Pressing 1 for English is serious business.

[Vollstrecker]

I'm at work, and I just got another jackass who was "offended" that they had to press the number 1 to continue through our phone system in English.

God forbid we have a Spanish option in the Southwest corner of the United States.

Anyone else regularly have people "offended" by menial shit like this at work?

[Demosthenes]

ROFL. You should have started speaking incoherently pretending to only speak spanish. Que? Que? No hablo ingles amigo!

[Vollstrecker]

It's just so damn irritating, and I can't put these assholes in their place because it'd end up with me fired.

It rather depresses me that the country is simply THAT full of racist bigots.

[HandOfHeaven]

I like when people call the business and ask if it is still open (not store hours, but actually functioning). You would think that they would know when someone picks up the phone, but yah know. Old people are stupid. Our generation of old people are going to be smart and not stubborn. Except for K_A, of course. XD

[Vollstrecker]

Except for K_A, of course. XD

If you want to go bitch about him, make another thread instead of fucking up mine. I'm actually rather tired of seeing this shit in every thread.

You don't like him, we get it. Was that really necessary?

[Vault Dweller]

Yes. The matter at hand is shortsighted bigot hicks whose heads reside firmly in their colons.

[Vollstrecker]

I love when they pitch me the, "This is America" crap about it too.

I'd love to point out that the country originated from immigration from pretty much every corner of the globe. Most of these jackasses are likely not even English in origin, either. I'll bet a large portion of them are of Germanic descent, like myself.

[Demosthenes]

Fuck the immigrants. THEY TOOK OUR JOBS!!

[timmay1113]

You don't even work... but then again neither do I. lololololol

[Vollstrecker]

You don't even work... but then again neither do I. lololololol

I wish I could get away with that, but alas...

[HandOfHeaven]

Way to not contribute to your own thread by bitching at me. If you want to argue this point, please PM HoH or flame HoH in the flame forum.

I, for one, have to deal with many hispanics, so around here it is very common.

[Grav]

TURKERRRRDUHHRRRRR!!

[Thanatos]

haha this was a thread not too long ago.

Although I agree with you on your first post, Volls, it can get irritating. My buddy C has this voicemail to where as soon as it stops ringing a lady's voice comes on and says "to leave a voicemail in spanish press 2, to continue in English press 1." Come on man. It REALLY confused the hell out of me the first time I called him, I was a bit tipsy, and ended up just hanging up. I thought I dialed the wrong number. That kinda gets to me a lil bit, but I'm the least racist person I know.

[WetWired]

Why wouldn't people be offended that illegal residents invade our country and take our jobs, then not only does the government suggest we just let them stay, but companys start catering to them too? Really, most of them try to start learning English as soon as they get here, so the ones who can't are fresh-off-the-truck.

[Demosthenes]

http://www.thebestpageintheuniverse.net/images/immigrant.gif

[Thanatos]

That's not the issue. All's fair in love and war, some competition never hurt anyone. It's when, like WW said, our government starts to cater towards them. They shouldn't even be here in the first place, why are we trying to make their stay more comfortable?

[Grav]

Because they are just as much human as we. They are just trying to escape desperate conditions as our great-grandparents were.

[Vault Dweller]

Could be worse. Look at Canada. They got stuck with French as their other language.

[Demosthenes]

Because they are just as much human as we. They are just trying to escape desperate conditions as our great-grandparents were.

Well said.

I agree wholeheartedly with Grav in that sentiment. Except about the great-grandparents part. My (x)great-grandparents were brought here to be slaves. At least I assume as much.

[KagomJack]

But French sounds so much better than Spanish does.

I'm also with WW. From my observations, however, they don't try to learn that much English. I've learned a little retail Spanish to help out with sales and stuff, but for the most part I get sick of hearing "No hable ingles!" Or just having people smile at me like a big, shit-eating idiot.

[Vault Dweller]

I guess I don't interact with Spanish speakers that often. Mostly I get asian people who don't care enough to learn English.

And FUCK French. It's a snooty bullshit language designed for talking down to people. Spanish (I'm talking real Spanish, not the Mexican bastardization) sounds much better. But that's just my opinion, of course. Fuck French.

[HandOfHeaven]

Mexican kids aren't allowed to have toys unless it is a soccer ball.

[Sovereign]

I had a black woman get really pissed at me because I asked to see her ID. Her card wasn't signed.

Too bad I do that to anyone without a signature on their card. Stupid whore.

[KagomJack]

I disagree. French is a beautiful language and flows smoothly. Spanish, niggard whether it's Mexican Spanish or Spanish Spanish, sounds choppy and rough.

