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“Why Aren’t You Speaking English?”

Quite frankly, the point would be better made in English with a continuation of thought rather than having it broken up every 10-15 seconds because an interpretor has to repeat what was said in English. Very distracting and annoying.
Well then I guess we should be insulted by deaf people who can read off a sheet paper but choose to use a translator instead. Bottom line: this whole thread is ****ing stupid. Let the man speak in what he's comfortable speaking in. People are acting like this is some horrible disrespect to our nation. Get the **** over it.
 
Well then I guess we should be insulted by deaf people who can read off a sheet paper but choose to use a translator instead. Bottom line: this whole thread is ****ing stupid. Let the man speak in what he's comfortable speaking in. People are acting like this is some horrible disrespect to our nation. Get the **** over it.

Of course he can do so. And the senator can comment, and so can you, and so can we. That's how that goes.
 
I agree which is why I don't see a problem since he had a translator. This was an important event, he was probably nervous and he felt more comfortable speaking his first language. As long as someone was speaking English, I don't have a problem.

But you know, some things simply don't translate well. I work part time as both a translator and interpreter with five languages (it looks like I will be with the interpreting team for Lady Gaga's visit -- gag!! -- next month) and it really is not as easy as it seems. Even with French and English, it isn't all that easy and things are easily lost in translation...
 
I have no problem believing it. I was an expat brat most of my childhood, my whole teens and part of my adulthood. I've seen people not even bother to learn the local language no matter hjow long they'd been in the country. My mother has many Swiss, German and Dutch neighbors in Spain who have been living there for 10 to 15 years who don't speak a word of Spanish. I know countless Americans and British expats who live here in Switzerland and speak none of the local languages. Again many of them have been here over 10 years.

The thing is, if people can get by without learning the language and can function reasonably well without it, they simply won't learn it. :shrug:

Horrible. One of the things I love about the different countries I have lived in over the years is the chance to immerse myself in the language and learn it and the culture that it is a part of...
 
Horrible. One of the things I love about the different countries I have lived in over the years is the chance to immerse myself in the language and learn it and the culture that it is a part of...

It sounds like you live an amazing life.
 
I liked when the next man to speak introduced himself by saying, “I had prepared my remarks in English, but I’ve chosen to do them in Spanish. Or in French, s’il vous plaît.”


There's a reason the Texas legislature is biennial. It limits their exposure of stupidity to the rest of the world.
 
But you know, some things simply don't translate well. I work part time as both a translator and interpreter with five languages (it looks like I will be with the interpreting team for Lady Gaga's visit -- gag!! -- next month) and it really is not as easy as it seems. Even with French and English, it isn't all that easy and things are easily lost in translation...
Right, but that's not the issue I have. My point is that its really stupid to feel insulted by someone speaking Spanish.
 
Right, but that's not the issue I have. My point is that its really stupid to feel insulted by someone speaking Spanish.

And that's you, simplifying it again. It wasn't because he was speaking Spanish. It was because he knows English.
 
And that's you, simplifying it again. It wasn't because he was speaking Spanish. It was because he knows English.
Then you're simplifying the point too.

It's not just that he knows English - it's that he feels more comfortable speaking at an important event in his first language - an understandable situation.

He spoke Spanish while knowing English because it made him comfortable. If you're insulted by that, you're choosing to be insulted.
 
This is not a point. This is something I agree with and have never contradicted, so....

You've been contradicting it every time you try to call any of us on our response.

P.S.: Me understanding the Senator's point does not equal "And I feel insulted too!! eleventy11!!"
 
You've been contradicting it every time you try to call any of us on our response.
Please BDBoop, show me when I claim people don't have a right to have an opinion. Criticizing your opinion is not the same thing as saying "you can't say that". Why is it that when people get their opinion criticized, someone always pulls out the "but I have a right to speak" strawman?
 
P.S.: Me understanding the Senator's point does not equal "And I feel insulted too!! eleventy11!!"

