Just got back from the corner store picking up a few supplies. Rewind. So I’m minding my own business and picking out items when I overhear an amusing exchange between a Spanish-speaking and probably illegal alien shelf stocker and an Ethiopian woman.
They’re in the meat section, and she’s asking him in broken English if what she’s holding is a package of chicken breasts. He grunts something I presumed was in Spanish, but she doesn’t understand him. This goes on for about a minute before she spots me. Rushing over, she holds the package up to my face, “Chicken breast?”
I guess I’ve got that “American” look. 
“Yes,” I tell her. Just in case, I told her the price. I move on to the next aisle. A few seconds later I hear her talking to a different poor English-speaking stocker about another product. In the olden days, you could ask stock people (or whatever they’re called) where items were, and they’d either tell you, in English, or find someone to help you. These days, chances are the stock guy won’t understand you, although you’re both in an English-speaking country.
While I’m in the check out line, a guy with a heavy Indian accent says something to the Ethiopian cashier about a bottle of water.
“Eh?” she asks. He repeats himself, but she’s having trouble understanding. Since I don’t provide translation services, I just observe, half-amused, half-dismayed.
Read about another amusing encounter I had. You know, I don’t mind skin color and cultural diversity, but it would be nice if immigrants bothered to learn the language. 
Do you have similar encounters you want to share?
Bonus question: What sort of person is missing from the graphic? Guess correctly, and you get a prize!
Update: Suing idiot companies that hire illegals (use BugMeNot to bypass reg.) under the Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO) statute is a brilliant idea. The plaintiffs are suing some carpet company for conspiring “to artificially and illegally depress wages by hiring illegal immigrants.”
Several years ago the dedicated folks at the U.S. Attorneys Office in DC figured out they had to prosecute gangs under RICO if they ever hoped to make headway into the world of witness-killing thugs. Gangs are organized criminal enterprises (no matter how bumbling) that conspire to commit murder, sell narcotics, kidnap, etc., falling squarely under the statute. (Incidentally, drug conspiracy alone is enough to land you in prison for life under RICO.) It just might work against businesses that hire illegal aliens in violation of federal law.
Judicial Watch is suing the Town of Herndon (VA) on behalf of Herndon taxpayers for using public funds to build a day labor center for illegal aliens.
Don’t get mad. Get the law. Sometimes it works, and businesses and politicians can’t ignore it for long.
aboriginal person?
Comment by Rico — 02.15.06 @ 1:27 pm
Arab/East Asian? Assuming the girl between the Eskimo and Hispanic dudes is American Indian. Now I’m assuming dude on the end is Hispanic.
Comment by DragonLady — 02.15.06 @ 1:27 pm
Ooh, what’s the prize? Is the answer a non-African black person? I can’t see the faces on the graphic that well, so sorry if I’m way off!
Comment by Elle — 02.15.06 @ 1:28 pm
Oh, it’s quite simple…I know what’s missing, because I am one.
A white male.
Comment by Chris — 02.15.06 @ 1:33 pm
There’s no white male in the graphic.
Comment by Eddie — 02.15.06 @ 1:35 pm
An Evil White Man is missing.
Comment by mj — 02.15.06 @ 1:36 pm
I hate breasts, personally. Too dry.
Ethiopians only eat white meat? Drumsticks and thighs are juicier, although fattier, I guess.
It’s funny: You’d think that a breast would have more fat on it than a thigh. I’d think a thigh, or a drumstick would be the lean portion.
Chickens aren’t very busty, I guess.
It is hard to tell the difference between thighs and breasts. (still discussing chicken meat)
Thighs are usually triangular shape, and breast are rectangle.
Everyone recognizes drumsticks—-and fights over ‘em, especially in my family.
Too bad chickens don’t have more than two legs!
Comment by Glamchild — 02.15.06 @ 1:37 pm
I think y’all are all wrong! Well, but for DragonLady. There is NO headscarf on any of them. Not a “gutra” or “hajib” [and spelling may be off on those - oops - but that’s what they’re called, unless you’re Ann Coulter…]. The “gutra” is for the man - typically red and white checked like a table cloth, with a black band around it [called a ??? it’ll come to me] - that was originally used to tether camel’s feet… And the black veil for women…
Comment by Beth — 02.15.06 @ 1:51 pm
Too funny…
I don’t see any “Caucasian” Americans (or Europeans for that matter) in the mix
I had a an interesting incident one Sunday morning in 1998. I was still in the Army and stationed at Fort Belvoir, VA. I went running, twisted my foot and ended up breaking it. I go to the emergency room and after waiting behind kids who are obviously not too sick to be jumping all over everything, I get seen by a non native English speaking doctor, Middle Eastern decent (yes, at a military hospital). Anyway, he asks me what happened, I tell him, he asks again, I tell him, he orders xrays on my ankle, I say my ankle is not broke MY FOOT IS, he doesn’t understand. An Army Specialist comes in and ask “Sgt what’s wrong?”, I say…
I am a US Army soldier, I am in VA which is a state in the USA, I am on a military installation…is it to much to ask that the doctor speak and understand english and get the diagnosis correct?
The COL in charge that day came in to see me after that.
Now my experiences tend to always be at the Home Depot where I have to interrupt two or three Africans who are speaking in their native tongue so that something work related can get done
Comment by Renee — 02.15.06 @ 1:53 pm
I listen to a particular radio show every morning, and one of their features is a redneck named Junior from Montgomery County who calls in every day. One morning Junior made a comment about the Mexicans in Siler City. A few weeks ago, I went to WalMart in Siler City, and kept chuckling to myself because about half the shoppers were Mexicans.
