Being spoken to in your native language

[IamQ]

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.

I'd first assume that you're on the lower end of the intellect spectrum, and afterwards, I'd probably just laugh and correct you. Once again, it's really silly to get offended by small things like that.

And by the way: I love the Swedish Chef!

 

[minimacker]

Englishman trying to pronounce in Swedish?

It's hilarious. I don't feel insulted in any way.

 

[MorganL4]

I had quite the opposite experience. When I was about 12 I went to France with my mother, and I didn't speak a lick of french. other than please thank you and toilet. And I guess I could count to 10. But the point is I felt like crap being in a foreign country and forcing people to speak MY language in order to communicate. I felt rude and obnoxious for doing it. So I decided I wanted to go to Spain after high school ( which I did and it was awesome) BUT I wanted to be able to get around okay, So I spent 9th-12th grade studying Spanish. And avoided a repeat that mess entirely..... ( except one situation where I accidentally ordered a pitcher of beer when I wanted a glass.... boy howdy were my buddy and I drunk that night.... but hey thats the fun of vacation)

Any way more to the OP's question, here in the states when I come across someone who I can tell speaks Spanish I tend to stick to English unless they either can't speak English or their English is not strong enough to hold a conversation, and I have yet to find anyone who wasn't either delighted to find that I was making an effort to speak to them in their native tongue or at least gave me some positive acknowledgement of the fact. I have yet to receive ANY negative reaction, just grammatical corrections, which I do actually appreciate.

 

[Martijn Nijkeuter]

Dutch is my native language and it is a bit complicated

I do generally like to be spoken to in dutch, but if their English is better they should stick to that.
And i had several people that could just not pronounce my name cause of the "tijn" part. which does get annoying if they insist on trying nonstop till they get it right...

and i do dislike Germans that conclude that every Dutchy knows German perfectly without even asking..

 

[Sirron Kcuch]

I was told in MW2 that I "run like a chicken pollo".
I laughed out loud

 

[Muspelheim]

Englishman trying to pronounce in Swedish?

It's hilarious. I don't feel insulted in any way.

Aye, it's really rather adorable sometimes, when they struggle with our weird Å's, Ä's and Ö's. I can understand that they'd be rather tricky to learn if you're not used to them. Also, there's the issue of pronounciation. Many words spell exactly the same, but mean different things depending on how you say them.

My favorite example is the Christian trinity: "Fadern, Sonen och den Helige Anden", The Father, the Son and the Holy Ghost. However, if you put the emphasis on the E in anden, it becomes "And the Holy Duck". Pitfalls like that is just fun. :3

Of course, we've always got English to fall back on. Although most Swedes got a -horriphic- accent, so I'm sure the entertainment value is going to be rather even for both. "O, hay! I dident fiil agein yoo! Hao arr yoo doyng?"

I remember something similar, actually. There's a rather large amounts of Russians staying in Stockholm for some reason, and one time I was there, drunk, out and about, we passed a carfire, and I said the nadsat-word "Horrorshow" (which stems from Khorosho, meaning very good), and a nearby Russian heard that and tried to converce with me. He was very patient with me mangling his language for a few minutes.
"Your Russian is dreadful, but keep learning!"

And not completly unrelated: I do hope Notch and Mojäng actually do go ahead and name that project of theirs Skrölls.

 

[Nickolai77]

When non-English speakers speak to me in English i'm usually impressed by how well they can speak it. For me languages are rather difficult even though i find them fascinating, so i have a lot of respect for people who can speak another tongue fluently. Especially the Chinese students who i often see at my uni, how on earth they can pick up even conversational English is pretty damn impressive.

 

[trollnystan]

*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.

Hey, I could help you with Swedish too! *hops up and down and waves*

I wish I could wear qipao-styles btw. but I'm a bit too "big" (if you know what I mean) for it to look good on me, le sigh.

 

[6unn3r]

Personaly i speak to people in the national language of the country im in and i dont see any reason why i should change that.
When i go abroad i make the best effort to learn simple phrases or sayings to get me by i resturants, pubs, shops etc. I also take a phrase book to aid me. If the person im talking to says "I speak english" then i'll switch to save on any translation issues and it simplfies things greatly.

Similarly when im here in the UK i will converse in English because its the national language. I dont mind people talking to each other in their own tounge's if they so wish but in formal settings it's not really pertinant or polite.

