Does it bother you when people speak their native language?

[15357]

I tend to imitate the accent of people I'm talking with.

 

[CptStern]

Does it bother you when people speak their native language?

no, that would be stupid


also 90% of the time you hear someone speaking a foreign language they're most likely talking about you. usually nasty things like how much of a lilly white gringo you are or how you most likely cant jump or dance if your life depended on it, whitey mcwhite

 

[CR0M]

Does it bother you when people speak their native language?

Depends on the situation. It bothers me more when people speak my own native language badly.

 

[CptStern]

ME SO HORNERY

 

[Tyguy]

i was at subway yesterday picking up a couple sandwiches and all of a sudden i hear a couple hispanics talking in front of me...IN SPANISH!

they took errrrrr suuuuuuubs

 

[nurizeko]

According to Flaming's logic I am failing to get ahead in life because I don't speak German, even though I've never been to Germany, have no immediate plans to go to Germany, have never needed to speak German and don't foresee any need to speak German, likewise the question of whether I am of German stock or French or whatever has never been a massive issue that's stopped me from getting by.

I'm sure my Grandfather is spinning in his grave knowing that his son and grandson don't speak German.

It's mainly the nationality stuff. Just because my parents are Malaysian/Chinese doesn't make me Malaysian/Chinese. I'm Australian. You implied that somehow it was wrong for me to consider myself Australian.

What Jintor says.

If I was born in China, brought up to speak Chinese as my native language, eating Chinese food and developing my self round Chinese culture and society then for all intents and purposes I would be Chinese and no, the colour of my skin wouldn't change that, except in the eyes of racists.

Your essentially saying that you gotta do this and do that and know this and know that because of the colour of his skin. Do you not realize how utterly primitive an attitude that sounds like?.

There is absolutely no reason Jintor would need to know Chinese or Malay beyond perhaps the enjoyment of a second language and if he himself wanted to communicate with it.

He is Australian, his native language is English, he lives and loves in Australia. I am British, my native tongue is English, I live and love in Britain.

I don't need to know German. He doesn't need to know Malay. So why is it he needs to learn a language useless to his daily life?.

Hopefully you'll see the illogic of your position and realize how stupid it is.

 

[Azner]

What Jintor says.

If I was born in China, brought up to speak Chinese as my native language, eating Chinese food and developing my self round Chinese culture and society then for all intents and purposes I would be Chinese and no, the colour of my skin wouldn't change that, except in the eyes of racists.

Your essentially saying that you gotta do this and do that and know this and know that because of the colour of his skin. Do you not realize how utterly primitive an attitude that sounds like?.

There is absolutely no reason Jintor would need to know Chinese or Malay beyond perhaps the enjoyment of a second language and if he himself wanted to communicate with it.

He is Australian, his native language is English, he lives and loves in Australia. I am British, my native tongue is English, I live and love in Britain.

I don't need to know German. He doesn't need to know Malay. So why is it he needs to learn a language useless to his daily life?.

Hopefully you'll see the illogic of your position and realize how stupid it is.

Neutrally i find it rather embarrassing for a Chinese man to not know how to speak mandrin.

Maybe embarrassing isnt the right word, it just sounds rather ignorant or indifferent to not know ones culture. Im not saying its a must, but it is your culture. We can't all mordernise ourselves can we? Tradition still takes a stand.

Its 1.30 am, im almost dead.

Edit

What i am saying is that nationality should not get in the way of culture which i don't really see it is, Jintor's stand was on nationality. I find the arguments in the last page... well... wrong, it seems both ends are not understanding what the other point is. May i assume that

Nuri: Because I have a cultural descent it doesnt mean i have to know it.
Flamingdts: You should know your culture as you are part of it (Very Chinese thinking. I have a right to say that because i hear it often enough)
Jintor: My nationality is my nationality.
I don't bother reading the rest hehe

Nuri, you have to understand. I believe us Chinese take a strong stand on out culture. Even though im Singaporean in nationality and speak Chinese in a Singaporean slang, i still listen and learn about my Chinese culture which originates from China itself. It may not be a common practice for a German(Or any other ethnicity) descendant in America(or anywhere else) to learn about his culture (OKTOBERFEST AND BEERGARDENS hehe) but it is highly encouraged over here. Smiles.

