How do YOU feel when you hear people yacking away in Chinese or Spanish in America?

[Ban Hammer 12,901]

I like languages, I wish I was fluent in more than just Canadian, English and American

you left out aussie

[eric&gen 0]

Not bothered by it at all i really care less if they talk behind my back lol.

[Elphie 0]

It doesn't bother me at all.

[bmadeline 0]

OUt of curiosity, has anyone noticed people seem to have different personalities when they speak in different languages? My husband fluently speaks 4 languages, and I swear he is a different person in each!

i speak spanish and english, and i have been told that in spanish I am sweet and nurturing, and in english I am sarcastic and the tone of my voice is lower... i wonder how that works.

[hmm1 0]

OUt of curiosity, has anyone noticed people seem to have different personalities when they speak in different languages? My husband fluently speaks 4 languages, and I swear he is a different person in each!

i speak spanish and english, and i have been told that in spanish I am sweet and nurturing, and in english I am sarcastic and the tone of my voice is lower... i wonder how that works.

Don't mind it at all...the only thing I get pissed about is when I go to Burger King and have to point at the menu...living in El Paso has got me notorously used to that and I hate it...

[Jamie76 0]

It doesn't bother me...unless they are pointing at me and laughing uncontrollably as they are talking...then I might feel a bit uncomfortable.

[Nancy2015 2]

I live in an area where English speakers are a minority People here speak Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, Hindi, Tagalog, Japanese... you name it. It doesn't bother me - on the contrary, it makes me feel more comfortable.

[SoL. 0]

No problem at all! I speak Spanish so I know what they are talking about But other languages, doesn't bother me at all.

[MelindaandTarek 0]

it doesnt bother me at all...

[G&A 1]

I generally don't mind when people talk in foreign languages. Some of them are just beautiful sounding and it doesn't bother me at all. The only thing that occasionally irks me is when people are obviously talking about someone else and speaking in a foreign language so they don't know it. The glares, the snickering, the pointing... it reminds me of girls back in grade-school speaking those made-up languages so they could make fun of other girls without getting in trouble.

Thats the beauty of speaking a foreign language in north america....otherwise is has no use. jk

A

[Reba 2]

I like languages, I wish I was fluent in more than just Canadian, English and American

you left out aussie

hmm...yeah, I know quite a bit of Aussie and Kiwi too. And some English South African (as opposed to the other 10 official languages of SA)

[SirLancelot 1]

My husband def. talks louder in his native language than in English.

Not bothered by any language; in fact some are very plesant to hear, but sometime the volume is rather irritating and distracting to the point that I just stare at them until they walk away or lower their voices. Is it possible that the louder the voice the higher the insecurity is since I find that new immigrants of certain areas tend to over do it more than others.

that would bother me even if they were speaking English

i know quite a few people who always talk loud in English... we can't say that people who speak a different language then English are the only ones that speak loud....

I would agree with Ron/Sharon and MarilynP. Both bothers me. But certain country/cultures do accept louder speech than others.

On a trip to Las Vegas this past April, my wife and I were riding on a double-decker bus on The Strip siteseeing. It was late at night--about midnight. Up comes four female workers who had just gotten off work at one of the surrounding hotels. They spoke Spanish. I don't mind them speaking whatever language privately to each other, but it did annoy the hell out of me that they were speaking so obnoxiously loud and were even more oblivious about their rude behavior. Many people were annoyed by their loud conversation but were too polite to let them know it. They continued to speak loudly and obliviously until they finally disembarked. I think it's just plain rude and obnoxious behavior in public. That said, if some four Americans did the same in English, I'd be equally annoyed.

[Marilyn. 340]

My husband def. talks louder in his native language than in English.

Not bothered by any language; in fact some are very plesant to hear, but sometime the volume is rather irritating and distracting to the point that I just stare at them until they walk away or lower their voices. Is it possible that the louder the voice the higher the insecurity is since I find that new immigrants of certain areas tend to over do it more than others.

that would bother me even if they were speaking English

i know quite a few people who always talk loud in English... we can't say that people who speak a different language then English are the only ones that speak loud....

I would agree with Ron/Sharon and MarilynP. Both bothers me. But certain country/cultures do accept louder speech than others.

On a trip to Las Vegas this past April, my wife and I were riding on a double-decker bus on The Strip siteseeing. It was late at night--about midnight. Up comes four female workers who had just gotten off work at one of the surrounding hotels. They spoke Spanish. I don't mind them speaking whatever language privately to each other, but it did annoy the hell out of me that they were speaking so obnoxiously loud and were even more oblivious about their rude behavior. Many people were annoyed by their loud conversation but were too polite to let them know it. They continued to speak loudly and obliviously until they finally disembarked. I think it's just plain rude and obnoxious behavior in public. That said, if some four Americans did the same in English, I'd be equally annoyed.

like I said though this can happen when a group of women/girls are speaking in English... (oops didn't read your last statement in your post )

and my sister-in-law speaks English very loudly too, even if you are sitting right beside her

Edited August 7, 2007 by MarilynP

[SirLancelot 1]

like I said though this can happen when a group of women/girls are speaking in English... (oops didn't read your last statement in your post )

and my sister-in-law speaks English very loudly too, even if you are sitting right beside her

My initial reaction to the thread topic was more like WTH Americans speak English when visiting non-English speaking countries all the time, so #######?!? But after I saw the cartoon, I got a better idea what the topic was about.

I am embarrassed when Americans speak loudly in English in public places in foreign lands. I really get embarrassed when we're in a metro/subway and my friends continue to speak loudly and obliviously in English when we're abroad. Bad bad bad friend! I try to keep quiet and hope they stop talking.

[Scott & Lai 12]

I am embarrassed when Americans speak loudly in English in public places in foreign lands. I really get embarrassed when we're in a metro/subway and my friends continue to speak loudly and obliviously in English when we're abroad. Bad bad bad friend! I try to keep quiet and hope they stop talking.

This kind of behaviour from Americans in foreign lands is part of what is behind the term "the ugly American." But there doesn't seem to be a corresponding term for people visiting here who do the same thing..