Spanish Only Speaking People

[JHDK]

Ok I wanted to start a Youtube thread yesterday and when I typed in "Youtube" here all the other threads showed up. When I typed in "Spanish" I had no results, so here we go.

We have a lady who does our windows (and is slightly cute so that's probably why I got the idea, I know, I'm a dick) once a week and it's been like 2 years so I thought it would be nice to buy her lunch. Like I said, it's been like 2 years I've seen this woman once every week and she hasn't seen me. Well turns out she has no English. And of course my rommie who has fluent Spanish...He was born in Ecuador...is at work so it was a complete disaster. Kinda embarrassing.

Think I'm just gonna order 5 guys for myself now and then regroup with the roomie for next week. He is definitely going to laugh at me for this.

Moral of the story: even after years, attempts at being nice are a bad idea.

Everybody should ignore everybody...Fuck I know I'm joking but even that joke makes me sad.

I think that's what we learned here today.

Sadness. Hello Sadness Wednesday. I will drown you with like 4 lbs of 5 Guys and that (in the long run) will further my sadness.

Everything is definitely not coming up Milhouse.

 

[HecticArt]

I think she speaks perfect English. I think she's also been talking to your cat when you're out. The cat said she would cut her if she talks to you, so......

 

[JHDK]

I think she speaks perfect English. I think she's also been talking to your cat when you're out. The cat said she would cut her if she talks to you, so......

Ok, you're making a funny Ha, Ha and that's great but here in reality we all know it's impossible to resist my Philly, FL, Dutch charm unless there is a complete language barrier...which is is what we unfortunately encountered.

Don't you have like a life-size horseshoe office to build or something? Get back to work.

 

[scotchandcigar]

This is not about Spanish, so I hope you can forgive me. But I think it should go here.

I work with smart, decently paid, successful people. So I find it odd that I have coworkers that I've known for over 30 years, who are Chinese or Vietnamese, whose accents haven't improved one bit during that time. In fact, I think it's worse. That's because they either live in a Vietnamese neighborhood, or have parents and other relatives who only speak Chinese.

People who come here as adults, who live in a community of immigrants, and work at a labor job that doesn't require English communication, will keep speaking their native language. The first community band I joined had a couple of trumpet players from Lawrence Mass, which is heavily Dominican and Puerto Rican, and they didn't know a word of English. Someone translated for them.

 

[Aaron]

Yeah I have no good anecdotes about Spanish speakers. But accents...
It freaks me out how some people go off to Freshman year of college, and by Fall break, they come back with a much different accent already.

 

[JHDK]

I have coworkers that I've known for over 30 years, who are Chinese or Vietnamese, whose accents haven't improved one bit during that time. In fact, I think it's worse.

That was a thing with Hendrik. It was odd. As my dad I never heard his accent but all my friends would tease him and mock him like a vampire when he wasn't around...like putting a V in front of every word.

I think if you fluently learn the language after like 15, the accent sticks forever. At least they learn, credit there.

 

[Aaron]

Anybody here comfortably speak a second language?

I don't. Wish I did, but never put in the effort to learn. Two years of French class didn't get me very far. They spent more time teaching us to conjugate a verb than to speak.

I can understand some Cajun French, especially the swear words.

 

[JHDK]

Comfortably, no...but Hendrik could spout out Dutch, Danish, German, English and Ba Ha (which I think is an old way of saying Indonesian). Funny he had zero Japanese after 4 years with them. He was clearly able to learn that shit.

I did 3 years of HS Spanish and dated multiple Spanish ladies and I'm lucky if I can say "hola" w/o getting laughed at.

 

[JHDK]

Oh and that girl I keep spouting on about knew French, English and Creole which is a mix of languages...might fit in w/the Frenchies in your area Aaron.

 

[scotchandcigar]

I can understand some Cajun French, especially the swear words.

Same for me with Yiddish, from my mom and bubby (grandma). My bubby would speak with a seemingly random mix of Yiddish and English words within each sentence.

I had 2 years of Spanish in HS. I remember a few words. And 5 years of Hebrew school taught me a very select few words, mostly the meaning of prayers. But I can read hebrew.

 

[HecticArt]

Is profanity a language? I"m fucking fluent in that shit.
I can order a beer and find the bathroom in 5 or 6 languages.

It's kinda sad that the rest of the world gets their kids through school being able to speak a couple of languages, and ours barely speak proper English.