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-   -   Why do we think we have the right... (https://britishexpats.com/forum/spain-75/why-do-we-think-we-have-right-486188/)

mikelincs Oct 8th 2007 10:12 pm

Why do we think we have the right...
 
In a shop the other day, and buying several items, the till wasn't working properly but the assistant was new to the job. She was doing her best, but another ENGLISH chap there was moaning etc, and then when it was working the girl was telling us how much it was in her, reasonable, English. SHe said it was fivety Euros, the other chap jumped in, laughed and said, something about not hearing it said that way before and making fun of her English. I turned on him and said that he would have the right to criticise her if his Spainish was so good he didn't make mistakes. He muttered and walked away. But why do we feel that, if someone is trying to converse in our language, and makes a mistake like that, that we have the right to have a go at them to their face. She had realised what she said wasn't quite right, and we did say it was fifty, but didn't make her feel uncomfortable about it.

mikeoc Oct 8th 2007 10:17 pm

Re: Why do we think we have the right...
 
Because there are too many ignorant morons moving out here

onlineamiga Oct 8th 2007 10:30 pm

Re: Why do we think we have the right...
 
Yeah shortly after I arrived I was in a supermarket. And we all know that spanish supermarkets never have enough check out staff. And we deal with it. But this guy was having a right strop.

I turned round and said. Youre in spain now. deal with it! Think it was just a tourist as i was in a very tourist area. (Place in Benalmadena with the big hotels)

Oh and im sick of people compaining that its too hot. gee. Especially ex pats!!

XTreme Oct 8th 2007 11:34 pm

Re: Why do we think we have the right...
 

Originally Posted by mikelincs (Post 5404151)
but another ENGLISH chap there was moaning

There's your answer right there Mike! :lol:

leighbloke Oct 9th 2007 5:30 am

Re: Why do we think we have the right...
 
These problems could all be eradicated by Brussells phasing out all languages except for English - might take a few years for the full transition - but on the whole Europe would be a far better place, would vastly improve the single market and increase trade with the rest of the World.

As for the lack of staff on the tills, there is no excuse for shoddy service anywhere, why accept it??

gallerie9 Oct 9th 2007 6:17 am

Re: Why do we think we have the right...
 
Well when in Rome.
I have never had a problem with service any where and I do think if you live in a place, you should try to understand the language dont you ?

jdr Oct 9th 2007 6:23 am

Re: Why do we think we have the right...
 

Originally Posted by leighbloke (Post 5405292)
These problems could all be eradicated by Brussells phasing out all languages except for English - might take a few years for the full transition - but on the whole Europe would be a far better place, would vastly improve the single market and increase trade with the rest of the World.

As for the lack of staff on the tills, there is no excuse for shoddy service anywhere, why accept it??

Its funny you saying that, I understand that as Spanish is the second business language and soon to be the first, that they are thinking of making it Spanish.
Also they are going to make all countries drive on the right side of the road so visitors to the UK will no longer have a problem of driving on the left.

leighbloke Oct 9th 2007 6:55 am

Re: Why do we think we have the right...
 

Originally Posted by jdr (Post 5405480)
Its funny you saying that, I understand that as Spanish is the second business language and soon to be the first, that they are thinking of making it Spanish.
Also they are going to make all countries drive on the right side of the road so visitors to the UK will no longer have a problem of driving on the left.

Still got a good 100 million more native speakers than Spanish though - Airlines, International poitics, science, medicine, engineering, music, film, technology banking all mostly use English - despite Spanish gaining a large foothold in the US, I don't think it is widely used outside of latin America is it? and they just sit around in daft hats playing the Pan Pipes all day!!!
I don't believe there are anywhere near as many speak it as a second language either??

The sooner we in the UK start to drive on the "normal" side the better - but I can't see that happening as quickly as Engilsh taking it's righful place as the Language of Europe.

leighbloke Oct 9th 2007 7:04 am

Re: Why do we think we have the right...
 

Originally Posted by gallerie9 (Post 5405445)
Well when in Rome.
I have never had a problem with service any where and I do think if you live in a place, you should try to understand the language dont you ?

I can't really comment on service outside of in a Holiday context - but there I found it to be v good in restaurants, hotels etc, but pants in shops, banks, car hire offices etc - maybe there is a "we're better than you" attitude amongst white collar employees??

No, I don't think I should learn their language - unless I needed to, and firmly believe if Europe is to move on as a Union it is important English is phased in as a common languge. Most of Northern Europe already speak it fluently - well except the Scots!!

jdr Oct 9th 2007 7:04 am

Re: Why do we think we have the right...
 

Originally Posted by leighbloke (Post 5405666)
Still got a good 100 million more native speakers than Spanish though - Airlines, International poitics, science, medicine, engineering, music, film, technology banking all mostly use English - despite Spanish gaining a large foothold in the US, I don't think it is widely used outside of latin America is it? and they just sit around in daft hats playing the Pan Pipes all day!!!
I don't believe there are anywhere near as many speak it as a second language either??

The sooner we in the UK start to drive on the "normal" side the better - but I can't see that happening as quickly as Engilsh taking it's righful place as the Language of Europe.

Just get a leftie and learn to speak Spanish, you don`t want to get left behind, ;-))

leighbloke Oct 9th 2007 7:14 am

Re: Why do we think we have the right...
 

Originally Posted by jdr (Post 5405704)
Just get a leftie and learn to speak Spanish, you don`t want to get left behind, ;-))

¡Quizá un Hummer, pero cuando en Roma habla inglés - y grita!!!



¿Google - no lo amas??

sunnydee Oct 9th 2007 7:17 am

Re: Why do we think we have the right...
 
I just look at the till to see what I need to pay. Nobody would attempt to tell me in English where I living unless they could hold up their fingers eg. 3 euros!

jdr Oct 9th 2007 7:19 am

Re: Why do we think we have the right...
 

Originally Posted by leighbloke (Post 5405728)
¡Quizá un Hummer, pero cuando en Roma habla inglés - y grita!!!



¿Google - no lo amas??

They will piss in your soup. ;-)

Ragomuffin Oct 9th 2007 7:23 am

Re: Why do we think we have the right...
 

Originally Posted by leighbloke (Post 5405666)
Still got a good 100 million more native speakers than Spanish though - Airlines, International poitics, science, medicine, engineering, music, film, technology banking all mostly use English - despite Spanish gaining a large foothold in the US, I don't think it is widely used outside of latin America is it? and they just sit around in daft hats playing the Pan Pipes all day!!!
I don't believe there are anywhere near as many speak it as a second language either??

The sooner we in the UK start to drive on the "normal" side the better - but I can't see that happening as quickly as Engilsh taking it's righful place as the Language of Europe.

Most of the kids around here don't speak English as their first language, it's more a ghetto, gangsta rap dialect. I can't wait until debates in the European parliament are punctuated by cries of 'No wot I meeen'. Our fall from grace as a nation will be complete.

The English language as I was taught it has long since ceased to exist amongst the English youth and been superceded by pseudo-black American slang. And that ain't cool, no wot I'm sayin'.

leighbloke Oct 9th 2007 7:25 am

Re: Why do we think we have the right...
 

Originally Posted by jdr (Post 5405749)
They will piss in your soup. ;-)

I half expect they do that anyway - don't get me onto foreign food!!!


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