 

[Vegeta897]

We can't all mordernise ourselves can we?

One does not simply mordernise into Mordor.

 

[The Monkey]

German? Really?

I hear it all the ****ing time personally, but maybe I'm hanging out in the bad neighbourhoods.

 

[Rizzo]

Are you serious Monkey? Your in Göteborg Right? No?

 

[flamingdts]

According to Flaming's logic I am failing to get ahead in life because I don't speak German, even though I've never been to Germany, have no immediate plans to go to Germany, have never needed to speak German and don't foresee any need to speak German, likewise the question of whether I am of German stock or French or whatever has never been a massive issue that's stopped me from getting by.

I'm sure my Grandfather is spinning in his grave knowing that his son and grandson don't speak German.




What Jintor says.

If I was born in China, brought up to speak Chinese as my native language, eating Chinese food and developing my self round Chinese culture and society then for all intents and purposes I would be Chinese and no, the colour of my skin wouldn't change that, except in the eyes of racists.

Your essentially saying that you gotta do this and do that and know this and know that because of the colour of his skin. Do you not realize how utterly primitive an attitude that sounds like?.

There is absolutely no reason Jintor would need to know Chinese or Malay beyond perhaps the enjoyment of a second language and if he himself wanted to communicate with it.

He is Australian, his native language is English, he lives and loves in Australia. I am British, my native tongue is English, I live and love in Britain.

I don't need to know German. He doesn't need to know Malay. So why is it he needs to learn a language useless to his daily life?.

Hopefully you'll see the illogic of your position and realize how stupid it is.

I don't understand why you must take such an aggressive approach.

I'm assuming you are a German living in Britain. Your skin color is not considerably different and if you can speak perfect English then most people probably won't recognize you as a German, so this doesn't affect you as much.

I don't understand why you continue to argue and claim yourself as another race. I absolutely understand if you want to debate on the importance of learning your own native language, but it's no debate that you're not racially British no matter how you see yourself as.

If you like to call my opinion stupid, so be it. I don't necessarily need to see your position as the one and only right one. Like I said, it is not wrong if you see yourself British, but it is wrong if you don't consider yourself German (If that is where you're from).

Furthermore, I believe it is important for people to know their own native language because it isn't just culture, but none of your future generations will know that language (unless you move back to your own home country, in which case you cannot communciate with it). At this current economic world we're living in, it becomes increasingly competitive. In the future, English might not even be the most spoken language in the world. Bottomline is, I consider it a pathetic thing to do to reject your own culture and tradition and race and claim yourself as another race. Of course, you can consider yourself half British or whatever because you were born there, but in no way are you a full British or will ever be one.

 

[Jintor]

I apologize if I offended you, I should've elabourated. I don't consider it "wrong" to consider yourself Austrailian, but I consider it wrong if you don't recognize yourself as Malaysian/Chinese. My humble opinion of course, but get where I'm going?

I am a descendant of Malaysian/Chinese heritage but I am not, myself, Malaysian or Chinese.

I don't understand why you must take such an aggressive approach.

Bottomline is, I consider it a pathetic thing to do to reject your own culture and tradition and race and claim yourself as another race. Of course, you can consider yourself half British or whatever because you were born there, but in no way are you a full British or will ever be one.

Aggressive huh?

In any case, I guess what you seem to be speaking of is some kind of fear of globalisation or, perhaps, Cultural Imperialism, to which I say 'meh'. 'Culture' is basically a bunch of memes which people accept either blindly because of tradition or because they choose to; to be forced to act in a certain way merely because of an accident of birth is not something I can completely agree with.

That said, I know Chinese mainly because I like to be able to talk to people.

 

[VirusType2]

I don't understand why you must take such an aggressive approach.

That's the nicest thing I've ever heard him say, and if I don't say so, I don't think he will give you the same courtesy again.

Bottomline is, I consider it a pathetic thing to do to reject your own culture and tradition and race and claim yourself as another race. Of course, you can consider yourself half British or whatever because you were born there, but in no way are you a full British or will ever be one.

So all the Jews living in America, whos parents were born in America, whos Grandparents were born in America, whos Great Grandparents were born in America, whos Great-Great Grandparents were immigrants from Germany, should learn Hebrew or German? Considering that they are Jews they should learn Hebrew by your logic, correct? If nobody speaks Hebrew in your entire living family, then who are you going to speak it too?

