Was this rude or not?

Candi_land

The dude was being a d1ck, and you handled it a lot better than I would have. My response would've been to show him just how good my English is in a few choice words.

BeachIron

He was completely off base and rude.

I'm pretty sure that this thread will fully derail, however, and is showing some early indications of that. Good stuff.

VeganLexi

Its also pretty hypocritical, because if there is something Brits are famous for it's the lack of foreign language skills and general arrogance in assuming "well everyone speaks English anyway!".

I didn't know this. I've heard this about Americans, but not Brits.

I didn't know this either...

Yep, totally true. However, in our defense English is generally used as a universal common language. Never the less it is shameful we tend not to bother learning others often :frown:

When I moved from the UK to Beijing in 2007, the first thing I did was start mandarin lessons...I felt like it was the right thing to do. I moved to Taiwan in 2012, the mandarin came in very handy. I wouldn't have been able to function properly by just pointing and miming :laugh:

danofthedead1979

If you want to integrate with the community you live in, then you'll need to learn the language, that goes for everyone, wherever you are. If you don't, that's your choice, but that will inevitably cause issues for yourself. I don't actually understand why people have a problem with Foreigners, I put some of it down to there being a lot of misplaced nationalism in some people who believe certain agendas that are perpetuated by certain media outlets....

joselo2

If you want to integrate with the community you live in, then you'll need to learn the language, that goes for everyone, wherever you are. If you don't, that's your choice, but that will inevitably cause issues for yourself. I don't actually understand why people have a problem with Foreigners, I put some of it down to there being a lot of misplaced nationalism in some people who believe certain agendas that are perpetuated by certain media outlets....

Yes unfortunately I don't speak a word of english. I don't even know how to say 'Hello' and 'Good day'

SpeSHul_SnoflEHk

We have asshats over here stateside as well that say the same thing. I just saw a bumper sticker saying something like that the other day.

rml_16

We have asshats over here stateside as well that say the same thing. I just saw a bumper sticker saying something like that the other day.

I think if you're going to move to a country, you should learn the common language of that country. I think that is very important.

However, I see nothing wrong with speaking one's native language with other speakers of that language even once you've learned the common language.

That said, if you're a tourist in a country, I wouldn't expect you to speak the language.

lauren3101

I would have told him to *kitten* off. In Spanish.

joselo2

The people saying you should learn the language if you live there... isn't my speaking of English here evidence that I do?

Oh well. I get that point. I think those who don't speak English who live here are the real victims, not you. Because apart from that it is hard lving someone where you don't speak the langaueg, you have to be pretty isolated not to pick it up, really. So be inclusive, make friends, make immigrants feel welcome, it makes it much easier for us to learn the language. Just a thought.

CallMeCupcakeDammit

If you want to integrate with the community you live in, then you'll need to learn the language, that goes for everyone, wherever you are. If you don't, that's your choice, but that will inevitably cause issues for yourself. I don't actually understand why people have a problem with Foreigners, I put some of it down to there being a lot of misplaced nationalism in some people who believe certain agendas that are perpetuated by certain media outlets....

Yes unfortunately I don't speak a word of english. I don't even know how to say 'Hello' and 'Good day'

Man, your English skills suck!

bloominheck

Damn those Brits. They have one strange sense of dry humour. :smokin:

BigDaddyRonnie

Arrogant, ignorant, rude...call it whatever you want.

What this person did is get into your head. You will never forget, you will talk about it forever while at the same time he moved on. He made his point, plain and simple, whether you agreed or not.

Whatever your answer is, let it go.

SpeSHul_SnoflEHk

We have asshats over here stateside as well that say the same thing. I just saw a bumper sticker saying something like that the other day.

I think if you're going to move to a country, you should learn the common language of that country. I think that is very important.

However, I see nothing wrong with speaking one's native language with other speakers of that language even once you've learned the common language.

That said, if you're a tourist in a country, I wouldn't expect you to speak the language.

Yes. That's what I think as well for the most part. If you area permanent resident, learn the language. Those of us here alr4ady should be tolerant and understand that they aren't going to instantly pick up English in 2 hours, and it will take some time to get the language mastered if it ever happens at all. People's ability to pick up new languages diminishes with age. The need to pick up the language would be essential in order to navigate society, and partake in essential services, etc.

