Don't you find it god darn annoying when someone lives in your country and don't bother to learn your language

Question

or when they have loud conversations or arguments right infront of your in their language...i'm not saying they can't speak in any other language but ours however they should make the effort to learn our language. i respect those who put in the effort to speak in my language even if they don't always get it right

by the way i can speak spanish,french and am learning german at present so i don't see how learning another language will change my view....

Answer 1

The reason anyone coming to live in America should learn to speak English is that they come here for a better life in a better country that was formed by men who spoke English. Remember when the Mexicans planned to just not show up at jobs to show their importance to our economy? Well there are Mexicans at my job and most came to work that day. The problem was that I tried to tell them I was glad they were there even though they faced criticism from other Mexicans but guess what.....they could not understand what I was saying............

Answer 2

I speak two other languages other than English. I believe that if the individual is going to assimilate into the culture, that yes they should learn the language. When I go to France and Spain or other French and Spanish regions of the world I remain in the national language. I will not resort to speaking English.

If I am with English only people, I will speak English to them and when I am socializing with the natives of the country that I am visiting, then I speak the target language (French/Spanish).

One suggestion to you question asker, make the time and commitment to learning a modern language and you might find out how it will greatly enrich your narrow mind.

Answer 3

Do you speak any other languages?

Have you ever been in another country? (Even French Canada?)
Do you have any idea what is like to be in a different country where everything (and I mean everything) is in another language other than your own?

Do you have any idea how long it takes to learn English?
Do you know that English is one of the hardest languages to learn? You may not be aware, but there are a lot of "rules" in English (I before E) and it is difficult to learn those?
Just by looking at some of the questions and answers here in the English version, I see a lot of "native"speakers who can barely write a comprehensible sentence.

Get over yourself and be more tolerant for goodness sake.
Maybe these "people" who annoy you are taking classes in the evening or in their spare time AFTER they get off work.

What are you doing in your spare time besides judging others?

Be more tolerant for heaven's sake. Give somebody a break.

Answer 4

I used to work with immigrants from Mexico and would like to share my insights on this.

1) Out of the 120 or so Mexicans I worked with only 1 refused to learn English, but learning a language takes time.
2) The typical person takes about 2 years to be fluent in English.
3) Mexicans are very much afraid of being laughed at or sneered at for saying the wrong thing. It doesn't help when they try and people get impatient or roll their eyes at them. Moral: be paitent and smile and encourage them.
4) They are going to speak in the language with friends or family. To put it into persective, you go to Quebec, you speak minimal French and you are with your family, will you be speaking English or French with your family.
5) I've found the most effective way to deal with this is to say to them como se dee say en Espanol to a person to learn a few words. They have a marvelous sense of humor and are very appreciative when people try to learn their language. In return, they will feel more comfortable attempting English.
6) Keep a sense of humor about it. There will be those who won't learn, but give them the opportunity to learn. They don't have language training before coming here.
7) If you start to learn their language you cann get an idea of whhat they are saying...you should see the looks on their faces when they realize that someone understands what they are saying!!

Answer 5

You know what, I came in Amerika few years ago knowing only few simple words in english.In a couple of years my english was so good,that I was getting compliments from native speakers.I didnt go to any classes,what I learned came from constantly comunicating with other english speakers,watching TV and reading a lot of books.I take pride in that,because I wanted to learn that language and I would have done the same if I was in another country too.Now I hold a position that allows me to interact with a lot of people and I have to agree with you even though I am not an American.I hate it when someone calls and just starts speaking polish or spanish assuming that you on the other line know their language.And when you tell them"English please!",they get all annoyed and even try to make you feel guilty that you dont speak polish or spanish.That is how far they go!The truth is some of this people,despite the fact that they have been here for many years,dont really have to learn english.I mean they live in their neighborhoods,they shop in their native stores,they interact with people only from their country and all this isolates them from the english speaking world around them.So they have it easy and they think"Hey,why do I even have to bother learning english,I get allmost everything I need whithout knowing it!"The thing is that attitude like that doesnt get you anywhere far from your neighborhood or your little closed circle!
And I say if I could learn english for a couple of years only from interacting with Americans and reading books then I dont take any excuses from other immigrants.You came here and if you are going to stay and not always be an outsider then you do your best and learn english or go home!

Answer 6

I'm multi-lingual, what bothers me is the person who raises this question has never bother to learn another language but is full of criticisms for others. Americans are the world's worst at living in another country or visiting another country and not ever trying to learn the language. It's the epitome of arrogance that you want everyone to know your language, what efforts have you made to learn another person's language. Where is the harsh words for these people?

Answer 7

Absolutely not!!! I say no to any form of assimilation! A country should be proud of being multi-lingual and multi-cultural rather than a 'melting pot' . And only a culturally rich counrtry is trully rich.

Have you thought about it like this:that you will be a far better better if you learn and speak their language?
I'm not going to situarte this in an American context, because I'm not an american and I'm not the least bit sorry I'm not. In my country we have 18 ethnic groups, all speak the national language to some extent, but have their own schools and theaters and such.
If 2 of them meet and speak their language, even at work I'm not the least bit offended. I try to address them in their language and am happy I can. I do know quite a few languages myself and I work with them. It's a wonderful life!
And immigrants should never be forced to assimilate. As long as they work, don't steal, don't kill, do no harm to anyone, as long as they generate value in your country, why force your language on them? Just to show you're tougher? Rather show them you've got brains. And a heart...

Answer 8

I gave up being annoyed by it, when I discovered how few people do bother to learn to speak the local language. [The irony is that the people who object the most to other people not learning the local language, don't even know the name of the local language, much less speak it.]

I object to loud conversations on principle. It doesn't matter if I can understand what they say, or not. It is the noise pollution I object to. [The same thing applies to blaring Walkmans, iPods, and the like.]

Answer 9

my grandparents are always doing that, talking in German when i'm right there. It's like their secret code so i won't know what they're talking about, and god it's annoying, because then I know there's something they don't want me to know, but I just can't tell what it is. And it's not that they can't speak English, they are both citizens and have been for at least forty years.

About the learning the language thing, it takes a while to learn a language completely, at least seven years, but yeah, they should at least try.

Answer 10

Heck yeah, did you hear that someone wants us to change the way the english language is spelled and sounds just so those F****** people who need to learn our language, can have an easier time learning it?

I say, if we had to learn it this way, then so should they, they need to learn our language, for them to be respected around here, do you think they have a white history month in aFRICKa.. NOOOOOOOO, but yet they think they can prance around our country like they are all that matters.

If that makes me racist then so be it, i hate stupid people who think just 'cause they are a different color, that they can have anything they want, I say KILL THEM ALL, LET THE SMART ONES LIVE AND THE STUPIDS PERRISH, report me if you want, but this is a free minded opinion of myself, and no one, NO ONE can change my mind, not my friends, not my parrents, not my teachers, not GOD, i believe what i want to, but i speak english and dont expect any support or free money, my mom couldnt even get a WIC (women.infants.and children) card to pay for me and my sister because she was white, but the BLACK (not african- american) woman had it in a split second, soon we will become the minority and they wont give a donky's crack about us.

Answer 11

America does not have a national language. However, it would be polite for them to learn the language that the majority of citizens speak.

Look, you could go ANYWHERE in Europe and wouldn't have to speak a lick of their languages because everyone already speaks English.

Soooooo if you can be lazy, so can they. Deal with it.