One of my husband’s friends is a construction worker who once said that he would hire Mexicans over young Americans in a second because the Mexicans will work a lot harder. However, he did specify that they WILL speak English. He has run a couple of Mexican workers off because he couldn’t understand them, and he was pretty sure they couldn’t understand him either.
Comment by DragonLady — 02.15.06 @ 2:05 pm
One time I went to a dance club and there was a crowd of white people who were, shall we say, rhythmically deficient. They were quite a sight. Bumping into each other and everyone else. Knocking things over. Knocking each other over.
They seemed totally out of place and I wondered: why do those people even go out? I mean the dance club is just for people like me that have rhythm, right? Is it too much to ask that someone with a deficiency of some sort get up to speed before they dare enter a place that I frequent?
Oh, that reminds me of another time where this guy in a wheelchair wanted to get into a building with stairs! What a nimrod! I can’t believe these people trying to do things that I can do! I wish the people in wheelchairs would just stay where they belong and the people that don’t speak english and the non-dancing white people too!
Sheesh. The nerve of some people.
Comment by Hull — 02.15.06 @ 2:09 pm
You know Hull, it’s really getting old. Expecting people in an English-speaking country to actually speak English and not use my tax dollars to pay for translators, etc., is perfectly reasonable and not at all malicious. Non-English speakers cost this country millions. With that comes the expectation that we should accomodate them instead of the other way around. Read Renee’s comment, for crying out loud!
http://lashawnbarber.com/archives/2006/02/15/amusing-multicultural-encounters/#comment-66173
Both your sarcastic anecdotes were juvenile. How are old are you?
By the way, you’re new to the blog, so this is news to you: I don’t like sarcasm so keep it to a bare minimum, or find another blog to haunt.
Comment by La Shawn — 02.15.06 @ 2:21 pm
Hull…coming with the jokes…
Comment by American Zealot — 02.15.06 @ 2:22 pm
I knew you couldn’t do it. Don’t say I didn’t allow dissent. You’ve been commenting and dissenting on LBC for several days now, but like too many black liberal commenters who love/hate this blog, you can’t follow simple instructions. Adiós. And don’t think about trolling because I know where you work. - Admin
Comment by Hull — 02.15.06 @ 2:28 pm
A few months ago we got a call from a man who could speak virtually no English.
“Hallo? Ju speek espanish?”
Me: “No, sorry. No one here speaks Spanish.”
“Why ju no speek espanish? I wan’ buy someting.”
Me: “We don’t speak Spanish here, because this is the United States, and English is our language.”
“Ju bery wrong for not have espanish person.”
Me: “Thanks for calling.” CLICK
I don’t need someone chastizing me for not catering to his own lack of initiative in learning the language. Grrrrr.
Comment by RedBeard — 02.15.06 @ 2:31 pm
Where is the person in a wheelchair?
Comment #11-Hull, During the summer of 1972, I went to watch a guy try to jump 21 or more cars on a motorcycle. He missed and broke his neck/back and a bunch of other stuff.
Four years later while in college, guess who I saw coming down the stairs by himself while seated in a wheelchair?
Comment by Ralph — 02.15.06 @ 2:37 pm
La Shawn,
Would you similarly tell Americans that they must speak French in France and Italian in Italy?
Would it be fair to say, in other words, that, “Expecting people in an Spanish-speaking country to actually speak Spanish and not use my tax dollars to pay for translators, etc., is perfectly reasonable and not at all malicious.”
Unless you agree that what’s good for the goose is good for the gander, it sounds like you’re only picking on immigrants.
I’d like think that you’re not.
Comment by Bayard Rustin — 02.15.06 @ 2:39 pm
What’s good for the goose is good for the gander.
Good enough?
Comment by La Shawn — 02.15.06 @ 2:42 pm
I get upset when those Northern Yankees come to the south and speak their funny talk. When we in the south look at them they think we are … stupid but the problem is we just can’t understand a word they have uttered.
Comment by SharonB — 02.15.06 @ 2:45 pm
LOL
It’s funny but when I was stationed in Germany (two tours) I don’t know many Americans (if any) who got jobs without speaking GERMAN (unless the job was a business that dealt only with Americans).. other than that, you better speak German…
Interesting to note that many of the immigrants in European countries speak those European languages FLUENTLY… only America allows “laziness” in learning a language to be a virtue and drain on the tax system…
To that I say, in the vernacular, “Right on!”
- Admin
Comment by Renee — 02.15.06 @ 2:46 pm
We have a store. We sell lightbulbs, mostly to commercial/industrial people. Language can be a headache. I’m fairly bilingual, but I speak English(American) and German. In my area, that isn’t what most people mean when they say bilingual. I don’t try to speak Spanish. If they struggle with English, I’ll try to help them. If they’re obviously just visiting, it’s one thing - if they’re working, they can darn well learn English. Accents are different. We have one customer who has a very good grasp of English from a vocabulary standpoint but oh my his accent! It’s really tough to understand him. I’m not sure there’s anything anybody can do with an accent. Some people have an “ear” for speaking another language, some people don’t.
I’m tired of the “hispanic” thing…where’s Hispania? Must be a big country. As far as I’m concerned, you’re either Mexican or American (in my area). If you only speak Spanish (meaning no effort to speak English) then you’re Mexican. If you’re American, you either speak English or give it the old college try. I know learning a foreign language is tough - that doesn’t excuse people from trying if they plan to live here.
