I just ordered chinese and spoke as I typacally do, the person didnt understand, so used the dialect the person on the other end used, is this making fun or is this a curtosey?
2006-07-18 12:49:16 · 20 answers · asked by Julzz 4 in Food & Drink ➔ Ethnic Cuisine
I would say they may think of it as making fun, but who knows. I wouldn't eat the food after I did that.
2006-07-18 12:53:24 · answer #1 · answered by Lil D 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
If I were the person at the other end, I'd be insulted. First of all, it sounded like you were making a mockery of this person's accent. An accent is an accent. Everyone has one even if you speak English. And it doesn't make you any more special than the Chinese person on the phone. If anything, I would give the person credit for answering calls & taking orders in a language other than his/her mother tongue.
Next time you place an order, speak slowly & clearly. Do not mock the person. That, would be common courtesy & total respect.
*To the person who said, "Why would they answer the phone if they can understand?" in the above. I would think they do understand, however, if you have someone who speaks really fast & it would make things difficult. For the person to place an order, better to speak slowly.....and clearly as I said.
2006-07-18 17:08:53 · answer #2 · answered by violetviolet 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I agree that it's neither. I'll never understand why restaurants pick the person who speaks english worst to answer phones, but they do. If it's proving to be difficult to communicate I'll just stop in the middle of the order and say, sorry, nevermind, I changed my mind, and hang up. The whole idea is for it to be convenient, 5 minutes ordering food and I could have already ordered it from somewhere else.
Don't get me wrong, I appreciate when people attempt to speak english for me. I really do, and I think we don't give people learning a new language enough encouragement and simple gratitude. I love it when someone asks me "how do you say..." or "what is this called?" A lot of people will not ask these questions because we like to go off about "damn foreigners" and not being "able to speak a word of english"...how often do you hear that? Think if you didn't speak english how that reaction would prevent you from revealing that you don't understand things all the time. Just nod instead and say "Okay".
But I still don't think they should be answering phones or any job that depends heavily on oral communication. Sure, later, when they get the hang of the language but that's just retarded and cruel to put someone who hasn't mastered english yet on the phone!
2006-07-18 13:08:16 · answer #3 · answered by mia_violenza 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I assume you were on the phone - as you said "the person on the other end".
If they couldn't understand English spoken clearly and slowly, I don't know why they were manning the phone! But Chinese food is often best ordered with numbers, it gives them less English to learn, and it's quicker. Next time ask for "a number 23, a 45, 15 ..." etc.! Sometimes they even ask you to just tell them the numbers, at least they do when I phone them up!
If someone started trying to copy my accent because I couldn't understand them, I'd probably be pi$$ed off with them...!
2006-07-18 13:34:14 · answer #4 · answered by _ 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Yes. You speaking in their "dialect" won't help because you don't really know what their dialect is and it won't help them understand you. So it just seems like you are mocking them. I guess it's kinda like when someone walks up to you and starts speaking with a southern accent, and then you repy in a southern accent, too (often without meaning to). It just seems like you're making fun of them. Next time just speak a lil more slowly and clearly, not like they are stupid, but just so they can understand you better.
If whoever is working in this restaurant understand English enough to own their own business or be successfully employed in one, then they will be able to understand you if you just speak clearly.
2006-07-18 13:01:03 · answer #5 · answered by choclatlady_02 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Actually this is not only insulting ot the individual, but from a societal perspective it is not going to help the person learn the correct pronunciation. If someone made fun of your accents, you probably wouldn't appreciate it in reverse. I would recommend just choosing another restaurant instead.
2006-07-18 12:53:44 · answer #6 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
If you only speak broken English then it's the way you talk. If you don't it's an insult. Next time if somebody doesn't understand you try slowing down. My mom is german and if somebody talks to fast she has a hard time understanding everything.
2006-07-18 12:56:04 · answer #7 · answered by siamcatp 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
Not at all...You spoke so that the person could understand you. Even if with broken English, you tried to reply the best you could. There's no harm in that.
2006-07-18 12:55:02 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
My husband and that i've got been questioning the comparable suggestions-blowing factor! I hate it! it is so annoying. It appears like they're insulting the foreigners' intelligence. i might get offended if human beings talked like that to me. I save hoping that somebody tells them off for doing that, like considered one of the different communities or a foreigner who happens to chat suited English. i in my opinion do in contrast to them. i'm hoping they get kicked off very quickly! via the way, it is solid to make certain that different individuals observed that, too!
2016-10-08 01:51:41 · answer #9 · answered by ? 4 · 0⤊ 0⤋
You, the customer are not responsible figuring out what language to use when ordering anything. The proprietor of the establishment should have the brains to know that his employees can talk to and understand his customers.
2006-07-18 12:58:24 · answer #10 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