Comments on: A different language http://www.wifeandmommy.com/a-different-language/ Fri, 03 Feb 2012 03:29:25 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Carabee http://www.wifeandmommy.com/a-different-language/comment-page-1/#comment-639 Carabee Fri, 08 Jan 2010 13:38:17 +0000 http://www.wifeandmommy.com/?p=1011#comment-639 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. :) 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. :)

]]> By: Nicole http://www.wifeandmommy.com/a-different-language/comment-page-1/#comment-638 Nicole Thu, 07 Jan 2010 04:31:13 +0000 http://www.wifeandmommy.com/?p=1011#comment-638 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 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 :)

]]> By: Lara http://www.wifeandmommy.com/a-different-language/comment-page-1/#comment-637 Lara Wed, 06 Jan 2010 21:34:55 +0000 http://www.wifeandmommy.com/?p=1011#comment-637 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. 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.

]]> By: April http://www.wifeandmommy.com/a-different-language/comment-page-1/#comment-636 April Wed, 06 Jan 2010 20:15:56 +0000 http://www.wifeandmommy.com/?p=1011#comment-636 Maybe they're practicing their English on him. Maybe they’re practicing their English on him.

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