Yeah, we have the mid-eastern people too…for the most part though, they make an effort to speak English, no matter that they butcher it. It’s the effort that counts, imo.
Comment by suek — 02.15.06 @ 2:47 pm
Another note…
“only America allows “laziness” in learning a language to be a virtue and drain on the tax system…”
Seems similar to how the public schools system handles educating inner city black children
Figures
Comment by Renee — 02.15.06 @ 2:48 pm
suek,
I agree about effort.
Comment by Renee — 02.15.06 @ 2:52 pm
Re Bayard Rustin:
It is entirely reasonable to “only pick on immigrants”. I can’t absolutely vouch for Miss Barber’s opinions, but I have no problem with a tourist or short term business traveler not learning the language, though I would expect them to put forth the effort to get a phrasebook . An immigrant is a different matter. He or she is here for the long haul, not here for a one week conference.
Comment by Nathan — 02.15.06 @ 2:53 pm
02 15 06
A White man is missing.
Comment by mahndisa — 02.15.06 @ 3:02 pm
It may be that a MAN that is missing, not just a “white” man. I can’t quite tell with the details of the figures 2nd and 4th from the left.
Comment by My 2 Cents — 02.15.06 @ 3:07 pm
Bayard, I would be obligated to learn German, and pretty doggoned quickly, if I moved to Germany. Much as my German and French speaking ancestors learned English pretty doggoned quickly when they landed on these shores.
The key element is respect for the country, culture and language. My ancestors came here to become Americans, not to set up some silly little enclave that would be just like “back home.” If they had wanted that, they wouldn’t have left Europe.
Comment by RedBeard — 02.15.06 @ 3:12 pm
Have you noticed when somebody calls you representing a company, charity, political organizaton, etc. asking for a donation or subscription or to sign a petiton or to vote in a poll, they speak perfect English. However, when you call a company or agency and want “assistance”, English appears to be a second language? Haven’t had the pleasure of calls from bill collectors, but I bet they’re masters of the English language..lol
Comment by dianne — 02.15.06 @ 3:14 pm
Yup, no man fitting the “WASP” definition appears to be present in the graphic
Comment by Renee — 02.15.06 @ 3:24 pm
I don’t see a black AMERICAN woman either …LOL
Comment by Renee — 02.15.06 @ 3:25 pm
I took my wife to Mexico for her 40th BD. Before I went I spent some time with a friend who’s from Mexico and learned enough phrases to get by in Spanish.
My wife kinda thought I was nuts since we’d be in the resort areas. I told her that since I respect people who learn English as a second language to travel or relocate to the US, I expected the same of myself to travel to Mexico.
She felt like a total snob when we got there. She’s hispanic and I am as white as rice, so everyone there would first speak to her and she’d have to defer to me to communicate.
We are both practicing Spanish for our next trip….
Comment by Mike — 02.15.06 @ 3:45 pm
All I’ve got to say is that your story truly makes me realize we live in the best country in the world!
Comment by Mike M. — 02.15.06 @ 4:01 pm
My husband, who is from Puerto Rico, didn’t learn English until Kindergarten there. While he can speak fluent Spanish, he makes a point to speak only English. He refuses to speak Spanish to others because he feels that people in America should speak English.
I went to school with a boy from Afganistan. He knew no English when he arrived. Within 6 months, though, he was fluent. His family knew it would help them to learn English so they made it a priority. My classmate later skipped two grades in school and graduated with college paid for.
Comment by Mrs. Happy Housewife — 02.15.06 @ 4:02 pm
Post #7. I hate breasts, personally. Too dry.
——————————————
I don’t think I would EVER say that, anywhere in any way, someone with a dirty mind, like ME :), might misconstrue it and make some sort of tacky joke…
Comment by TexasFred — 02.15.06 @ 4:06 pm
I live in L.A. When the phone rings at my job, many times they don’t even ask “Spanish, please?” - they just start speaking Spanish and assume we’ll understand.
Hull makes a great point - you don’t have to be perfect at something to undertake it - but there does need to be somebody there to help when communication breaks down.
White people can go out dancing - I have no problem as long as I’m not paying to see them dance. If so, then it’s refund time.
Comment by RightWingDuck — 02.15.06 @ 4:11 pm
I live in L.A. When the phone rings at my job, many times they don’t even ask “Spanish, please?†- they just start speaking Spanish and assume we’ll understand.
That’s a darn shame.
Comment by La Shawn — 02.15.06 @ 4:16 pm
Thankfully, the TSA has made making your way through security a process in which you have a fairly good idea of what you are being told.
Before 9/11, I was going through security at Dullas when an Indian kept tell me: “ladaht.” The more he said it, the more confused I got. Finally, the guy behind the x-ray let me know that he was saying “laptop.”
This is a variation on the theme. Not only do you need to learn the language of a country, you also need to learn standard, common pronunciation.
Some of our American born citizens have pretty lousy English language skills and they suffer socially and financially for it.
By the by, English is spoken by every savvy young person throughout the world. It is the international language of the internet. I travel extensively and I find that unlike 40 years ago, English speakers are at hand nearly everywhere.
Comment by Heliotrope — 02.15.06 @ 4:41 pm
It still amazes me that as a country it is not declared that English is the official language (last I checked). A few states have made English their official language because we as a nation have done such a poor job of setting a standard for communicating. For some reason America wants to move toward anarchy (anarchy with our laws, anarchy with no common communication). We definitely have a death wish.
