dont knpow about you but there allways harping on about not being excepted perhaps if they intergrated more there wouldnt be such a problem........
2006-07-02 10:38:13 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
They are more comfortable/communicate better when speaking their native language to another native speaker.
Do you think they're talking about you?
2006-07-02 10:42:02 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 1⤋
Perhaps it didn't occur to you, but even though the store owner speaks passable English, maybe the person he's speaking to DOESN'T!
Anyway, if you speak more than one language, and you want to REALLY understand a conversation, you will choose (wherever possible) to speak in your OWN first language! Even if there are people nearby - but NOT involved in the conversation - who don't understand that language.
If you travel to another country, for whatever purpose, do you make sure that you ONLY speak in their language when you're near the natives? For example, if you travel to Spain, do you insist on speaking very poor Spanish except when you're in your hotel room?
Besides, I've often come across English speaking people whispering / muttering & sniggering together in shops, and that's even MORE disconcerting than having Asians speaking their own language! And VERY rude too, because they KNOW that ALL the customers will feel as though they're being talked about!
2006-07-02 19:44:40 · answer #2 · answered by _ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's true, a lot of Asian people do that, and it is really rude if you ask me. If you live in the U.S or any other country where your language is not the official language, you need to respect other people and speak in the common language so that everybody understands. A lot of people get aggravated when you speak your native language in their countries, yet they do exactly that while living in an English speaking country....If you're only visiting a country and you are yet to learn the language, it is understandable if you would rather use your own language, but when you make the conscious decision of moving to another country permanently, the least you can do is learn the language.
2006-07-03 02:50:34 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Change your question and you will see your language ethnocentrism: Why do British store owners who speak Asian speak in their native tongue in front of Asian people? By the way, your spelling, grammar and capitalization are atrocious.
2006-07-02 18:13:05 · answer #4 · answered by ? 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Why are you so curious to know what they are saying? If you have ever travelled abroad and are bilingual, you will know how wonderful it would be to speak a language that nobody around you understands.It's like a code that noone can decipher. Furthermore, the shopkeepper isn't having a conversation with you because if he did, that would be rude.
2006-07-03 07:47:08 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
For comfort? For privacy? It is like a secret code, eh? The same way Latinos in the USA speak Spanish in front of the gringos.
2006-07-02 22:07:59 · answer #6 · answered by Oghma Gem 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They like to make people paranoid !!!
The butt heads do that here in the US as well. And they also pull the "No speak English" when ever it is convenient to them as well.
I stopped using places like that, if they want to run a business in the USA then they need to speak English...
Or get back on their camel and go home.
2006-07-02 19:15:42 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
what does their private conversations have to do with you? are you that paranoid that you have to know what people are talking about? if you were in a foreign country and you have to talk to a friend, wouldn't you be talking to that person in english as well or whatever your native tongue is?
2006-07-03 07:34:17 · answer #8 · answered by alycks 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
They are busy making fun of you
2006-07-02 17:45:11 · answer #9 · answered by reality check 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