"Speak English" sign in Philly restaurant

[muses_nightmare]

The casino I used to work at had a rule stating that players could only speak english when cards were out on the table, this mainly applied to poker games (Hold 'em especially). Given I live in Canada and we do have two official languages, but a lot of players were East Indian, and they often refused to shut up for even two seconds. I get a headache when people are speaking a language I understand constantly, but when I don't understand it . I think the casino should have put up signs stating English only when cards are in play, or english only at poker tables, would have saved the dealers a lot of trouble that's for sure.

[Flyndaran]

I respect the guy's right to post the sign, and under certain circumstances mentioned before to be annoyed at an assumed capacity or necessity to cater to other languages he or his employees don't know.
...

I don't have problem with what the sign maker may have meant. I just don't like the racist wording.

[Wingates_Hellsing]

I respect the guy's right to post the sign, and under certain circumstances mentioned before to be annoyed at an assumed capacity or necessity to cater to other languages he or his employees don't know.

I also think that if someone is making an honest attempt to do it in English, they deserve to be helped along if at all possible, if only because I would be in that exact same position should I ever travel to Germany, trying, but far from fluent (very VERY far from fluent... ). I do see it as common courtesy to try and speak the language when you travel, try harder if you're living there

[Nyoibo]

I didn't find it that much harder to learn Chinese than French or German, I've decided I'm not going to bother to learn to read Japanese when I learn it, at least not at first.

[anriana]

Here is my total mastery over the Japanese language:

Hai = Yes.

I would not do well over there. O.o You'd think that after all the subbed animes I've watched, I'd be better than that, but no. -.- Is it a difficult language to learn?

Who doesn't know domo aragato? Gosh!

http://www.enemieslist.net/japanese/ a humorous article about how difficult it is to learn Japanese.

It is one of the hardest languages for English speakers to use. The school that trains government agents puts it with Korean and another Asian language as the ones that require the most instruction hours to learn - at least double ones like Spanish and Italian.

[Lace Neil Singer]

Here is my total mastery over the Japanese language:

Hai = Yes.

I would not do well over there. O.o You'd think that after all the subbed animes I've watched, I'd be better than that, but no. -.- Is it a difficult language to learn?

[fireheart17]

Agreed. My French is very patchy and I mispronounce words a lot, or get the gender wrong. However, whenever I go to France, out it comes. XD I also notice how I get excellent service at shops and restaurants, cuz I am trying to speak French, unlike a lot of the lazy arse Brits who go to France and just speak English. Yes, most of these people can speak English; they just appreciate a visitor to France at least making an effort to speak the native language.

From what I know, it's the same in Japan. I haven't been overseas...yet, but if you can make an attempt to speak the language, the people will be pleased.

As for my French, it's getting better but like you lace, I go get the genders wrong. I also cracked a really bad joke once about how French are really good lovers because there are two genders, but Germans aren't because they're neutered (i.e. they have three genders in language: female, male and neuter). Apologies to German-speakers here.

My Japanese is extreeemely patchy tho, but it's getting there.

[Lace Neil Singer]

I'd say the sentiment is still equal in validity, if not of degree. You just don't need to become fluent, or even conversational. Bring a phrase book or something. Most places will cut you slack if it's clear you're trying. If you're unwilling to make an effort to speak the language of where you're going, don't go there.

Agreed. My French is very patchy and I mispronounce words a lot, or get the gender wrong. However, whenever I go to France, out it comes. XD I also notice how I get excellent service at shops and restaurants, cuz I am trying to speak French, unlike a lot of the lazy arse Brits who go to France and just speak English. Yes, most of these people can speak English; they just appreciate a visitor to France at least making an effort to speak the native language.

[AdminAssistant]

I'd say the sentiment is still equal in validity, if not of degree. You just don't need to become fluent, or even conversational. Bring a phrase book or something. Most places will cut you slack if it's clear you're trying. If you're unwilling to make an effort to speak the language of where you're going, don't go there.

One of the tips I've gotten for when I go to France (and I will go..one day...dammit!), is to at least use basic words like pardon, merci, bonjour, etc. A lot of Europeans do know English, but it doesn't mean they all like to speak it.