So African-Americans should learn an African dialect, etc.?

I just think it would be absolutely useless for anyone that doesn't have family or friends still living there. There would be no one to talk to. Even more useless that you would learn a language specific to one country. Why not learn a universal language if "getting jobs abroad" is important?

Perhaps you know that there are more English speakers in China than there are in The United States or England. Maybe this is why you have such a gripe.

 

[Remus]

Maybe embarrassing isnt the right word, it just sounds rather ignorant or indifferent to not know ones culture. Im not saying its a must, but it is your culture. We can't all mordernise ourselves can we? Tradition still takes a stand.

Ones culture? Ones culture is where he or she was born and raised. Your culture is the one you grew up with, not the one of your great great grand parents who happened to live in another country.
Also the mentality that you have to learn and do things for the sake of "tradition" really annoys me, mainly because there are plenty of people like that around here (mainly older people but that's besides the point). If you like these traditions and want to take part in them then that's fine, but feeling the need to do it out of some sort of misguided sense of duty to you ancestors cultural legacy is just wrong in my opinion.

 

[Azner]

Ones culture? Ones culture is where he or she was born and raised. Your culture is the one you grew up with, not the one of your great great grand parents who happened to live in another country.
Also the mentality that you have to learn and do things for the sake of "tradition" really annoys me, mainly because there are plenty of people like that around here (mainly older people but that's besides the point). If you like these traditions and want to take part in them then that's fine, but feeling the need to do it out of some sort of misguided sense of duty to you ancestors cultural legacy is just wrong in my opinion.

Exactly, we being from two different ends of the world have a totally different approach. Culture isnt where he was born and raised. I was born in Singapore and raised in Aussie, then Malaysia then back to Singapore. Do i have no culture? All i am trying to state is that we're arguing because we come from entirely different backgrounds.

We do things traditionally here for respects sake. Which is a strongly emphasized behavior here.

 

[flamingdts]

So all the Jews living in America, whos parents were born in America, whos Grandparents were born in America, whos Great Grandparents were born in America, whos Great-Great Grandparents were immigrants from Germany, should learn Hebrew or German? Considering that they are Jews they should learn Hebrew by your logic, correct? If nobody speaks Hebrew in your entire living family, then who are you going to speak it too?

Are they still Jews? Yes.

Unless the parents and great grand parents have completely erased any jewish tradition, which is actually pretty significant (like Christmas), then the later generations probably won't even know of their Jewish heritage.

If you know you are jewish and your parents know you are jewish, but you moved to America, then of course it is important to know your culture and at least the basics of Hebrew.

On the other hand, if your great great great grand parents are jewish, but they stopped following the jewish tradition and have converted to christianity or whatever, and the later generations are taught to be christian, then no I don't expect you to know hebrew.

I am a descendant of Malaysian/Chinese heritage but I am not, myself, Malaysian or Chinese.

In any case, I guess what you seem to be speaking of is some kind of fear of globalisation or, perhaps, Cultural Imperialism, to which I say 'meh'. 'Culture' is basically a bunch of memes which people accept either blindly because of tradition or because they choose to; to be forced to act in a certain way merely because of an accident of birth is not something I can completely agree with.

That said, I know Chinese mainly because I like to be able to talk to people.

Now we're starting branching off. Culture is not something people "accept" blindly, culture is the history of our people. You don't need to follow it, but you need to know it. Just like how I see native languages.

I am a Canadian born Hong Kong-nese (my parents are chinese), and having lived the majority of my current life in Hong Kong (which is a relatively westernized city in comparison to the rest of China), I am brought up in a relatively westernized culture, having gone to international schools etc. I do not follow chinese culture strictly (chinese medicine etc.), however, I am quite familiar with the chinese culture. I speak English a lot better than I can speak Cantonese. In fact, my cantonese level is at best that of a 7th grade student. Why do I still bother with cantonese? It's because no matter what "culture" I'm brought up in, my race is not any different. I choose to recognize my own culture. You may have a different opinion, which I disagree, but I understand.

