrassing for me.

 

[Necroid_Neko]

Mae neb yn gwybod fod i'n Cymro, bydda i'n hapus os roedd rhywyn i siarad i mi yn Cymraeg un tro

'No one can tell I'm Welsh, it would make me happy if someone would talk to me in Welsh once in a while'

I don't get offended when people speak to me in English, since I feel a little insulted when people speak in other languages because I worry they may be talking about me I think it would be a bit rude of me to insist on speaking my own language :L

Also, I'm second-language Welsh but whatever

 

[Sonicron]

Nah, I'm not offended. In fact, in most cases hilarity ensues - watching English folk fumble about with a few snippets of German is quite entertaining!

Oh yes, whenever I hear that I think it's rather droll, really ^^

Though I have to say... I'm not completely innocent concerning this topic, when you hear me speak in English you'll hear a case of (relatively) heavy German Axe-Ent and eternal struggle with the th

I was told my English is understandable, though I really hope I'll find a way to improve my vocal skills in this regards, it's quite embarrassing for me.

Don't sweat it. Unless you're being graded or paid for your English skills, the one and only function of language is communication; as long as people understand you, the fact that you have an accent and a few pronunciation issues doesn't mean diddly.

 

[Lalo Lomeli]

Spanish speaker. It does't bother me, in fact if they are learning the language I try to help out, being in that situation is difficult.

What is really frustrating is people feeling smug about you because they speak their native language ( In most cases that this has happened, english) better than you.

 

[HenrySugar]

I did a couple of Italian cruises in the past where the crew is supposed to speak up to five languages (Italian, English, Spanish, German, French). They can never place our native language (a Flemish dialect of Dutch) so they always just start speaking German to us because it kinda sounds similar.

Yeeah, I tried learning German but I failed epically. I remember meeting someone online who asked me what language I spoke and I told them. They asked why not German, I said it was hard. They turned around and mentioned for me to say the American/English number between eight and ten, it's only spelled differently.

Was the cruise worth it? I would like to go on a French cruise, as I'm learning French right now.

 

[s0p0g]

blahdeeblah

Try working with Indian and Pakistani people whose idea of a joke is something in an entirely different language and laughing between themselves after knowing I'd be fired for racism if I said anything back relating to it being extremely rude.

yeah i get what you're saying; guess that's protection of minorities gone rogue, or somesuch xD

but i actually meant talking back in their language - what comes around goes around ^^

 

[OniaPL]

Finland is officially a bilingual country, but whenever a swede demands that people speak swedish to him in the store, bar or any other place, I want to punch the dude/slap the gal.

There are even people who know finnish but refuse to speak it because it is their "right" to have people speak swedish to them.

 

[Fredvdp]

I did a couple of Italian cruises in the past where the crew is supposed to speak up to five languages (Italian, English, Spanish, German, French). They can never place our native language (a Flemish dialect of Dutch) so they always just start speaking German to us because it kinda sounds similar.

Yeeah, I tried learning German but I failed epically. I remember meeting someone online who asked me what language I spoke and I told them. They asked why not German, I said it was hard. They turned around and mentioned for me to say the American/English number between eight and ten, it's only spelled differently.

Was the cruise worth it? I would like to go on a French cruise, as I'm learning French right now.

Cruises can be very fun. I did three cruises with MSC Cruises, the ships being Monterey (no longer exists), Lyrica and Orchestra. I have a feeling that small ships are more fun but they don't use them very often because they waste more fuel per passenger.

German is indeed a complex language. In English you only have three articles (a, an, the) and German takes it a step further by having different articles depending on whether it's used as a nominative, accusative, and so on. I speak Dutch, of which the complexity lies between English and German but I think it tends more to the simplicity of English. For instance, we also only have three articles (een, de, het).