Comment by Renee — 02.15.06 @ 4:54 pm
Lashawn,
I would be a hypocrite if I tried to chastise you for your post about the immigrants. I admit that I have become exasperated in dealing with workers in stores who could not understand English. I would probably be more patient if I were asked for help by an immigrant customer than if I were forced to hammer out an understanding with a worker who could not understand me when it was time for me to ring out. Some people probably took exception to your saying that the Spanish Speaker was more than likely an illegal immigrant, but that is your opinion, which you are entitled to. All I can say is that if the woman from Ethiopia was speaking in broken English, it doesn’t mean that she doesn’t want to learn, just perhaps she hasn’t been here long enough to master the language. I have no problem with people who are trying to learn.
I have no problem with it, either, and I hope I didn’t give the impression I did. You noticed that I indeed answered her question. Unlike some people who comment on this blog (not you), my mother taught me good manners. - Admin
Comment by Dkelsmith — 02.15.06 @ 5:05 pm
Some of the pharmacists I work with can speak English but the accents are quite thick which can be a danger since they can be giving advice and someone wouldn’t be able to understand. It is pretty sad, but I am happy when a pharmacists comes to work who can speak English clearly. If I can’t understand the pharmacist, who can?
Comment by maggie — 02.15.06 @ 5:25 pm
WHITE MALE! HEH! Oh, well they’re all over the place anyway…who cares…
Comment by cassandra — 02.15.06 @ 5:36 pm
Don’t let America become a tower of Babel:
http://www.us-english.org/foundation/mbshp/joinuse.asp
http://www.proenglish.org/main/help.htm
http://www.centerforamericanunity.org
http://www.onenation.org
http://www.englishfirst.org/join.htm
Comment by Rev. Thomas S. Painter (R) — 02.15.06 @ 5:39 pm
Let me make matters worse. To become a citizen, and hence have the right to vote, you must demonstrate an understanding of English. Yet in most states we print ballots in numerous languages other than English.
I am confused………
Comment by CAPT JAP RET — 02.15.06 @ 6:02 pm
why is this labeled picking on immigrants. they are illegal. and how is it picking on them for them to be required to learn english. I have had some experience with this. the people who companies have hired to do Rita clean up cant speak english. they work on the roof looking at me and whisteling in a sexual manner. most of the time i deal with this talking on the phone.
Comment by shari — 02.15.06 @ 6:16 pm
Immigration takes on many forms,
but to some it means:
I nfinite
M asses
M arching
I n
G enerally
R efusing
A ltogether
T o
I ncorporate
O ur
N orms
Comment by bucktowndusty — 02.15.06 @ 6:34 pm
Das ist nicht gute!
(Translation: This is not good!)
Comment by Tige — 02.15.06 @ 6:38 pm
When I encounter someone who doesn’t speak English and are trying to communicate, I try and help out by teaching. It don’t be much, just having them repeat the sentence in English after I’ve said it clearer for them . In return I ask something about their language I don’t know. Eventually I will bring the dicussion toward the love of Jesus and I would try to witness to them because that’s something that is universal and always will be. Certain people won’t be known as immigrants in heaven. Using the universal language of love will take you farther in life.
For God So loved America? No, For God so loved the world…
Comment by telika — 02.15.06 @ 7:09 pm
If only illegal aliens defying government authority and breaking the law while calling themselves Christians thought about the “language of love,” what a good thing that would be. As long as we’re living on the earth, there are illegal aliens, and they’re uncharitably costing law-abiding taxpayers, including their brothers and sisters in Christ, untold millions.
Comment by La Shawn — 02.15.06 @ 7:14 pm
What is the basis for believing that the Spanish-speaking woman is not a lawful resident of the United States?
Among other categories, the graphic appears to lack any:
- Adults
- Moslem women (no headscarves)
- Mennonites or Amish (all clothes brightly colored)
- Members of religions that prohibit touching members of the opposite sex
If you’re talking to me, the Spanish-speaker was a man, and I was guessing. Bet I’m right. - Admin
Comment by Anomalocaris — 02.15.06 @ 7:42 pm
telika,
You teach them Jesus’s love huh? Do you point out that they are sinners while you are at? Just curious. Hard to know the Lord loves you (and what He really means by that love) when you don’t see yourself as having a problem and needing Him as a Savior (so just saying Jesus’s love doesn’t really explain much and is actually one of the reason so many Christians feel perfectly comfortable in sin and breaking laws).
Sorry La Shawn, a half Gospel message is worse than no Gospel message
Comment by Renee — 02.15.06 @ 8:03 pm
Why are you using “wenk,” Aaron? (If “Aaron” is your real name…) Weird. I hope you’re not an MD. - Admin
Comment by wenk — 02.15.06 @ 8:58 pm
We just had the Superbowl here in Detroit, you can’t imagine the amount of illegals we have working in our restaurants in downtown Detroit, the government had to know of this, yet all they do is look the other way. Most of the illegals send their money back to their countries of origin, they do nothing to contribute to our economy. This needs to be justified.
