Why is it people who know other language besides english speak the another language(if they know it) in america? I know that some are accustomed to their language and stuff like that. I mean to ask like why is it when I go to a veitnamese nail salon, the person speaks english to you but they speak the other language when they are doing your feet? Is it because they don't want others to know what they are saying, like bad stuff?
2007-07-20 15:39:38 · 9 answers · asked by Anonymous in Society & Culture ➔ Languages
stlouisramfan2003, that wasn't very nice but I think I see what you're saying. I know some spanish even though I know waaay more english. I sometimes used spanish words to curse out people who get on my nerves, the ones that never understood spanish ofcourse!
2007-07-20 16:57:07 · update #1
no matter how many languages you speak, it is always easier and you feel the most comfortable speaking in your native tongue. When you speak a foreign language, while you are speaking, you are always trying to find the right word or thinking about the correct word order. Your brain almost goes numb after awhile because you have to think about everything you are going to say. This gets easier and easier as you speak the language more but it is always nice to just say what you want to say and get over with it with someone who understands you and not have to worry about how to say it in another language. When you speak another language, you really "step out of your comfort zone"
2007-07-20 16:01:56 · answer #1 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
Think about it this way. Imagine that you and your friends (native speakers of English from America) go on vacation in Vietnam. When you are speaking to your friends, would you speak to them in English or Vietnamese? My guess is that you would speak English, because it's a language that you all know well and speak comfortably. Learning a new language is very difficult and most people never get as comfortable in a new language as they do with their native language. Therefore, if you are talking to someone who shares the same native language as you, it's natural to choose a language that you both feel comfortable with. I doubt that they are saying anything bad about you.
2007-07-21 01:35:13 · answer #2 · answered by drshorty 7 · 1⤊ 0⤋
It's because their first language is easier for them to speak.
If I'm in a Spanish-speaking community, I'll speak in Spanish, but it's easier for me to speak in English because it's my first language. If you're in a casual situation (such as talking to your friend in a nail salon), you're not going to force yourself into speaking a language that's more difficult for you to speak in comparison to one you know fluently and can speak easily. It's all a matter of ease and comfort, really.
At one of the nail salons I used to go to, the ladies spoke Cambodian to each other but would randomly throw in some English words, and it was clear that they were having normal conversations about their friends getting pregnant, going to AA meetings (okay, so that's not so "regular," lol), or even where a certain color of nail polish was.
So it's that they're saying bad things, it's just easier to speak in your first language. :)
2007-07-20 23:40:18 · answer #3 · answered by Stina 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It all depends on the person and how fluent they are in English. For example if you were in Italy and you were not fluent in Italian but you worked at a restaurant, you would be basically forced to talk to the customers in Italian, but if your friend Tom who was American was there working as a bartender you might feel more comfortable talking to him in english than in Italian. Your conversation would flow more naturally. Not all the people who speak more than one language uses his/her native language to talk bad "stuff" so you don't know.
2007-07-20 22:49:59 · answer #4 · answered by tatys 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
I am fluent in English as it is my first language, but I actually prefer speaking in my second language. Maybe it has to do with how you express yourself. Some things cannot be expressed in English as well as in other languages.
2007-07-21 03:23:37 · answer #5 · answered by mirandatsukino 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
No, usually it's not bad. It's just probably easier for them to speak their native language than a language they had to learn. It's just easier because they probably speak their language better.
SImple as that :]
2007-07-20 23:19:17 · answer #6 · answered by Hello Sunshine 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
lol...this cracked me up becuz it brought back memories. As a bilingual kid( i can speak mandarin and english), i enjoyed using this to my advantage. In church me and my chinese friends would always cuss and say bad things about the pastor in chiense, and he couldn't do a thing about it! Now i look back and realize it was pretty immature, but you know what? it was fun
2007-07-20 23:42:16 · answer #7 · answered by stlouisramfan2003 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
no,but it's easier for them.I speak English and Arabic,but I prefer to speak Arabic with my family and with my Arabian friends....because we find it easier,especially when you tell jokes!!!
2007-07-20 22:56:34 · answer #8 · answered by Gardenia 6 · 2⤊ 0⤋
maybe, or they think they only can speak that language with friends not with customers
2007-07-20 22:44:22 · answer #9 · answered by pelancha 6 · 0⤊ 1⤋