There is nothing wrong with people talking in their native tongue is not an issue for me. Some people don't want to lose their ability to speak their native tongue, some words in a native tongue don't exactly have a counterpart in English, and the meaning gets lost in translation. As long as everyone understands, it who cares? This guy the OP was talking about was obviously not a part of the conversation, and is an asshat for saying anything about a conversation that did not involve him.

rml_16

We have asshats over here stateside as well that say the same thing. I just saw a bumper sticker saying something like that the other day.

I think if you're going to move to a country, you should learn the common language of that country. I think that is very important.

However, I see nothing wrong with speaking one's native language with other speakers of that language even once you've learned the common language.

That said, if you're a tourist in a country, I wouldn't expect you to speak the language.

Yes. That's what I think as well for the most part. If you area permanent resident, learn the language. Those of us here alr4ady should be tolerant and understand that they aren't going to instantly pick up English in 2 hours, and it will take some time to get the language mastered if it ever happens at all. People's ability to pick up new languages diminishes with age. The need to pick up the language would be essential in order to navigate society, and partake in essential services, etc.

There is nothing wrong with people talking in their native tongue is not an issue for me. Some people don't want to lose their ability to speak their native tongue, some words in a native tongue don't exactly have a counterpart in English, and the meaning gets lost in translation. As long as everyone understands, it who cares? This guy the OP was talking about was obviously not a part of the conversation, and is an asshat for saying anything about a conversation that did not involve him.

Agreed 100%. That's why I made the tourist comment because for all that guy knew, they WERE tourists, so maybe they didn't speak English and maybe they did, but you can't tell that walking past someone on the street.

And if they didn't speak it, they wouldn't know what he said, anyway, so it was an idiotic thing to do.

My mother's mother's parents immigrated from Italy. My grandmother and all her siblings spoke both English and Italian (my great-grandparents learned English, too). But back then, they thought it best NOT to teach the next generation their ancestral language, that it somehow made them less American. So it never got passed down to my mother's generation or, obvously, mine. I think it's a shame.

I have a terrible capacity for learning new languages. It's a left-brain skill and I'm petty sure my left brain doesn't exist. I can get through a very basic Spanish conversation after four years of high school Spanish, two college semesters and a refresher course my work paid for a couple years ago. I suspect if I lived in Spain or Mexico or wherever for a while, I'd pick it up a little more, though.

I also don't expect immigrants to speak perfect English (or whatever language of whatever country). But for safety and even melding into the culture reasons, they need to be able to communicate.

VeganLexi

Arrogant, ignorant, rude...call it whatever you want.

What this person did is get into your head. You will never forget, you will talk about it forever while at the same time he moved on. He made his point, plain and simple, whether you agreed or not.

Whatever your answer is, let it go.

Epic troll.

danofthedead1979

If you want to integrate with the community you live in, then you'll need to learn the language, that goes for everyone, wherever you are. If you don't, that's your choice, but that will inevitably cause issues for yourself. I don't actually understand why people have a problem with Foreigners, I put some of it down to there being a lot of misplaced nationalism in some people who believe certain agendas that are perpetuated by certain media outlets....

Yes unfortunately I don't speak a word of english. I don't even know how to say 'Hello' and 'Good day'

hi, i can see how it looked like i was talking to you/about you directly, or commenting on your specific experience. i wasn't, i was making a general point, based on everyones input on here
for clarity, you have the right to speak whatever language you want, whenever you want. no-one has the right to tell you how you can or cant converse with YOUR friends. i would bet that, that guy has a misplaced sense of nationalism, which makes him feel justified in abusing you, just because you're foreign. there will always be people like that unfortunately.

PJ_73

Seriously, that happened? Where were you?

I think the only time it's an ''issue' is in the workplace where everyone speaks English and two or more people speak in another language.

If you are out and about. who cares what language you are speaking and more importantly, why the hell is he listening?!

BattleTaxi

OP, you are doing ti right, the other guy is doing it wrong!

zoeysasha37

The guy was rude!

CookNLift

god I thought people in new jersey were the only *kitten* that actually said that out loud. He is ignorant and he was the one being rude