The Husband speaks Spanish fluently…and he looks nothing like a native speaker. Well, I suppose he could pass for a northern Spaniard, but he doesn’t speak that dialect. In any case, the DC area has many native speakers of Spanish, mostly from South and Central America. I get a kick when The Husband surprises them by busting out his excellent Spanish to them. They don’t normally suspect that a big blond blue-eyed guy understands and can converse with them easily. Now mind you: The Husband does not randomly speak Spanish to any native speaker. Normally he’ll only use it if there is some confusion , like at a restaurant, and it is clear the person needs some clarification. He’s trying to be helpful by speaking in Spanish.
Here’s what I don’t get: most of the time, he will not get responses in Spanish. Native speakers mostly look surprised and will speak English back to him. The Husband might continue to speak in Spanish, but will only get responses in English. I can’t figure this one out. Why won’t they converse in Spanish with him? Has he somehow offended them by speaking in Spanish?
Wish I knew. I do know that when I lived overseas and would venture out into the city to shop, I was grateful when people attempted to speak English with me, even if it was extremely broken.
Maybe they’re practicing their English on him.
When an American friend lived in Slovakia, he would encounter something similar. He wanted to speak Slovak most of the time when out and about because he was trying to master the language — his father’s native language but one he did not really grow up speaking. But once the Slovak waiter, store clerk, etc., figured out my friend spoke English, the Slovak person would insist on speaking English because he or she really wanted to practice English. I witnessed this in person, and it was a bit funny to watch.
So I would guess that something similar might be going on with the Spanish speakers. Or, it could be something more complex, where they are trying to prove that they fit in here by speaking English.
Brother #2 is a fluent Spanish speaker too, having graduated from high school in Mexico. He too has stories of native speakers not believing that he could really speak Spanish.
I remember in Japan when I attempted to speak Japanese I would be met with a “I don’t speak English” – it was either my looks or my accent but they just could not accept the fact that I might speak Japanese. Not sure what is going on there, don’t see that happen really in CA, people will switch to Spanish but then I’m in a spanish immersion school and we’re all supposed to be practicing
I got the same thing in France. I would go into every conversation speaking French, because I wanted to practice, and almost every single time they responded in English. It was tres frustrating.