Raymond B
http://www.voteswagon.com
Comment by Raymond B — 02.15.06 @ 9:31 pm
renee
no one is perfect, so everyone sins. Witnessing to others is letting them know that Jesus died for them and their sins. In God’s eyes defying the government is no worse a sin then lies you told, or being judgemental etc. sin is sin All I was saying was it’s better to love and witness Christ then to scoff and complain
There’s nothing wrong with righteous anger, Telika. While we could all use more love, but some could use more indignation. Your responses speak of nothing but “sharing the Gospel” and showing love. Excellent, but your message is one-sided. The Gospel is also about righteousness. Here’s a suggestion. Next time you meet an illegal alien who is a Christian, ask him why he violates the law, disobeying God in the process. If you should meet an unbelieving illegal alien, witness to him but also explain that he’s breaking laws both corporeally and spiritually. If you’re chastising us for complaining, also chastise those doing the illegal border jumping. - Admin
Comment by telika — 02.15.06 @ 9:54 pm
Some years back, I took a math class with a gentleman in his thirties who was a *legal* immigrant from southern Mexico. He had come to the US in his teens and was still waiting for the day that he could become a US citizen. His English was nearly perfect, though his accent was very strong (it sounded different from most Mexican accents that I’ve heard).
Whenever someone would use an English word that he didn’t understand, he would ask what it meant and how to spell it. Then he would write it down in a little book he carried around, in order to look it up later. Needless to say, I found this very impressive.
(As to accent reduction, I know a guy from the South who took classes to reduce his drawl–in order to fit in here in Southern California. It wasn’t totally successful (he still says ‘rat’ instead of ‘right’), but it isn’t noticeable that he’s from a little Georgia town unless one is listening closely.)
Comment by Juliette — 02.15.06 @ 9:58 pm
“He English” er…His English
My English is nearly perfect also.
Got you covered.
- Admin
Comment by Juliette — 02.15.06 @ 10:00 pm
Do you have similar encounters you want to share?
Sure. My mother came to America when she was forty and never learned more than a few words of English. She worked in a factory in a black neighborhood for twenty-six years taking the bus back and forth every day. The bus fare was $1.25. Exact change was needed. One day a young black (early) teenager tried to get on the bus. He had two $1.00 bills. He asked the black bus driver if he had change. The bus driver said no. The kid was wavering between wasting $.75 and getting off the bus when my mother handed him a quarter, saying “Here, son”. He said “Thank you, Mrs.” My mother understood that. She never knew enough Rnglish to be able to visit this site. Lucky her.
That’s a nice anecdote, but totally irrelevant to the issue at hand. Too bad you had to make this personal, as well as sarcastic. The influx of non-English speakers, particularly those who have no interest in learning, costs hospitals, just to name one industry, millions in what I consider unnecessarily wasted tax dollars for translators, just to name one service. Ask your employer how much it pays translators. Your mother may not have cost this country a dime, but too many others have. Thanks for playing. - Admin
Comment by nk — 02.15.06 @ 11:30 pm
02 15 06
I spoke to my brother and he was looking for a place in Oakland for a time last year. The rental vacancy is quite low and he can read Spanish. So he would see some for rent signs, then call the number and they wouldn’t speak English and refused to accomodate him. Same thing with many Chinese places and for rent signs. All this just shows that the people of color mantra from the left is ridiculous AND it also goes to show just how lax our laws have become in enforcing folks to speak ENGLISH!!! How the heck can someone be granted a business license or be able to get a home loan or vote if they don’t speak English? How lame.
Comment by mahndisa — 02.16.06 @ 1:58 am
#21 SueK, “Where is Hispania?”, a mythical place in some social planner’s dreams! A former co-worker of mine came here (LEGALLY) from Spain with his family when he was a child, and in the old immigrant tradition, learned english in school and taught his parents. He hates it when Dominicans or Mexicans call themselves “Spanish”, and I’ve heard him correct their speech in both languages!
Comment by Tom Bosee — 02.16.06 @ 5:51 am
Employers Of Illegal Aliens Better Watch Out; Lawsuits Under RICO Statute Coming Soon To You
Employers of illegal aliens better get their act together because lawyers are catching on to them and seeing a new source of revenue. As I reported a few days ago, Zirkle Fruit in Washington state ended up settling with workers…
Trackback by Diggers Realm — 02.16.06 @ 6:45 am
I was going to say that I don’t see any tall people in that graphic. They look pretty short.
Reminds me of walking around NYC…when I first moved here, I noticed that I was no longer short. I moved from NC, where men and women are regularly close to or over 6 foot tall. And then I come to New York, and find that the majority of people, even white men, are dinky! Excellent! Parades were now fun to go to.
Which also reminds me when I spent a summer in Japan, in Hokkaido, the northern island. The people there are rather pale, and most about my size (5′4″), and I kept getting mistaken for being Japanese for a couple reasons: right height, straight brown hair (same color as when the Japanese teenagers bleached their hair), same skin color (I’m British Isles white, but it’s not that different from northern Japanese), and there weren’t many foreigners in the city I was staying in. So a couple hunched-over old folks would stop me to ask the time, etc. and get taken aback when they heard me go “Uh…” and were horrified to see that they had talked to an American! (They assumed all white people were Americans, to the annoyance of the Germans and Swedes in my group.) They knew all Americans were violent, rude, and owned guns so they’d excuse themselves and scurry away.
Here in NYC, I’ve been mistaken for being Hispanic (probably because of where I live in Queens, and my hair), German (the braids?), and Jewish (again, where I live). My husband, also your generic British Isles white person (Irish/Scottish/English/whatever), has been mistaken for being Spanish, Jewish, Russian, and Chechen. He was really annoyed that this guy on the street thought he was Chechen. Again, it’s kinda our neighborhood, which is mainly Russian Jews. Also, he stands out for being over 6 feet tall, with long hair and a beard.
The multi-culti adventures in NYC are always good for a laugh.
