It really just happened to me
#1
It really just happened to me
Registering as a new patient at the doctor's office: on telling the med tech I was born in England, she asked me "Do they speak English there?"
#2
Joined: Aug 2004
Location: Eugene, OR
Posts: 1,352
Re: It really just happened to me
You could reply "well, we take English classes in school" - it'd be true!
#3
Re: It really just happened to me
The correct answer is: "Of course, we speak the Queen's English unlike Americans."
Last edited by Rete; Apr 21st 2011 at 6:39 pm.
#5
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 148
Re: It really just happened to me
Well in France they speak..... French
In Germany they speak.....German
In Italy they speak.....Italian
And in America they speak ......American
So what do you think they speak in England?
.....English
All the while allowing her to state the answers with the hope the penny would finally drop by the time we got to England!!
Of course it didn't. Think she is probably CEO of the company by now though.
Last edited by confusedenglishrose; Apr 21st 2011 at 6:47 pm.
#6
Forum Regular
Joined: Feb 2011
Location: Washington State
Posts: 248
Re: It really just happened to me
I used to have a South Korean hairdresser who asked me how I had learnt to speak "American" so well. I had to explain that American's speak English etc. Neither was she aware that Britain was an island. However as I would be hard pushed to find South Korea on a map I forgave her. And if George W can talk about speaking Mexican, what hope is there?
#7
Re: It really just happened to me
To be fair, I think the lady would have been more at home with Spanish than English herself. I also had to spell "England" for her!
#8
Some Where in the Desert
Joined: Jul 2006
Location: AZ
Posts: 247
Re: It really just happened to me
My Reply
"something"
Her reply "anything"
and so on until other technician said English is his native language.
#9
Heading for Poppyland
Joined: Jul 2007
Location: North Norfolk and northern New York State
Posts: 14,453
Re: It really just happened to me
I would avoid embarrassing the American who has asked the naive question by carefully avoiding speaking English. Simply print out this vocabulary and carry it with you at all times, and translate whatever you wish to say to an American before delivering your statement.
#10
Re: It really just happened to me
I was living in Wales when I met my wife. Her younger brother asked if I spoke English.
#11
Re: It really just happened to me
On the phone at work the other day I had a very rude spanish lady who was struggling to string a sentence together tell me 'you need to speak better english, I can't understand you'.
I bit my tongue. HARD.
Then today in Kroger the cashier asked if we were from England (my 'import' T shirt with the big ass union jack on it may have been a hint).... and my smarty pants 13 year old said 'Canada'..... her response..... 'really? is that near London?' , and yes, she was deadly serious.
I bit my tongue. HARD.
Then today in Kroger the cashier asked if we were from England (my 'import' T shirt with the big ass union jack on it may have been a hint).... and my smarty pants 13 year old said 'Canada'..... her response..... 'really? is that near London?' , and yes, she was deadly serious.
#12
Re: It really just happened to me
During my divorce I was injured in a motorcycle wreck. Ex's attorney wanted to nkow why I wasn't working 2 weeks after the crash with a leg & arm in in plaster.
He asked if I ever BBQ'd at home..
Yes...
So why can't you work at Macdonalds while you're unable to work as a mechanic..
Well apart from the fact I have 2 limbs in plaster casts....because the people at the drive thru can't understand MY accent when I order, so the other customers are also unlikely to understand my accent if I was working there...
Have you considered community college classes to learn English?
Where the hell do you think I come from?
....oh yeah, that comment bought everything to a halt for a minute while I explained just what frigging language we speak in England...
He asked if I ever BBQ'd at home..
Yes...
So why can't you work at Macdonalds while you're unable to work as a mechanic..
Well apart from the fact I have 2 limbs in plaster casts....because the people at the drive thru can't understand MY accent when I order, so the other customers are also unlikely to understand my accent if I was working there...
Have you considered community college classes to learn English?
Where the hell do you think I come from?
....oh yeah, that comment bought everything to a halt for a minute while I explained just what frigging language we speak in England...
#13
Joined: Sep 2010
Posts: 148
Re: It really just happened to me
On the phone at work the other day I had a very rude spanish lady who was struggling to string a sentence together tell me 'you need to speak better english, I can't understand you'.
I bit my tongue. HARD.
Then today in Kroger the cashier asked if we were from England (my 'import' T shirt with the big ass union jack on it may have been a hint).... and my smarty pants 13 year old said 'Canada'..... her response..... 'really? is that near London?' , and yes, she was deadly serious.
I bit my tongue. HARD.
Then today in Kroger the cashier asked if we were from England (my 'import' T shirt with the big ass union jack on it may have been a hint).... and my smarty pants 13 year old said 'Canada'..... her response..... 'really? is that near London?' , and yes, she was deadly serious.
#14
Re: It really just happened to me
You'll also find that they cannot decide when we spell a word whether it's an "a" we're spelling or an "e" to the point that when I now spell my name, I ask them for a piece of paper because I just get frustrated. I also just noticed you're in Tarrytown - love the place!!!! We were going to move there when we emigrated, but then decided on Connecticut, but we still come through and visit Leftkas Gyro in the Main Street - love their gyro's, especially sitting outside in the summer watching the world go by. Just thought I'd pop that bit in
#15
Re: It really just happened to me
I've had those conversations on the phone..
"A"
Did you say "I"?
No, "A"
E?
"A" you cloth eared idiot!
"I" for indian?
NO! FFS! A for A$$HOLE! Go look in the frigging mirror for an explanation!