On the other hand, my friend who's a classicist and has spent several summers in Greece told me that Greeks love to speak English. She said she'd go somewhere and would talk to someone in her somewhat fractured Greek, and they'd reply in English. But she wanted to practice her Greek, so she'd keep speaking in Greek. But the Greek person wanted to practice their English, so they'd keep speaking in English. She said it happened all the time.

At any rate, if I were going anywhere I'd make sure I know these phrases in the native language: Hello, goodbye, thank you, you're welcome, excuse me, I'm sorry, I would like (beer, wine, food), Where is the bathroom, and Do you speak English? And perhaps something to indicate that you're American/Canadian/British/etc. and didn't mean to insult their mother, just in case you mispronounce a word.

[DesignFox]

I'd say the sentiment is still equal in validity, if not of degree. You just don't need to become fluent, or even conversational. Bring a phrase book or something. Most places will cut you slack if it's clear you're trying. If you're unwilling to make an effort to speak the language of where you're going, don't go there.

This!

Yes, my writing style is rather... unique... I rarely mean to cause offence, myself, so I know some of where you're coming from.

And I totally understand!

[BroomJockey]

Okay. I guess I misunderstood what you meant. I think you and I have quite different ways of writing, so don't be surprised if I misunderstand you again.

Yes, my writing style is rather... unique... I rarely mean to cause offence, myself, so I know some of where you're coming from.

[Flyndaran]

I'd say the sentiment is still equal in validity, if not of degree. You just don't need to become fluent, or even conversational. Bring a phrase book or something. Most places will cut you slack if it's clear you're trying. If you're unwilling to make an effort to speak the language of where you're going, don't go there.

Okay. I guess I misunderstood what you meant. I think you and I have quite different ways of writing, so don't be surprised if I misunderstand you again. I don't mean any offense.

Funny thing about language: my girlfriend's best friend spent a couple of years here in the states from Turkey. She eventually began to think in english and developed an accent in her native language. She went back, and people thought she was born in the U.S. Talk about surreal.

[BroomJockey]

The difference is that they are usually ignorant tourists, not people who are actually moving to that country to live.

I'd say the sentiment is still equal in validity, if not of degree. You just don't need to become fluent, or even conversational. Bring a phrase book or something. Most places will cut you slack if it's clear you're trying. If you're unwilling to make an effort to speak the language of where you're going, don't go there.

[Nyoibo]

And yet, a large number of Americans go to places where English is not used, let alone not the predominant language and expect everyone they deal with to cater to them and learn English just so the Americans can communicate without having to learn anything. And most of the Americans that do that feel the same way you do Greenday.

The difference is that they are usually ignorant tourists, not people who are actually moving to that country to live.

[lordlundar]

Geeze, how did I miss these posts?

Here, we're officially billingual -- English and French. All federal government offices must provide service in both languages, even in areas where francophone populations are very small to almost non-existent. At the same time, the province of Quebec is officially unilingual and the government has no qualms about enforcing the supremacy of French. So much so that for some time now, Quebec has had it's own language law known as Bill 101 which mandates that all signage for commercial business must be solely or predominantly in French. Under the law it *is* permissible for a business to have signs in other languages, but the French signs must be either bigger, have bigger type or be more numerous. In other words, French must be predominant and the law is actively enforced. Those enforcers have come to be dubbed "the language police"

In any other part of the country this would be completely unacceptable. If anyone tried to use similar tactics to enforce the supremacy and dominance of English somewhere like Ontario or BC and they'd have human rights commissions breathing down their neck in no time. Quebec however gets away with it largely because they can always use the threat of separation to get what they want.

Want to know how Quebec gets away with it? Simple, they didn't sign the constitution. A such, the Federal gov't can't do anything about it.

You call it bias, I call it sick and tired of dealing with assholes who refuse to speak the local language. At least most people who don't speak English or are learning English make an effort to work with the workers. But there are so many ridiculous people who expect us to cater to them because they don't WANT to learn English that it is beyond frustration.

And yet, a large number of Americans go to places where English is not used, let alone not the predominant language and expect everyone they deal with to cater to them and learn English just so the Americans can communicate without having to learn anything. And most of the Americans that do that feel the same way you do Greenday.