Comment by meep — 02.16.06 @ 7:06 am
I have a language barrier story. A couple weeks back, I was riding my bus to work like any other day. At one stop, a Hispanic man gets on. He says, “Eastway?” That is the name of a street here in Charlotte and also the name of this particular bus route. The driver quickly realizes this man is trying to get to Eastway Dr. She says, “This is the Eastway Dr. bus, but Eastway is the other way; I’m going downtown. If you want to get to Eastway Dr., you need to cross the road,” and points to the bus stop sign he needs to wait by. He says, “Okay.” and sits down on the bus. After a while, when it finally dawns on him he is going in the opposite direction from where he needs to go, he heads to the front of the bus in a panic and begins speaking 100 miles an hour - in Spanish, of course. At this point, the driver is at a stop and some more passengers get on, one of which is a Hispanic woman, who intervenes and translates the driver’s instructions to the clueless man.
I, too, am grateful to live in a country where anyone can live and you can experience the riches of other cultures. But in France, they speak French. In Brazil, they speak Portugese. In the USA, we speak English. If you’re going to live here, learn the language. PLEASE!!!!!!!!!!
Comment by James E — 02.16.06 @ 7:53 am
I live in NY and am subjected to almost every accent in the world.. you cope… they try. I have no problems with it most of the time… you get to understand the accents and for the most part the people are trying very hard to speak english.
What i do not understand is when a person live in a country for years and doesn’t learn the language… but expects everyone else to conform to their way. IF I moved permenently to another country… like to France, one of the first things I would do would to be to learn the language. its just a matter of commonsense….
see ya
cathy : )
Comment by cathymv — 02.16.06 @ 9:29 am
Yeah, I think some people on this thread misunderstood me. It’s not accents I have issues with; it’s people who don’t learn the language and don’t WANT to learn the language. If this propensity didn’t cost citizens’ tax dollars (translation services, miscommunications on the job that cause accidents, etc.), it would be less irritating, but still irritating nonetheless.
Comment by La Shawn — 02.16.06 @ 9:50 am
Do you know that there are still 10 Arabic speakers in the State Department! Isn’t that outrageous!
http://jonswift.blogspot.com/2006/02/10-arabic-speakers-too-many-in-state.html
Comment by Jon Swift — 02.16.06 @ 10:31 am
In the Early 80’s I was in a diner in Oklahoma City sitting next to 2 men with thick Irish brogues, which I could understand having heard them where I grew up in NJ. A young waitress with a very thick Oklahoma accent was attempting to take the Irish men’s breakfast order, and although they were speaking english, it was like watching a comedy scene from Peter Sellers or Monty Python, as neither could understand the other’s accent. It took some pointing at the menu to get the order done.
Comment by Jim — 02.16.06 @ 11:17 am
It pays to be multilingual. I speak English, Southern, Redneck, Hoosier (another ball game altogether) and just enough New Yawk to get by.
Comment by RedBeard — 02.16.06 @ 11:42 am
I lived in Belgium and Holland for a year and a half, and learned to speak both Dutch and Flemish (essentially a dialect of Dutch) pretty fluently. One day, while biking in a park in Belgium, I came across two men trying to communicate and obviously not understanding each other. One was an older Flemish gentleman, the other was a vacationing Dutch man looking for directions to a small town that I was not familiar with. They flagged me down, and I translated the directions from the Flemish man to the Dutch man. It was pretty funny.
I also lived in Germany for a few months and did my best to learn German. Since I already spoke Dutch, I knew the grammar, it was mostly just a matter of expanding my vocabulary. A lot of words are very similar in the two languages, but sometimes there was just enough difference that I couldn’t make myself understood. I also found that Germans are much less tolerant of mistakes then the Dutch are. While applying for a work permit in the office for Americans, the workers there refused to speak to me in English even though it was the work permit office specifically for Americans, and I was struggling to understand and speak in German to them.
If you make the choice to live in another country, you owe it to yourself to learn the language.
Comment by lucy — 02.16.06 @ 1:20 pm
Jim, you should see an Arkansas raised hick trying to communicate with British people in the UK. Several Brits got a great deal of enjoyment at my expense. There was a SNL skit several years ago (back when it was still funny) with Mike Myers and Danny Devito with Mike Myers playing an English kid, and made a remark about Americans and Brits being “separated by a common language.” Living in the UK for 5 years, I made an effort to speak their English which would often end up with phrases like “trunk, I mean, boot.” My daughter broke her wrist once, and I was trying to explain to the nurse at the A&E (ER) how it happened. “The kids were rappelling on the stairs with a jump rope stuck under the door, and Chad got to the top and opened the door and Jamie went tumbling down.” Nurse is looking at me funny and I’m thinking “Yep, she’s about to call child services.” Then she said “You mean a skipping rope?” That’s about the time the light bulb came on in my head, and we had a good laugh over it.
Comment by DragonLady — 02.16.06 @ 1:50 pm
You know, this comment would have packed more punch had you used an alias that sounded somewhat dignified. As it stands, it doesn’t. Thanks for the advice, “vik.” The use of a lower-case V is probably symbolic of a lot of things.
- Admin
Comment by vik — 02.16.06 @ 1:55 pm
I was helping out at a church rummage sale (to raise funds for the Youth group) and was accosted by a Hispanic immigrant who was angry with me because I didn’t speak Spanish and could not bargain with him. He spoke to me in Spanish but the tone was very clearly “I am speaking slowly and loudly you stupid woman, why do you not understand me” (not unlike the stereotypic Ugly American talking to a non-English speaker).
