Would you be insulted if someone mocked your language in their language?

Question

I just read on yahoo! about Rosie O'Donell's (supposed) mocking of Chinese by saying, "You know, you can imagine in China it's like `ching chong, ching chong chong, Danny DeVito, ching chong chong chong, drunk, "The View," ching chong,'" (yahoo news http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20061215/ap_en_tv/people_rosie_o_donnell).
I'm sorry, but if an Indian said in their country that they could imagine American TV saying "da da Ghandi wah jish en my con free why peace if ban faz at crent died milt wan great." I would not be insulted. I understand that my language sounds like jibberish to them and would be funny to try to repeat and understand. (I'm not saying Rosie is my favorite person, or is making all right choices, I'm just a little bothered so many are angered by a comedianne joking about something everyone can identify with if put from their own perspective.) Languages are funny. I get a laugh out of funny sounding English things too.

actually, I was a military brat, so i have been in many different places, i notice people find my accent and attempts to communicate funny at times. But we also were probably funny to listen to as we talked in English. We would probably say one word in 20 they could understand and the rest would be jibberish.

Answer 1

The reason you as an American are not insulted is because American culture has never been degraded, an immgrant from another country has had to face challeneges and mocked for their accents constantly, that is why minorities are often sensitive about these types of "jokes"

Answer 2

I think you have a point. Notice though, if someone from their own race makes a joke about their own race, you don't hear it on the news. People just don't make a big fuss about it. For example, Dave Chapelle, one of my favourite comedians, makes jokes about the african-american race too, if not mistaken, he used the 'n' word countless times too. But if, say, Rosie O'Donell does it, all hell breaks loose. Another comedian, Russel Peters, I remembered his first stand up performance, where he imitated his parents speaking with a very heavy indian accent, but I don't remember the whole issue blowing up. So I suppose it's the person who says it which determines what the outcome is going to be. I am a chinese, and I am proud to be who I am. I may feel irritated if people say I sound like I come from, say, an indigenous tribe from China (no offense, anybody who's from an indigenous tribe from China!), but I wouldn't break into a fit over it. It is her job as a comedian to entertain, so I can't really blame her for it. But to tell the truth, I haven't watched the clip, so I can't really tell if she said it in a way to belittle another race or wether it was just out of a good spirit for a laugh...

Answer 3

I listen that in different international locations, human beings ought to really help you in case you're saying some thing incorrect so that you learn a thanks to talk the language more advantageous suited. i do not comprehend how actual it truly is, yet I come from Florida, the position a lot ( and that i do advise it) of human beings are immigrants from international wide. I actually have not were given a situation with it; I only imagine if an immigrant is going to take a job requring wide use of the English language, they must be confident they're truly good at it, because if not, both section have a tendency to get annoyed very right away. P.S. also, you opt for ought to to remind absolutely everyone who's rude to you that English is your 2d language, you're sorry, you're confident that they'd issues at their 2d language too. (all persons insulting you for this kind of element probably hasn't lengthy gone out of their thanks to teach themselves, so as that'll probably close them up.)

Answer 4

OK well I've never heard of Rosie O'Donell but I don't think I'd be insulted by anything on a TV show. People have a right to an opinion, however stupid it might be, and they have a right to state it, on TV if they can get the funding. If I find a program insulting I can choose not to watch it.

Answer 5

"Nope. I am an American and lived in London, England for several years where people made fun of Americans all the time. It's annoying but everyone should be able to laugh at themselves."

You think you American's have it bad? On every single American cartoon in existence even the kids ones. they have a stereotypical English guy on there. Even on Farily Odd Parents which is this kid's show, there was some English Dude on there who permantently had a cup of tea in his hand and spoke like the Queen!

But as for your question, political correctness is so out of hand these days. Even on the BBC if they interview a class, there always HAS to be at least one Muslim child or a disabled child. I bet all the Muslims don't have an Enlglish kid or any other race child on their news reports and documentaries.

Answer 6

No - the "political correctness" mantra is about worn out in some instances (IMHO). Rosie is a comedienne; she is going to be at the edge because that's where a lot of humor lives. I didn't find it especially funny but at the same time I have to think that people who are popping off about it don't have a lot of better things to do. I'm not being insensitive to those who have been racially slurred, but that isn't what this was - great question.

Answer 7

i dont care for rosie either and i agree with you... if someone is a comediannne and this is a form of humor to them and many others all i can say is we DO support freedom of speech...look at how many people make helen keller jokes or ethiopia jokes...i find them in poor taste but do admit that some of them are hilarious...and i understand its not the same to poke fun at a disability versus a language or culture....one is by choice the other is not...and i'm sure that i would butcher another language if i attempted to speak it....on a lighter note though im from the deep south and northerners make fun of our dialect everyday so im used to it ya'll...LOL :o)

Answer 8

I lived in Central America for a year, and my Spanish really improved that year, but I still had an accent. I taught English classes and my students would joke around making up nonsense words that they thought sounded like Spanish (they would add "tion" to the end of a lot of Spanish words to "Englishify" them, surprisingly). They also made fun of Americans' accents when they tried to speak Spanish. As long as it's in good fun I'm okay with it. I actually thought they were making fun of my accent until a group was doing it one day, and then they turned to me and said, "Teacher, now you try to talk American." Apparently my accent was a lot less than I thought!

Answer 9

Nope. I am an American and lived in London, England for several years where people made fun of Americans all the time. It's annoying but everyone should be able to laugh at themselves.

Answer 10

Everybody is so much on the defense with political correctness lately that you can't relax and just talk. I thought what Rosie said was pretty funny, and I think there are ALOT of people that make fun of the Chinese speaking and it is also FUNNY!