I'll repeat, it is mainly based on your family and how far down the line your family goes in terms of your culture and ethnicity. If your family is of a particular culture and have followed that culture for several generations, then you should continue to acknowledge this culture and pass it on. On the other hand, if your family have not followed a particular culture, and have had offsprings of mixed ethinicity, then it depends on what your parents currently follow as a tradition. Of course, you still need to recognize the cultural background your parents came from, but you only necessarily need to know the cultures your parents are currently following.

 

[Azner]

So all the Jews living in America, whos parents were born in America, whos Grandparents were born in America, whos Great Grandparents were born in America, whos Great-Great Grandparents were immigrants from Germany, should learn Hebrew or German? Considering that they are Jews they should learn Hebrew by your logic, correct? If nobody speaks Hebrew in your entire living family, then who are you going to speak it too?

Speaking Hebrew? No need. But they should celebrate Hanukkah due to tradition. AND THAT IS FLAMINGDTS POINT.

 

[Rico]

Are they still Jews? Yes.

Unless the parents and great grand parents have completely erased any jewish tradition, which is actually pretty significant (like Christmas), then the later generations probably won't even know of their Jewish heritage.

If you know you are jewish and your parents know you are jewish, but you moved to America, then of course it is important to know your culture and at least the basics of Hebrew.

On the other hand, if your great great great grand parents are jewish, but they stopped following the jewish tradition and have converted to christianity or whatever, and the later generations are taught to be christian, then no I don't expect you to know hebrew.



Now we're starting branching off. Culture is not something people "accept" blindly, culture is the history of our people. You don't need to follow it, but you need to know it. Just like how I see native languages.

I am a Canadian born Hong Kong-nese (my parents are chinese), and having lived the majority of my current life in Hong Kong (which is a relatively westernized city in comparison to the rest of China), I am brought up in a relatively westernized culture, having gone to international schools etc. I do not follow chinese culture strictly (chinese medicine etc.), however, I am quite familiar with the chinese culture. I speak English a lot better than I can speak Cantonese. In fact, my cantonese level is at best that of a 7th grade student. Why do I still bother with cantonese? It's because no matter what "culture" I'm brought up in, my race is not any different. I choose to recognize my own culture. You may have a different opinion, which I disagree, but I understand.

I'll repeat, it is mainly based on your family and how far down the line your family goes in terms of your culture and ethnicity. If your family is of a particular culture and have followed that culture for several generations, then you should continue to acknowledge this culture and pass it on. On the other hand, if your family have not followed a particular culture, and have had offsprings of mixed ethinicity, then it depends on what your parents currently follow as a tradition. Of course, you still need to recognize the cultural background your parents came from, but you only necessarily need to know the cultures your parents are currently following.

You are full of crap dude. This may be YOUR belief, but to judge people based on whether they meet whatever stereotype you have associated with their "heritage" is pure garbage.

If you see a "mexican-looking guy" walking down the street from you, do you assume he knows how to speak spanish? Is he pathetic for not knowing spanish if he was raised speaking english, in an english speaking school?

So if you're Asian you're good at math, right? I mean, that's your culture, it's what people expect of you, so therefore you MUST be good at math.

I take pride in not being a "latino" or any of that crap. If you look at me, hear me speak, or know me personally, there is nothing about me that will tell you about my "heritage". Why? Because it is NOT an important part of who I am. Who I am is shaped by my experiences and personality, not some random dude's beliefs 300 years ago when he banged a stranger.

So keep this "pathetic" BS to yourself, and learn to understand that not everyone's lives revolve around what other people did 100 years ago when they lived their life. If anything is pathetic, its shaping your life as a homage to some idiot you have never met before that lived 500 or 1000 years ago.

 

[Rico]

Speaking Hebrew? No need. But they should celebrate Hanukkah due to tradition. AND THAT IS FLAMINGDTS POINT.

No they shouldn't. If they want to, they can, but why should anyone do anything they don't believe in? To honor the ideas of people who didn't even know you would exist, let alone give two craps about you?

 

[nurizeko]

I don't understand why you must take such an aggressive approach.

I'm assuming you are a German living in Britain. Your skin color is not considerably different and if you can speak perfect English then most people probably won't recognize you as a German, so this doesn't affect you as much.

I don't understand why you continue to argue and claim yourself as another race. I absolutely understand if you want to debate on the importance of learning your own native language, but it's no debate that you're not racially British no matter how you see yourself as.