If i can make the effort to learn your national language even for a weeks holiday then i see no reason why, if you move to my country, you cant do the same.

 

[Blow_Pop]

*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.

Hey, I could help you with Swedish too! *hops up and down and waves*

I wish I could wear qipao-styles btw. but I'm a bit too "big" (if you know what I mean) for it to look good on me, le sigh.

well if you would like to feel free to add me on skype or steam or whatever and we'll discuss it. And as for the style I'm just a bit too pale for them to really look good on me.

 

[esliang]

My issue with this is twofold:

1) I'm Taiwanese, and I've been spoken to in Mandarin, Cantonese, Japanese, Korean, and I Vietnamese at one point. I appreciate that the person speaking to me is trying to be respectful to some degree, but at least ask if you're not sure what my ethnic heritage is.

2) I'm American, born and raised, and it irks me that someone (probably an elderly Caucasian fellow) presumes that I'm not from this country just from the way I look. I know that intentions are usually good--acceptance and all that--but it's almost a subtle form of racism at times. It just comes down to assuming things about a person based on their appearance.

I personally never speak to someone in a foreign language unless they themselves make it clear they are immigrants who prefer their native tongue, and only then if I have some mastery of said language.

 

[Orcus The Ultimate]

Frankly i find it funny when other people speak another language because you cannot stop comparing accents, and it gets cute-er if it's with a girl...

 

[game-lover]

I would like that, actually. After I'm done laughing at how terrible they are at it, I will complement them on trying.

It's comments like this that make people like me take so damn long trying to learn languages. The last thing I want is to embarrass myself and causing someone to laugh at me is obviously an embarrassing action.

 

[SckizoBoy]

And as for the style I'm just a bit too pale for them to really look good on me.

Send me a pic! I will be the judge of that! XD

I wish I could wear qipao-styles btw. but I'm a bit too "big" (if you know what I mean) for it to look good on me, le sigh.

Not to sound patronising, but you'd be surprised how... voluptuous certain styles of qipao can make the wearer... -_-

 

[Zetsubou-Sama]

My father-in-law hates that I try to speak to him in french since I butcher the language, even if for some words, so I just talk in my native language and he just replies with whatever he feels like.

He's kind of an asshole in that regard.

EDIT: The only thing that annoys me is when someone answers or talks in a language like spanish, or italian, and I politely just say I'm portuguese and they just reply 'Isn't that just the same'?

 

[Nimcha]

I would like that, actually. After I'm done laughing at how terrible they are at it, I will complement them on trying.

It's comments like this that make people like me take so damn long trying to learn languages. The last thing I want is to embarrass myself and causing someone to laugh at me is obviously an embarrassing action.

Nooo I didn't mean it like that. My native language (Dutch) is not an easy one to learn, especially pronounciation. I wouldn't laugh as to mock you! And I'd probably help you afterwards, it's always nice when people show an interest.

 

[kasperbbs]

Why would i feel offended? Most foreigners here speak Russian so i'm glad that they are trying to speak my language because i'm terrible at theirs.

 

[trollnystan]

And as for the style I'm just a bit too pale for them to really look good on me.

Send me a pic! I will be the judge of that! XD

I wish I could wear qipao-styles btw. but I'm a bit too "big" (if you know what I mean) for it to look good on me, le sigh.

Not to sound patronising, but you'd be surprised how... voluptuous certain styles of qipao can make the wearer... -_-

Yeah that just makes it worse. I mean, it's not like I'm huge in that department, but put one of those on and WOAH =/ Also I have the hardest time finding one that fits; they're usually made for smaller sizes.

 

[Blow_Pop]

And as for the style I'm just a bit too pale for them to really look good on me.

Send me a pic! I will be the judge of that! XD

I wish I could wear qipao-styles btw. but I'm a bit too "big" (if you know what I mean) for it to look good on me, le sigh.

Not to sound patronising, but you'd be surprised how... voluptuous certain styles of qipao can make the wearer... -_-

If I can be arsed to find the photo. I don't have the shirt any more. Got rid of it a while ago..the shirt that is....the photo is buried somewhere in cyberspace on my facebook

 

[Dtox333]

I'm very happy with the kind of responses my topic came up with lol.

sorry if I haven't been able to respond to anyone (I'v been very busy), but I'v read all of these replies and they've been very informative on the experiences and perspectives of many people.

thank you very much for participating, everyone.