One of the members of the youth group who had had some Spanish in school tried, but without success. I was really bothered by his angry reaction - first of all, this was a sale designed to raise money for a church - none of us were “expert” salespeople. And secondly - from what I gathered - he was trying to talk us down in price from fifty cents on a pair of jeans.
Alternatively, I’ve had the experience of a Mexican immigrant woman saying she wanted to talk to (and listen to) me because she wanted to improve her English.
What some of the non-assimilators don’t realize is that even if there isn’t a true backlash, they’re probably condemning themselves to being exploited (in some cases) or having to do lower-paid, more dangerous jobs, because of their refusal to try to learn the language.
If I were visiting France or Spain, I’d make an effort to learn a few polite phrases (at least). If I were MOVING to France or Spain, I’d make jolly sure I learned the language - in fact, I’d start learning it as soon as I knew I was moving.
as for the graphic? I think it’s that adults are missing. It looks like a world ruled by children (which is oddly how I feel about society some days).
Comment by ricki — 02.16.06 @ 1:56 pm
LaShawn, this is a perfect example of one of the reasons I left San Francisco. I lived in a mostly Chinese neighborhood, and I don’t mind being an ethnic/linguistic minority, but when I go to Walgreen’s and ask for a night light (or any other common household item) and get a blank look from some kid who can barely speak English, SOMETHING IS WRONG.
Comment by asher abrams — 02.16.06 @ 2:45 pm
This is what I don’t understand, and people can call me whatever names they want. What is a non-English-speaking person doing working in CUSTOMER SERVICE in AMERICA???
Comment by La Shawn — 02.16.06 @ 2:48 pm
The small transport firm that one of our suppliers uses to clear our inbound cargo containers at the Port of Los Angeles has 4 employees, all Mandarin-speakers. Not one can speak enough English to order a Big Mac. What are they thinking? Grrrrrr
Comment by RedBeard — 02.16.06 @ 2:59 pm
The Gay Guy
My buddy La Shawn has a great post today about multicultural encounters and she asked for stories so I thought I’d share mine. As some of you know I’ve been working out and attempting to lose weight these past 7
Trackback by Anonymous — 02.16.06 @ 5:01 pm
To Rev. Painter in comment 42. The people of Babel spoke the same language and were working together. While they did this they were not depending on God. This angered Him and he gave them different languages and scattered them. Rico
Comment by Rico — 02.16.06 @ 6:05 pm
One more story: I worked with an American girl of Mexican descent who didn’t speak Spanish. Alicia’s forebears had long been American and she said that other Mexican-descended persons would get mad at her and refuse to believe that she spoke no Spanish. How crazy is that?
Comment by Juliette — 02.16.06 @ 10:32 pm
When I visit another country I learn enough travel phrases in the local language to get by and take a phrase book (or two) to cover the rest. If I lived in another country the first thing I’d do is sign-up for a language course. Probably would do so before I left the US. Wakarimasu ka
Comment by ajackson — 02.16.06 @ 11:04 pm
I won’t touch the illegal/legal immigration issue, but just the lingusitic issue. We need to have a common language to fight against the balkinization of the country. If you have a group that say, only speaks French and not English, then it becomes impossible to assimilate them into a national culture. I have no problem with people speaking whatever language they want at home and with their friends. However, in official dealings, the language should be English. For the newly arrived some services should be provided–but it should be expected to last for a lifetime. For example, should driving exams be given in foreign languages? In NJ, many were and if there were no accidents, then it would be fine. However, in the event of a car accident, how is information to be exchanged? At work it is another issue. A friend has been complaining to me lately that her boss (at a US university) and one of her coworkers constantly speak Italian to each other about work while she is around. Thus, she cannot participate in the discussion and feels that her advancement is threatened by this. It’s not just an issue of being able to speak, but choosing to speak.
Comment by resigned — 02.16.06 @ 11:45 pm
#68-DragonLady, “you should see an Arkansas raised hick trying to communicate with British people in the UK.”
Was it Bill Clinton?
Comment by Ralph — 02.17.06 @ 8:39 am
Ralph, LOL, I was actually referring to myself, but it would have been a hoot to have seen when Slick Willy first went to Oxford.
Comment by DragonLady — 02.17.06 @ 8:57 am
Just kidding about Bill. I live in South Louisiana and my voice/tone/accent combo sound like a cross between Bill and Al Gore.
Comment by Ralph — 02.17.06 @ 9:47 am
There are all kinds of people missing from the encounter… there are more than 5 people in multi-culture.
No deaf person , no blind person , no white male, no Asian, many people missing. A French speaking Canadian. The list could go on.
Language is a funny thing… A Deaf, American Born, person knows english but can have a harder time communicating it to a non-signing person.
Likewise you can’t show something to a blind person and expect them to see it. There’s still a communication barrier to get around.
In the end, no matter what the language barrier , it takes both parties to work at finding a way to express themselves, or the first one to give up and walk off. Given enough exposure they will find a common language.
Cultural barriers are just as great sometimes. Beyond language, there’s triggers in every culture that sets people off.
Could it be that we Americans want English spoken just so we can overcome most of the barriers, because there are so many, and without a common language, communication is very difficult?
You want a multi-cultural nightmare…think about this…
Non-English speaking ultra-modest Japanese girl… parroting , rap music… at the top of her lungs.( full blast )
She has no idea what she is saying. And she listens to music that makes a Marine blush.
Seems the parts of the music that is most passionate, are all the things she shouldn’t be shouting. Curse words, racist words, hurts my ears thinking about it.