If you like to call my opinion stupid, so be it. I don't necessarily need to see your position as the one and only right one. Like I said, it is not wrong if you see yourself British, but it is wrong if you don't consider yourself German (If that is where you're from).

Furthermore, I believe it is important for people to know their own native language because it isn't just culture, but none of your future generations will know that language (unless you move back to your own home country, in which case you cannot communciate with it). At this current economic world we're living in, it becomes increasingly competitive. In the future, English might not even be the most spoken language in the world. Bottomline is, I consider it a pathetic thing to do to reject your own culture and tradition and race and claim yourself as another race. Of course, you can consider yourself half British or whatever because you were born there, but in no way are you a full British or will ever be one.

I'm not German though, I've never been to Germany, I am, like an Asian Australian, only vaguely connected to another country.
I am full British because I was born here, grew up here, speak the native language fluently, and I relate completely with this country.

I DO know my native language. Its English!
So why is it wrong for an Asian person born and raised in another country to not identify in any meaningful way with a culture and language of somewhere else?. Your position reeks of "well, because he is Asian" aka skin colour.

Hence, stupid position.

Its not aggression, its complete inability to relate to such a backwards notion.

Race has no bearing in any modern developed nation and if it does rear its ugly head you have the full backing of the law and social norms behind you to bring the culprits to justice. To say you need to know some language and culture because your black, yellow, brown, pink or whatever skin colour is called RACISM.

Just as your free to hold your opinions and disregard mine though, so other people are free to disregard yours. I just find your attitude repugnant is all.

Tell me what is Chinese?, why should an Asian man born and raised in the west relate to China?, China consists of a multitude of ethnic groups, a fair smattering of languages, what if your ancestors were actually Mongolian or Korean or Vietnamese?. Where does the buck stop?, are you obliged by some vague relation of genetics to speak some proto-Chinese language that died along with the tribe,nation or ethnic group that originally spoke it?. Why don't you write with the dusty old ancient alphabet that was first created in the Yellow river valley?.

Allot of what you say does make sense, yes, a second language is good to have, yes its good to know where you;ve come from, but your failing to see the biggest problem with your position which is the innate casual acceptance of the racism of it.

You cant possibly expect an individual to act a certain way or know certain things based on skin colour.

How would you like it if I assumed you knew every other Asian person, or if I assumed you struggle to prenounce the letter W just because I assume it based on your appearance?.

So why do you assume another Asian person must know an irrelevant language to their daily life or identify with a country and culture that could be on the other side of the world?.

I'm hoping that some spark goes off in your head and you realise why exactly I take issue with your attitude.



Edit: Wikipedia

Human to human total genetic variation is approximately 0.5%.

So really this notion your obliged to meet someone else's standards of expectation based on their skin colour is just flawed. Yes, learn a language because its useful, yes learn where your forbears came from because it interests you. No, don't expect another person to know these things because he is darker/lighter.

 

[Rico]

*high fives Nurizeko*

 

[Sulkdodds]

I haven't really read all these posts but it would seem to me there is an excellent argument for knowing the culture of your parents and learning that language if it's available: simply the joy of having a broader and more versatile mind, in touch with the world at more points than before. Beyond that I'm not sure it's necessary or desirable to appeal to...racial pride (?).

 

[Eejit]

Damnit, I have to agree with Nuri.

Also how would you reconcile your position with people of mixed race Azner? If I'm 1/4 Japanese, 1/4 Indian, 1/4 Zulu, 1/4 French and live in Quebec how many languages do I need to speak? Five or six? Where does identifying more with the culture of your ancestors than the one you inhabit end?

 

[CptStern]

Damnit, I have to agree with Nuri.

Also how would you reconcile your position with people of mixed race Azner? If I'm 1/4 Japanese, 1/4 Indian, 1/4 Zulu, 1/4 French and live in Quebec how many languages do I need to speak? Five or six? Where does identifying more with the culture of your ancestors than the one you inhabit end?

two, in canada we practice bilinguism ..at least in school, outside of school no one gives a shit about quebec

 

[flamingdts]

Damnit, I have to agree with Nuri.

Also how would you reconcile your position with people of mixed race Azner? If I'm 1/4 Japanese, 1/4 Indian, 1/4 Zulu, 1/4 French and live in Quebec how many languages do I need to speak? Five or six? Where does identifying more with the culture of your ancestors than the one you inhabit end?

