Why do people always assume I speak Spanish?

Question

I am so sick and tired of people thinking that just because I am a Hispanic, I should automatically speak Spanish!!! I was born and raised in AMERICA. I am an American before I am ANYTHING else. What’s worse is that when my own people find out that I don’t speak Spanish, they look down on me and accuse me of "trying to act white”. I’m so sick of it. It’s not my fault they chose to have children before the age of 18, live off government checks, do drugs, and be ignorant uneducated fools.

Bottom line, just because someone is Hispanic does NOT mean they speak Spanish, nor does it mean they are "trying to be white".

Answer 1

You sound like my long lost twin. I get that all the time, and I am sick of it too. It's gotten to the point that when it happens, I just get rude. At this point I really don't care if I offend them by doing that since they are already offending me. I know two wrongs don't make a right, but what else can I do?

Answer 2

Bottom line is right but you made some statements that are not necessarily true like "It’s not my fault they chose to have children before the age of 18, live off government checks, do drugs, and be ignorant uneducated fools." this is insinuating that those are the only people of your kind that can speak spanish. I whole hearted agree with you that they have a tendency to look down at the hispanic that do not speak the language. But I speak it & write it fluently but did not have children until after I finished college and had a career.

Try not to be so angry they just feel we should keep a hold of our heritage and don't want us to lose it to be "americanized"

Answer 3

For someone who is not trying to be non-hispanic or "white," you certainly have some very anti-Hispanic stereotypes. Maybe you need to get out more. How about this news flash: All Hispanics do NOT have children before the age of 18, do NOT live off the government, do NOT do drugs or have ever done drugs and are NOT ignorant uneducated fools. Just because you live in America does NOT mean you need to be particularly proud that you can only speak one language. Speaking more than one language opens more doors for you and broadens your horizons. You should try it sometime...you'll become more educated as a result. I hope you change your perspective as you mature and stop being so angry. It's a waste of energy you could put to better use.

Signed: Born and raised in America and able to speak, read and write in more than one language and would not be the slightest bit offended if someone assumed I spoke any language I don't speak. Secure enough to not worry about whether anyone looks down on me.

Answer 4

I read these comments and they are 9 years ago and STILL i see this in the work place. I work in a call center for Government contract Medical. So of course they had to hire 80% of our employees in Spanish and not from Mexico, some are from other Latin countries. Im the one who is the oldest most are 27 and im 58. I was born and raised in southern California from two parents who were mixed Spanish with Italian and Portuguese decent. BOTH parents born here. Great Grandparents came from other countries and had my Grandparents in 1900. My Dad born 1926 and Mom 1924. WHEN they grew up you only spoke ENGLISH in schools. No Spanish was spoken even at the market you were asked to leave. We went to nice private Catholic Schools and many other children I grew up with Italian, German, French and ALL were like me we only spoke English and the adults spoke the foreign language's. We took whatever foreign language we wanted in High School and i don't remember any gangs or anything like that. We loved our Beach Boys music and watching the guys Surf. All my working career I excelled on my experience and education not that I had a Latin type "sounding" last name. I bet I got MORE raises and jobs back then because I was not trying to be the "rising Latina". I never wanted to be known as being classified Hispanic. I was proud of my Italian and Portuguese decent. So I always checked "white". Being American and acting and sounding American. I had dark hair my siblings blond and green eyes. After I lost my job in 2006 in Telecommunications for 4 years I could not find work and my older age did not make it any easier. I saw where you were now judged on age and race. I landed up getting a Medicare Inside Sales job where I am the oldest one with about 10 Latin women and they all speak Spanish all the time they stay in a click, as they are respectful and nice to me I see how they look at me and wonder who and what I am. When they see my why cant they just say hello its always "Hola". That's what I cant stand about THAT particular group. Then I hear how they all grew up poor or their parents came from El Salvador or Mexico when they were 5 etc etc.... they don't know what it was like "Living the American Dream" like I had it with my parents who bought properties and homes after the Korean war for only 5,000 dollars. SOOOO I could care less if these people think at my age i should speak Spanish what a laugh !! I bet their parents don't speak English, they should be embarrassed about that !! Makes me look at my Parents so much prouder !! for the way they raised us in my Family. They don't know that when I was growing up being American came first. Speaking English came first. Also WE don't get the rich, educated and famous wanting to come over here from their countries. All we got the past 50 years is the poor ones. That's why this country is a mess. Yeah im grateful for being American and I could care less if i don't speak Spanish !!

Answer 5

they probably assume you are trying to "act white" because you use the word "they" to describe hispanics. Get over it. I was born and raised in America, also, and speak English, Spanish, French, Portuguese, Italian, and some German, and I am Hispanic. People probably assume that you speak it because most Hispanics do.

Answer 6

don't you just hate that??? i have that same freaking problem. I will say that because of my last name i automatically got the job i have now because of that assumption. I get called a cabrona when some ******* starts speaking spanish to me and i can't or don't respond in spanish. white people assume i don't speak any english. (you know those people that speak slower and louder) i was borned and raised in America. My mother and father was born and raised in america. My grandmothers and grandfathers were born and raised in America! if calling myself a white washed latina gets them better to catagorize me...then call me a white washed latina. because i am proud of who i am. okay...so i did have my first kid at 19 (not all of the latina was completely washed out i guess) but i have never ever taken goverment funding, and i am definitely not an uneducated fool.

but isn't that just great? for the families that jumped the border, who came here for a better oppurtunity, and fought hard for it, the entire generation that gets on you for actually making their forefather's dream a reality. What happened to their hard work?

Answer 7

what is "trying 2 b white?" what,u think all white people are the same?isnt that as bad as people assuming u are trying to be white bcause u dont speak spanish? i speak spanish,and im working on french,i used to be fairly proficient in gaelic,but ive forgotten most of it now. when i speak spanish to people who seem like they might know spanish,its not cause im saying i dont feel theyre from the usa-its that i welcome any chance to improve my language skills.that way,cause i go to mexico and south america,im not insulting the people there by speaking only english.sorry if some people have adressed u in a condescending way,but can some of them,like me,sincerely enjoy speaking one of the worlds most beautiful and expressive languages? ps.wow! u had some really negative things to say of people with a hispanic background...do u dislike ur family,are u the only "ethnic" person in ur neighborhood...something else is going on here,or u wouldnt be so negative about ur own heritage.yes,we are all north americans,but most of us take pride in our ethnicity and cultural roots,whether from africa,europe,south america,etc.what caused u 2 be so mean about hispanic people?

Answer 8

English is our first language..

If you look like it they feel you should it is part of there heritage and yours..if you are Hispanic your not carrying on your people and they will look down on you..it is not abnormal to be looked down upon they just expect you to know something you should have been taught as a child..if your parents didn't teach you i have heard of this..my husbands sisters husband is Hispanic and doesn't know Spanish..its not against you its just something that the elders expect..

No one wants there culture lost..

Answer 9

You and my husband! Most people assume that because he has no accent and is nearly 6ft tall that he's Italian.

Because it's just not POSSIBLE to have a Mexican without an accent, who doesn't speak spanish, and is over 5'5.

Right?

He doesn't get a lot of crap about it, though. Although growing up, most of his friends and girlfriends were white, and he listened to "white" music....he did get some grief about that.

Answer 10

It's because you are ignoring your roots.
And when you say:
"they chose to have children before the age of 18, live off government checks, do drugs, and be ignorant uneducated fools"
who are you talking about?