There is a huge language barrier to be addressed, I have no idea how to explain rap to her. Or if I even can. I just know I won’t be able to listen.
( Her fiance ate all our Tylenol in a week. She will be back to the States soon …I’m hiding my stereo )
Comment by morningsun — 02.17.06 @ 12:46 pm
>>She has no idea what she is saying. And she listens to music that makes a Marine blush.>>
Even if she knew, it might not affect her the same way it does the blushing Marine(something I’d like to see!). There are words that I’d _never_ use in English (my first language) that have no such effect on me when the same words are in German (my second language). I don’t understand the psychological mechanism, but somehow I think words forbidden in one’s mother tongue just don’t translate in their “forbiddeness”.
Comment by suek — 02.18.06 @ 12:59 pm
How’s this: When I went to renew my driver’s license here in NC, the lady in front of me didn’t speak any English. She was in her early 40’s or so, spoke only Spanish and was there to get her license for the first time. She was taking the “identify these traffic signs” part of the test. The DMV lady asked to identify “numero uno”. She got it wrong. DMV lady said “no, numero uno”. Spanish lady tried again, got it wrong. DMV lady let her try again. This went on until she got it right. FOR EVERY SIGN.
When it came to my turn, I took the eye test, then the “identify the traffic signs” part, and filled out the paperwork. I noticed that I missed one of the signs. I asked DMV lady why I wasn’t given a chance to try again, like the lady in front of me. DMV lady says “You speak English”. “Move on and get your picture taken”.
Nice, eh?
Comment by traci — 02.18.06 @ 1:45 pm
While many immigrants obviously have difficulty with the language (and we can all point to such anecdotal experiences), I think by and large the vast majority are trying to learn English. I used to teach adult literacy and English as a Second Language through the local community college. The immigrant I have been known desperately want to learn English, as they invariably view that as a ticket to a better life.
It just seems a little harsh and unreasonable to me to expect recent immigrants working as laborers, stocking grocery shelves, to have mastered the language (although many have and will, given time).
Some posters here point to their own experience learning a foreign language while living in the Netherlands or somewhere else in Europe. That is not a good comparison. Immigrants arriving here as laborers from Mexico, for example, are working long hours at physically draining jobs, supporting families back home. Despite a willingness to make sacrifices to learn English, they often don’t have the same leisure time to devote to that. And there are not a lot programs available to immigrant adults to learn English at an affordable price. Is it really fair to compare the struggling immigrant to the American learning Dutch and Flemish in Amsterdam?
I do agree with the premise that immigrants to any country should learn the language if they are going to stay there any length of time. But I think the vast majority of people seeking work in the US do in fact desire to learn English. Given time, most eventually succeed at it.
Comment by Aaron — 02.18.06 @ 2:54 pm
I don’t have a specific story but spent several years in a large Southern public hospital Labor & Delivery unit dealing with a huge Spanish patient population (mostly illegals). It was funny how many of the moms had spent several years in the US but spoke little to no English. When I would ask them why not (I speak Spanish), they would just shrug their shoulders and say with a proud smile, “But my children speak perfect English!” We did have a lot of 8 - 10 year olds translating for Mommy (those kiddos learned some things a little early in my opinion).
With immigrants, there seems to be a natural progression from no English to almost no original language over two or three generations. My family and my husband’s are both relatively recent European arrivals and the original languages are only spoken by the oldest members. I think part of why we are seeing persistence in language in the Spanish population is government interference in the process - bi-lingual education and lax English requirements for legal documentation.
A case in point: my son went to pre-school with a Mexican classmate named Omar whose mother, who spoke almost no English, deliberately placed him there to force him to learn English before starting kindergarten since she was unable to teach him. Omar was miserable at first but after only five months was able to speak English well enough to have play dates with my son. When it came time for kindergarten, the school system immediately channeled Omar into the bi-lingual program because Mom spoke no English. Marisela came to me for assistance in getting him removed because she was determined that Omar speak English well to be able to succeed in the US. She was eventually successful in getting Omar “mainstreamed” but it took a fight. It’s sad when our immigrant parents understand better then our government what their children need to succeed and are denied the opportunity to make it happen.
Comment by Audrey — 02.18.06 @ 3:57 pm
“In the olden days, you could ask stock people (or whatever they’re called) where items were, and they’d either tell you, in English, or find someone to help you. These days, chances are the stock guy won’t understand you, although you’re both in an English-speaking country.”
Welcome to the new economy
Comment by andrew — 02.18.06 @ 10:32 pm
Aaron, I understand your sentiments, but I believe the burden of responsibility falls on the shoulders of the immigrants. Long hours and hard work are what they volunteered for when they decided to come here. The key word here is voluntary. No one has ever forced a Mexican to come to the U.S., as far as I know. A prerequisite of a basic conversational ability with the prevailing language is really not too much to ask.
A supplier of mine, a small manufacturer, has about 8 employees, all Mexican immigrants, and all legally here. The boss has one ironclad rule, and that is that the only language allowed to be spoken during working hours is English. No exceptions. This is a safety issue. His employees are fine with that, too. They appreciate the work and the pay, and consider the English-only rule to be just another work rule, like wearing steel-toed safety shoes. It’s almost like everyone involved is practicing common sense.
Comment by RedBeard — 02.19.06 @ 11:23 am
“A prerequisite of a basic conversational ability with the prevailing language is really not too much to ask.”
Ask how?
Comment by andrew — 02.19.06 @ 2:38 pm