There are too many responses to reply to, so I'll sum it all up.

As I mentioned before, it depends on the generations, and what your parents and grandparents follow. If your grandparents follow a particular tradition, your parents will most likely follow that too, and then you will at most be left with two traditions (mom and dad) to have to follow, respect, and pass on.

Rico:

No I'm not trying to judge, and I apologize if I sound like I am. Yes, If I see a guy walking down the street, I expect him to know Spanish. You're lying for the sake of arguement if you say you don't expect a Mexican guy you see on the street to not know Spanish. If he was a "mexican looking" guy, that's a whole damn different story, because he isn't Mexican in the first place.

Second of all: HELL YES I need to be good at math. Do you know how important it is for Asians to be good at math. Do you have any damn idea how competitive it is in Asia? Do you know that math is essential for Asian students to get into top universities? I guarantee you any Chinese person you see in Harvard, Yale, Princeton whatever is a damn freak at math. Do you know universities expect a high math grade in SAT from Asians? Stereotype? Yes, but most of us live up to it to survive the competitive economic world.

My point is not to know where you're from or what culture you want to follow. My point is if you are of a particular race, or generations before you followed a particular culture and tradition. You honor it and pass it on by knowing it, not mastering it, knowing it. Why reduce versitility when you can get ahead?

nurizeko:

You make good points, but you're not understanding my point. It isn't about racial identification or profiling, it's about respecting a tradition that has come before you. If your parents respect a certain tradition, know it and pass it on. Don't ignore it just because you were raised somewhere else and in a different culture.

To say you need to know some language and culture because your black, yellow, brown, pink or whatever skin colour is called RACISM.

No it is not racism, at least not negative stereotyping. Tell me, is it racist if I assumed that mexican across the street follows a mexican tradition and speaks Spanish? Everyone in this world will be labelled as racist (we're all a little racist inside anyways). By the way, It isn't racist to say "you should know" your culture and tradition because you are african/chinese/german etc.

You and Rico failed to understand my point. I am not reinforcing stereotyping, I am merely stating the importance (In my opinion) of knowing your own tradition and culture. To elabourate further, knowing the tradition that your parents and your grandparents followed and passed on. The racial outburst I threw in earlier regarding Asian mathematical capabilities is only used to point out a flaw in a statement, not to reinforce it.

Edit: I'm going to throw it out there, but intelligence is genetic as well.

 

[Rico]

No it is not racism, at least not negative stereotyping. Tell me, is it racist if I assumed that mexican across the street follows a mexican tradition and speaks Spanish? Everyone in this world will be labelled as racist (we're all a little racist inside anyways). By the way, It isn't racist to say "you should know" your culture and tradition because you are african/chinese/german etc.

You and Rico failed to understand my point. I am not reinforcing stereotyping, I am merely stating the importance (In my opinion) of knowing your own tradition and culture. To elabourate further, knowing the tradition that your parents and your grandparents followed and passed on. The racial outburst I threw in earlier regarding Asian mathematical capabilities is only used to point out a flaw in a statement, not to reinforce it.

Edit: I'm going to throw it out there, but intelligence is genetic as well.

Yes that is exactly what racism is. You don't have to say anything negative to be racist, racism is the act of looking at someone and determining something about them based on the color of their skin. That "mexican" guy down the street is probably NOT mexican. He could be from guatemala, or chile, or peru, or venezuela, or argentina... he could be from anywhere in the world. By assuming he "needs to know about Mexican culture because he looks Mexican" is as racist as saying he should be good at building porches because he looks like a Mexican.

The whole point is that people are people, and that the color of someone's skin is NOT a way to tell anything about said person. That is EXACTLY what racism is.

 

[Eejit]

There are too many responses to reply to, so I'll sum it all up.

As I mentioned before, it depends on the generations, and what your parents and grandparents follow. If your grandparents follow a particular tradition, your parents will most likely follow that too, and then you will at most be left with two traditions (mom and dad) to have to follow, respect, and pass on.

... but that's just what I'm saying. To put it another way if you have two traditions to follow, respect and pass on, and so does your spouse, then you'd be passing on four to your kids.

 

[Shamrock]

I hear a song.

It goes Feliz Navidad.

 

[<RJMC>]

I hear a song.

