Stupid Guest Tricks

I visted Mexico last year (then flew to Orlando for an obvious reason :D: ) and i had to act as a translator for my parents. (At the time i was semi-fluent in spanish) yet my parents complained "WOW! A lot of americans come through this part of the country, they should learn to spek english! :mad:

if thats not stubborn, I do not know what is!

Jinxed wrote:My husband just returned from being in South Korea for 3 years and he didn't have any problems. He said the majority of the country does speak some english. And in Seoul almost every place you go you will encounter someone speaking english. Even in the smaller out lying towns they spoke some english. He is a big man with blondish hair and he said he would go for walks and school age kids would run up to him and try out their english. He got a kick out of it.

Wow that is really interesting, I will bring it up to Mr. Lee next time I help him out (sometime next week).

I find it interesting to teach when you have ESL kids in the class, it is fun to watch their English grow. The little Korean girl I have this year is getting much better, she seems to understand more than she can express. She always tells me "mommy soon" for "my mommy is coming soon" :)

I dislike those guests who tell me, "I don't understand English, speak Spanish." I DO speak some Spanish, however, when I start speaking to them in Spanish, they start speaking English again. And when I start speaking English again, same vicious circle of, "I don't understand English, speak Spanish."

What the heck? These people CAN speak English and it doesn't make sense for them to tell me to speak in another language when they will be speaking in English the whole time anyway.

I have slightly more sympathy for someone who tells me "No hablo inglés" and has a passport in their hand from Spain than someone who says the same thing and has an ID from Mexico, or worse, the United States. Just slightly.

No offense to them, but I highly recommend that these people learn the necessary English prior to traveling to another country for their sanity and safety.

It holds up the line and makes our jobs harder when we have to find someone else who speaks their beloved language. It drives me crazy when they come so close to you as well.

leftcoaster wrote:Don't shoot the messenger here, but there is no "official" language of the USA.

True, English is not the official language at the Federal level but 28 States have enacted laws mandating English as the official language at the State level.

Alabama (1990)
Alaska (1998)
Arizona (2006)
Arkansas (1987)
California (1986)
Colorado (1988)
Florida (1988)
Georgia (1986 & 1996)
Hawaii (1978)
Illinois (1969)
Indiana (1984)
Iowa (2002)
Kentucky (1984)
Louisiana (1811)
Massachusetts (1975)
Mississippi (1987)
Missouri (1998)
Montana (1995)
Nebraska (1920)
New Hampshire (1995)
North Carolina (1987)
North Dakota (1987)
South Carolina (1987)
South Dakota (1995)
Tennessee (1984)
Utah (2000)
Virginia (1981 & 1996)
Wyoming (1996)

Wow Yfoog, thank you for that. Not only do I get to laugh at SG's when I read the site but I learned something new today. Hmm, I wonder if I can print that out and use it with smartass guests when they come into the hotel and act all mad when I don't speak Spanish. Just because I have dark hair and work in the OC does NOT mean I am an information booth or a super translator, k?

Yfoog wrote: Georgia (1986 & 1996)

We in Georgia made it official twice. We REALLY mean it!!!

JF

English is the de facto national language. How sad is this? :twisted: Sure doesn't seem to be de facto in Ca. - not where I live & shop. :mad:

Louisiana (1811) -

They wanted to get it on the books early, although what they speak down there is hardly english...