Great, do you have a response to this (repost) or are you still pretending that I've told you that you "can't" speak.

And that's you, simplifying it again. It wasn't because he was speaking Spanish. It was because he knows English.
Then you're simplifying the point too.

It's not just that he knows English - it's that he feels more comfortable speaking at an important event in his first language - an understandable situation.

He spoke Spanish while knowing English because it made him comfortable. If you're insulted by that, you're choosing to be insulted.
 
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Okay.

And now I need to go get ready to play Frisbee with a friend's dog. Have a good one.
 
At the request of the local Israel consulate, I have served as a Hebrew/English translator for US and Israeli officials. The main challenge encompasses conveying the correct nuance.

I have a difficult time believing that anyone who has lived in a country for 23 years lacks the lingual capacity/dexterity to convey the requisite nuance.

For the most part, I believe that proficiency in the English language on the part of immigrants more a function of choice, and perhaps mental acuity, than one of time spent in the country. For instance, both of my parents are immigrants to this country (from Taiwan). My dad has been here for about 26 years, my mother has been here slightly less, about 24. My mother's English is drastically better than my father's. I'm not sure why, but I suspect it also has something to do with the fact that my dad just doesn't know when his pronunciation really sucks so he doesn't know how to improve his English because he just resorts to the same bad pronunciations every time I try to correct him.
 
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BRAVO Senator, bravo.
"Excuse me, did I hear that right, he's been here for 23 years?"
Just, beautiful.

I'm not really sure what you're getting at, but so what if he's been here 23 years. He is before a governmental committee hearing...his first language is Spanish and he is obviously more comfortable with that and wants to be clear.

Of Course the Senator is a reupublican spewing typical xenophobic hate that we are used to coming from that party.
 
For the most part, I believe that proficiency in the English language on the part of immigrants more a function of choice, and perhaps mental acuity, than one of time spent in the country. For instance, both of my parents are immigrants to this country (from Taiwan). My dad has been here for about 26 years, my mother has been here slightly less, about 24. My mother's English is drastically better than my father's. I'm not sure why, but I suspect it also has something to do with the fact that my dad just doesn't know when his pronunciation really sucks so he doesn't know how to improve his English because he just resorts to the same bad pronunciations every time I try to correct him.

I do notice these sorts of differences as well. It may have something to do with retaining their native language. My grandmother and great uncle moved here a few years apart, but both around the age of 20. So they've been here for 60-65 years.

My great uncle's English is nearly perfect. It sounds like he has a light local accent you just can't place, rather than a foreign accent. But his Italian is terrible now.

My grandmother's English is still not great (though she does understand a lot better than she speaks). She can get across her point, but she has a very thick accent and limited vocabulary. But her Italian is still almost perfect.

But at the end of the day, both of them learned English well enough to function.

I wonder if there's a difference between your parents in terms of how well they've retained their native language?
 
I do notice these sorts of differences as well. It may have something to do with retaining their native language. My grandmother and great uncle moved here a few years apart, but both around the age of 20. So they've been here for 60-65 years.

My great uncle's English is nearly perfect. It sounds like he has a light local accent you just can't place, rather than a foreign accent. But his Italian is terrible now.

My grandmother's English is still not great (though she does understand a lot better than she speaks). She can get across her point, but she has a very thick accent and limited vocabulary. But her Italian is still almost perfect.

But at the end of the day, both of them learned English well enough to function.

I wonder if there's a difference between your parents in terms of how well they've retained their native language?

Not really, we all speak Mandarin Chinese at home. My dad has a thick Taiwanese accent though, my mom not as much so I think that's an interesting difference. I'm not sure why that is either. I think if my dad had to testify in front of a legislative body, he would likely have to read a prepared statement if it were to be in English. But it would likely kill the audience to try and understand what he's saying.
 
Well, at least it wasn't Ozzy. No one could understand that man.
 
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