Europeans view of Americans
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A little story. In our old community, I had a neighbor I’ll call “Stella”, who was younger than me, and Italian. Her whole family was Italian. She lived, breathed, bragged & everything about her was Italian, or of Italy, or her Italian neighborhood in Toronto. She spoke Italian with her family & while with her family in front of us neighbors on the culdesac. Any of you know anyone like this, who switches from English to their native tongue right in front of you? Anyway, I made her 3rd baby a christening gown, and when we got back from the baptism, all of us were at a barbeque on the street (we used to do this on weekends, drink and barbeque right on the street). I’m standing next to Mike, an old guy, my friend from another culdesac. He’s also Italian, but I guess Stella didn’t know this. Mike asks me why I’m all dressed up and I explain of the baptism. Stella turns to her sister, and says something in Italian (Mike later translates it as “I can’t believe she wore sandals to the church.” So, Mike (in Italian), says to Stella, “We’re not in Italy, there’s no dress code, this is Calgary, and you grew up in Toronto”. Stella toned down after that.
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A little story. In our old community, I had a neighbor I’ll call “Stella”, who was younger than me, and Italian. Her whole family was Italian. She lived, breathed, bragged & everything about her was Italian, or of Italy, or her Italian neighborhood in Toronto. She spoke Italian with her family & while with her family in front of us neighbors on the culdesac. Any of you know anyone like this, who switches from English to their native tongue right in front of you? Anyway, I made her 3rd baby a christening gown, and when we got back from the baptism, all of us were at a barbeque on the street (we used to do this on weekends, drink and barbeque right on the street). I’m standing next to Mike, an old guy, my friend from another culdesac. He’s also Italian, but I guess Stella didn’t know this. Mike asks me why I’m all dressed up and I explain of the baptism. Stella turns to her sister, and says something in Italian (Mike later translates it as “I can’t believe she wore sandals to the church.” So, Mike (in Italian), says to Stella, “We’re not in Italy, there’s no dress code, this is Calgary, and you grew up in Toronto”. Stella toned down after that.
@blondie said in Europeans view of Americans:
Any of you know anyone like this, who switches from English to their native tongue right in front of you?
Welsh people used to do that to me when I lived in Cardiff, I kind of got the feeling they saw me as the Saesneg, invading their homeland. One of them was going out with a Scottish girl I shared a house with, and he'd do it right in front of her with all his friends.
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@Doctor-Phibes Me too. I kind of feel like I’m invading a family’s or friends’ cultural space sometimes when I don’t speak Chinese, Arabic, Somali, Tagalog etc.. even when in a public place. I understand when people are with relatives (like the elderly), who dont know English, but more often now in Calgary, I’m together with people speaking other languages, when I’m pretty sure, all of us speak English. I’m not talking of large groups either. I’m wondering if it’s a cultural, like an expected respectful default, to switch to one’s non-English language? Or perhaps English is complicated/lengthy to speak in contrast to other languages?
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Generally speaking (no pun intended LOL), I think that a person feels most comfortable talking in their native language(s). Doesn't matter how well they know other languages. At least that is how it is for me.
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I wish I spoke 2 or more languages and travelled like you @taiwan_girl and others here.
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I wish I spoke 2 or more languages and travelled like you @taiwan_girl and others here.
@blondie said in Europeans view of Americans:
I wish I spoke 2 or more languages and travelled like you @taiwan_girl and others here.
I have these "translator earbuds". They are actually not too bad. There is a lag and they do not translate perfectly, but do about 75-80% accuracy in my opinion.
I think that the technology will only get better.
https://www.timekettle.co/products/wt2-edge-online-voice-language-translator-earbuds
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@taiwan_girl Well yeah! I’d use these. Cool!
