[.::Tin Can::.]

Some neighbors of mine recently took a vacation to two countries:

Britain and France

When they arrived at Britain, they were friendly greeted and treated as guests. They said the Brittish were very friendly people, hospitable, and just downright funny. When they mentioned they were going to France, some Brittish guy went "French, pewy" and made a spitting movement. (Or he actually spat)

So my neighbors leave Britain and move on to France, so when they get off the plane they obviously have to find some means of transportation to a hotel, and arrive there at night. The clerk is snobbish and gives them a room. The next day, they wake up for lunch at a French cafe', and so leave and head to a French Resturaunt. When they get there, the waiter, although knowing English, did not speak it. So, they ended up getting some unpleasent food, and therefor ate at McDonnals for the rest of their trip. Always a helpful McDonnals nearby!

My neighbors are not very opinionated on politics or ethnicity. They dont care if you are French, German, Spanish, Italian, whatever. Everyone is a person. But this little run-in with French people only strengthened my opinion.

[an0n]

Pretty much everyone in France speaks English. Especially in tourist trap towns.

He probably just hated having to serve foreigners.

[aldo_14]

Oh my god - a french waiter speaking french!  How inconsiderate!

(are you taking the piss here?)

[Zarax]

First lesson: learn the language before you travel.

[.::Tin Can::.]

They said upon entrance that they would be served in English, jackass. When Spanish come over our border, do they have to learn English? Hell no. We have to learn Spanish. We have to have our prescriptions in spanish, our signs in spanish, and we are in America. Do I ***** about it? No. I learn Spanish. I live in Texas, which is basically where all of them are coming from or coming into. English is an international language. If the Russians learn it in school at young ages, then they can too.

[Zarax]

TC, learn to give all details in the first statement...
And keep the insults for yourself.

[.::Tin Can::.]

it was directed towards Aldo.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by .::Tin Can::.
They said upon entrance that they would be served in English, jackass. When Spanish come over our border, do they have to learn English? Hell no. We have to learn Spanish. We have to have our prescriptions in spanish, our signs in spanish, and we are in America. Do I ***** about it? No. I learn Spanish. I live in Texas, which is basically where all of them are coming from or coming into. English is an international language. If the Russians learn it in school at young ages, then they can too.

So?  When I went to Paris I tried to speak French.  When I went to Barcelona I tried to speak Spanish / Catalan.   I didn't do particularly great, but at least I made the effort.

(oh, and I did learn a bit of French in school - it was compulsary.  Not because of immigrants, but because it was the nearest major european country.  Other option was German.)

 B itching about people in a foreign country speaking a foreign language is the most ****ing pathetic - nay, arrogant - thing you can do.

I mean, I presume they have no sodding idea of French quisine, yes?

[Zarax]

Oh, and BTW...
The spanish thing is quite different as a substantial share of US inhabitants speaks spanish as first language...

[.::Tin Can::.]

Originally posted by Zarax
Oh, and BTW...
The spanish thing is quite different as a substantial share of US inhabitants speaks spanish as first language...

You would be surprised.

[Zarax]

In which way?
Also, french are more than a match for anyone when it comes to national pride...

[aldo_14]

25million or 10% of the population.  I've read some predictions that Spanish will be the majority language in the US in 50 years time (in a newspaper IIRC)

http://www.staff.ncl.ac.uk/i.e.mackenzie/usa.htm

(EDIT; wikipedia sets it as 28m in 2000)

[.::Tin Can::.]

What would National Pride have to do with the matter at hand?

The problem was not just the language that they knew but refused to speak, but the general snobbish and disregarding attitude towards guests in their country. We are from somewhere else, and go to France to spend our money on their country. The least they could do is speak the same language as the visitors, especially when they know it.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by .::Tin Can::.
What would National Pride have to do with the matter at hand?

The problem was not just the language that they knew but refused to speak, but the general snobbish and disregarding attitude towards guests in their country. We are from somewhere else, and go to France to spend our money on their country. The least they could do is speak the same language as the visitors, especially when they know it.

Why?  Do you speak French or German or Italian?

[Thrilla]

Originally posted by aldo_14
25million or 10% of the population.  I've read some predictions that Spanish will be the majority language in the US in 50 years time (in a newspaper IIRC)

http://www.staff.ncl.ac.uk/i.e.mackenzie/usa.htm

I think TC is upset about because the hispanic population is growing mainly from the high amout of illegal hispanics that cross the border everyday and nothing is being done about it.  Personally I don't care.  You couldn't pay me $5.15 an hour to pave my road in the middle of July.

[Zarax]

That and a lot of other works...

[.::Tin Can::.]

Im not mad because they are coming over, but since everyone here thinks that you should know the language before coming over, then why is Texas just one big half spanish / half english state? If you need to learn the language, as they say, then please do. In order to deal with thats going on here I'm attempting to learn Spanish, and some German next year. However, yes, the illegal immigrants coming over without any control is upsetting.

[aldo_14]

Originally posted by Zarax
That and a lot of other works...

It's the same in the Uk, except it's illegal immigrants from Asia, or the Indian subcontinent, or the Eastern European nations.  Everyone *****es about it, the government and tabloids and even the opposition party pledge to stop these people.... but these same immigrants are the ones whose cheap long-shift labour keeps the country running.  But because they have no citizenship, they become the scapegoats for societies ills.

It's like the bull**** published in the tabloids that as soon as Poland entered the EU we'd be flooded with immigrants cashing in on the welfare service or stealing jobs.  It's insulting; to them, and to people like me who (like to thing we) know better.

[mitac]

As a matter of fact - the people in Paris treat any tourists, even those from France, as if their presense was highly unwanted.

But they're always happy to bag all your money with extremely overpriced stuff, be it food or whatever souvenir you're planning to buy.

[Zarax]

Bah, if you want some good tourism Italy is much better...
And if they don't speak english it's just because 99% of the people doesn't speak it at all...