Notice the ATM's has "For English" and "For Spanish" as options on them now?

Question

What do you think about that?

Here where I live they JUST started it. And I don't have an ISSUE, I just have heard other's comments and wanted to know more opinions to see which is majority.

Answer 1

Its so you can get pesos too.

Answer 2

Columbus came here in 1492, long before the Mayflower. The Spanish were first in the Florida area, the Gulf , Texas, Mexico, New Mexico, the whole of what we now call the Southwest, up to colorado (a Spanish word), Nevada (a Spanish word). It was President Polk (1845 - 1849) who got greedy and wanted the land west of the Mississippi, crossed over and killed for it. The people there spoke Spanish and the Indian languages. A large number of people there today are descended from these and still speak Spanish as well as English. Why should English be exclusive?? That is only ethnocentricism and racism on the part of the WASP invaders. Puerto Rico is a territory of the USA, but they are citizens whose first language is Spanish. They have a right to speak Spanish, though I think it goes both ways that everybody would do well to be bilingual.
When I was in high school it was required to take a second language. Being bilingual was considered an asset.

Answer 3

At my bank in New York City, we have English, Spanish, Korean, Chinese and Greek on the ATM. I think it's great. These people are working hard and helping to build the economy. Would you rather the whole country looked like Nebraska? Some people need the Spanish option, but their children won't.

Answer 4

Washington Mutual ATM's in Los Angeles and Orange Counties, California have the following language options:
English
Spanish
Russian
Chinese
Japanese
even in areas where there seemingly are not a lot of these speakers. In my opinion, it may be a marketing tool and assist the banks in serving their non-English speaking customers more effectively.

Answer 5

A good percentage of what you use is English/Spanish if you pay attention even a lot of the prerecorded messages for businesses are bilingual now. As long as English remains the primary language of the US I don't have a problem with it. What I do have a problem with is in conducting business there is often a failure to communicate and this has to change! Peace!

Answer 6

They also have braille - which is only distressing when you see it at the drive-up ATMs. The United States has no official language. I have no issues with additional languages being supplied for people who don't speak English as a first language.

Answer 7

I'm quite happy that they offer English (and German, French, Italian and usually Spanish) here in Switzerland. At my own bank though it goes automatically to French because that's our set language of correspondance for that account. If anyone is seriously troubled by being asked to choose the language, why not request such a possibility at your bank?

Answer 8

You're right. I moved from the east coast of the U.S. in 1997 and returned in 2003. When I returned I noticed most signs in airports and other public places were becoming bilingual. Telephone prompts were also becoming bilingual. Of course in the southwest U.S. there was a need for such duality. I've come to the understanding that because the U.S. benefits from illegal immigration that the U.S. is an accomplice in illegal immigration. I believe undocumented workers working for low wages represent neo-slavery.The U.S. economy and small businesses surely benefits from cheap labor.The slave period in the United States was a time of great economic growth and development. Bilingual signs represent a willingness for the U.S. to allow this situation to continue.

Answer 9

I noticed that when I was in Toronto Canada, the ATMs had english and french options... not a big deal I guess

Answer 10

and for mandarin, cantonese and french in Vancouver,Canada. I think it's an idea that should have been realized years ago...I have been in far off countries where I couldn't figure out how to use a laundromat..much less an ATM.

Answer 11

I live in Texas so I'm not surprised. To me this represents our bending over backwards to accommodate the ones who can't or won't learn English.