Can American Latinos and others with Americans with Spanish surnames answer this?

Question

Due to my father serving in the US military, I was born and raised in a country where Spanish is the official language. Except for a couple of years where I lived in the US, I was educated that country and continued to live there until age 20, when I moved to the US for good. Needless to say, although I had always been a US citizen, I knew little to nothing about US culture, and as a result, many things I said and did that would have been considered normal and okay elsewhere, was considered a faux-pas in the US. One of those things was to automatically address Latinos and anyone I had just learned had a Spanish surname in Spanish, thinking that they would appreciate someone addressing them in their native language.

I was shocked to realize that many of such people didn't respond well to that, and after many years, I still have no clue why? What's wrong with Spanish? It is a beautiful language.

This is about manners, not about politics. I know that English is spoken in USA.

Answer 1

Many reasons: First a lot of people with Spanish surnames do not speak Spanish.
Second: Your dad in military means most likely you were raised in Spain whose langauge is more a pure form of Spanish than Central or Latin American Spanish which is more a dialect of Spanish mixed with a lot of Native American words. Even the Spanish spoken in Northern New Mexico differs from the Spanish spoken in Southern New Mexico.

Third: By speaking Castilian Spanish (Pure Spanish) you are sending a signal to them you are of the upper class and think you are better than they are. I know that for a fact because of a couple of friends of mine. They were always accusing me of me thinking I was better than they were because I was Castilian and they were Mexican. One would always tell me when we got to arguing, "I hate you Castilian Spanish because you think you are so much better than we are".

Answer 2

Is incredible that some Latinos descendants, with a Latino first and last name get that stupid attitude when should be the other way around, feel proud of their heritage as Latinos. Many of them even refuse to speak Spanish like if that is a sin, but they don't realize that the only people that are rejecting is their own parents, whom may be did the impossible and made many sacrifices to give them the best. In my country, even when we are Americans citizens, we are Latinos before and we have conserved our own Spanish language and our culture, ven when English is our 2nd official language, we can't deny our roots and we, at least the majority of the people here, are proud of it. Is up to us to show those sorry of be Latins that they are wrong, perhaps doesn't matter how much English they may speak or if they change their names, the Latino blood is something they won't be able to take out of their veins.

Answer 3

In the USA, such a lot men and women believe of the fellow at the Jose Ole field because the archetypical Latino. Latino particularly appears to be extra of a tradition and will incorporate Whites, the archetypical Mestizo, natural Indios, Blacks, Mulattos, or even Asians. I bet that I will have to allow Latinos talk for themselves although. I ought to maintain this in brain. I have a neighbor who's Latina however appears outright White. She has auburn hair, hazel eyes, and dermis similar to a White woman. Her voice (and possibly fuller lips) offers away her ancestry, however from time to time it appears like she's forcing her accessory. I did not imply to be offensive with this publish, so sorry if it got here off love it was once.

Answer 4

I feel the same way, but what I have learned is that Second generation US born Latinos just weren't taught the beauty of the Spanish language early in their lives. I was born here but left to live in El Salvador at 11/2 years of age. I returned to the Us at 7 years old and actually had to learn English as my second language and went through some things you speak of. English is taught here in schools but many Latinos take it just to get an easy A or B. They don't practice it or read it. They have Latino names, Latino traditions, Latino looks but totally get offended when you approach them in Spanish. The only exception is Cinco de Mayo which is the day everybody wants to speak Spanish. It's a shame especially with the growing number of Latinos in this country growing daily.

Answer 5

I suppose those you address in Spanish are upset because they feel you are looking down on them by assuming that they do not speak English. Immigrants to the USA and most of all their children just want to blend in, and being spoken Spanish to is viewed by them as a put down. Your intention is quite diffferent, but how can they guess? I suggest you first speak English to them and then tell them you wish not to lose your knowledge of Spanish and you would welcome an opportunity to speak Spanish with them.

Answer 6

Profiling? I was raised in Hispanic-American home. We were taught to speak in Spanish at home and English everywhere else.

I love my diversity. I love to be able to speak Spanish and proud of my heritage. People should not be ashamed of it.

It is true, this is about manners. I know many people who I addressed many times in Spanish and answered in English.

It's pitiful...

Answer 7

the worst, I'm mexican, but my factions are similar to american people or frensh people, when I go to US and the people to see my is very nice with me, but when I tolk I have acent, inmediatly they change the actitud, what it's the important? The person only are human if they speak with acent? It's only racism without sense (I am living in Guadalajara, you can to see that I don't write well) but I can't understand to caucasie people (I'm caucasie too, only not speak english with acent)

Answer 8

The insult was when you assumed they knew spanish just because of their heritage. Here we call that profiling.