It goes Feliz Navidad.

feliz navidad

prospero año y felicidad

 

[jet_porkins]

Anyone who doesn't speak american isn't a citizen of the world.

 

[VirusType2]

Speaking Hebrew? No need. But they should celebrate Hanukkah due to tradition. AND THAT IS FLAMINGDTS POINT.

Judaism is a religion, not a culture. Hebrew would be part of a Jews culture.

Perhaps this is a bad example because 'Jewish' is not a race.

 

[flamingdts]

Yes that is exactly what racism is. You don't have to say anything negative to be racist, racism is the act of looking at someone and determining something about them based on the color of their skin. That "mexican" guy down the street is probably NOT mexican. He could be from guatemala, or chile, or peru, or venezuela, or argentina... he could be from anywhere in the world. By assuming he "needs to know about Mexican culture because he looks Mexican" is as racist as saying he should be good at building porches because he looks like a Mexican.

The whole point is that people are people, and that the color of someone's skin is NOT a way to tell anything about said person. That is EXACTLY what racism is.

Then we're all big time racists aren't we? Racism usually involves the idea of intolerance or superiority, it's a very negative word.

If I assumed someone to knows something, it doesn't make me a racist, it's stereotyping. If I assumed a mexican guy should know spanish, it isn't racist, it's an assumption. In fact, it's the basic assumption that we all have. If you are of a particular race, the first thing people expect you to know is your own language. It isn't an act of racism. In fact, I won't even call it stereotyping, it's just a basic assumption. Stereotyping and Racism are both negative words, but there is nothing wrong with a person who expects the chinese guy across the street to know chinese.

Now, on the other hand, if I expected african american's from a poorer area of America to be complete idiots and gangsters, then you can start calling me a racist. If I expected the african american's to know how to speak english, does that make me a racist?

 

[Krynn72]

If I assumed a mexican guy should know spanish, it isn't racist, it's an assumption. In fact, it's the basic assumption that we all have.

Not me. My only general assumption is that they speak English, because I live in the U.S. I wouldn't assume another nationality knows a different language, and I can't think of a time where I ever have thought something like that in my life. I've met plenty of asians, Puerto Ricans, mexicans, spaniards (****ing love that name, so badass), and etc that only knew english.

So maybe its just you after all.

 

[Sheepo]

So maybe its just you after all.

Kyrrn, that's racist.

 

[Krynn72]

Shut up cracka.

 

[flamingdts]

Not me. My only general assumption is that they speak English, because I live in the U.S. I wouldn't assume another nationality knows a different language, and I can't think of a time where I ever have thought something like that in my life. I've met plenty of asians, Puerto Ricans, mexicans, spaniards (****ing love that name, so badass), and etc that only knew english.

So maybe its just you after all.

You're telling me that you don't assume a Chinese guy to know Chinese because they live in the U.S? Maybe that's just me, because when I see a Japanese guy, I assume he knows Japanese, not Hebrew.

Come on you're telling me now that never in you life have you assumed that mexican guy across the street speaks Spanish? You've never assumed anyone of a different nationality to know their native language when you see or speak to them in your life?

 

[Sheepo]

Why the **** would you assume that? I might think, "It's probably more likely that he speaks spanish than hebrew, but I don't have enough evidence to conclude he speaks either" but I'm not going to think "Mexican, he speaks spanish lol".

 

[jet_porkins]

Come on you're telling me now that never in you life have you assumed that mexican guy across the street speaks Spanish? You've never assumed anyone of a different nationality to know their native language when you see or speak to them in your life?

Not if they have a thick whitey accent.

 

[flamingdts]

Why the **** would you assume that? I might think, "It's probably more likely that he speaks spanish than hebrew, but I don't have enough evidence to conclude he speaks either" but I'm not going to think "Mexican, he speaks spanish lol".

Of course you don't have enough evidence, that's why it's an "assumption", that's "why the ****" I assume that. If it's more likely that he speaks Spanish than Hebrew, then you're assuming he speaks Spanish are you not? Rephrase your last sentence, it should be "Mexican, he most likely speaks spanish, that's why I'm assuming he speaks spanish."

 

[jet_porkins]

flamingdts, I think Sherpa is more concerned with the fact that you would make the assumption that anyone who looks a little browner than you speaks a foreign language at all, let alone English as a second language.