[Vollstrecker]

French is the worst language I can think of to listen to, period.

Regarding the illegal immigrant stance, not all foreigners are illegal, and many do end up learning English (at least around here). I personally find it irritating that people are so damn high and mighty about it when their ancestors likely came over here not speaking a word of the damn language themselves. Most of these jackasses are merely speaking from the, "If English is good enough for me, then by god it's good enough for the rest of the world!" attitude, and it's just sickening how self-centered people are about this.

[KagomJack]

I think French is better than Spanish, but I've said that enough as is.

I've heard a lot of people say the whole world should speak English and only English. I find it foolish and sad because these people don't care how language is apart of cultural identity or anything of that sort.

[Vollstrecker]

I think a central language would actually help ease tensions in the world, but it's just bad to attempt to force it on others.

[D3V]

I think French is better than Spanish, but I've said that enough as is.

I've heard a lot of people say the whole world should speak English and only English. I find it foolish and sad because these people don't care how language is apart of cultural identity or anything of that sort.

English is the hardest language to work and adapt, has the most rules and is the most complex... apparently. Though, there will NEVER be a universal language, anytime soon atleast, maybe a few thousand years from now we may see some sort of unity in language, but anytime soon not a chance.

[KagomJack]

I would never want a universal language.

[Demosthenes]

I would never want a universal language.

Why?


5

[KagomJack]

Just feels like it'd be something to slowly strip us of something...

[Demosthenes]

It would also be a uniting factor for humanity. Personally, I would gladly rid myself of culture for the preservation of humanity.

[Vollstrecker]

Just feels like it'd be something to slowly strip us of something...

I'm a bit torn on this, but I think I'd be for a unifying language. It would be another step closer to the world being, uh, united, to be redundant.

Just imagine what we could accomplish with the whole planet under 1 banner.

[KagomJack]

What we could accomplish could go both ways. I don't trust mankind, honestly, or have much hope that a lot of good would be accomplished, but I'm skeptical and I've no reason for my skepticism, sadly.

[Vollstrecker]

Honestly, a unification of mankind will not happen until we trust each other. That won't happen until after a fair period of goodwill, so I'm thinking that by the time this would truly happen, we'd have moved past the possibility of large-scale failure in regards to human relations.

[KagomJack]

Possibly, but then again look at our species. We can put on a mask of sorts and still hold hidden grudges and the sort. We'd unify, but there'd be much backstabbing in the higher-ups and it'd slowly poison into the common people. It's how our kind rolls, sadly.

[Vollstrecker]

We're ever moving towards mutual cooperation, even despite the crap we still pull. At some point we'll pass the event horizon and actually make it, I think. :)

[KagomJack]

I guess, despite the optimistic attitude I push out at people, I'm still a pessimist at the core. Maybe they will.

[Vollstrecker]

I might be the reverse, or have a slight multiple personality disorder. :p

[KagomJack]

Dissociative Identity Disorder is so sexy.

[khwiii]

And FUCK French. It's a snooty bullshit language designed for talking down to people. Spanish (I'm talking real Spanish, not the Mexican bastardization) sounds much better. But that's just my opinion, of course. Fuck French.


That was a pretty idiotic statement.

SO the question must be asked, are you the racist that call Vol at work?

[KagomJack]

Considering he praised some form of Spanish, I doubt it.

[Vault Dweller]

Heh. Guess the sarcasm didn't translate well in that post. I was just trying to provide a counterpoint to the complaints in this thread regarding Spanish speaking immigrants. I just picked French out of a hat. I could just as easily have used German, Russian, etc.

Honestly, if I had the time, I'd work on becoming multi-lingual. I'd greatly prefer that to one unifying language. There are too many phrases and concepts that don't translate accurately from one language (culture) to another. (For instance, according to the Dalai Lama in his book Ethics for the New Millennium, Tibetian Buddhism does not have an equivalent concept for the Western idea of "guilt.") A unifying language could erase various culturally oriented perceptions that have the potential to benefit the whole of mankind. At the same time, I do see how it could put us all "on the same page." I guess I'd just prefer the benefit of knowing multiple languages in order to open historical avenues of study.

Of course, there is the fact that mathematics and science have already presented the world with unifying languages, so an actual conversational language isn't really necessary in order for mankind to progress scientifically.

[KagomJack]

Being multi-lingual is awesome. I still need to improve my German and I need to learn more French. I can also read Cyrllic (just don't comprehend the language it's used for) as well as Old English (same deal).


Also, very awesome post, Vault Dweller.

[HandOfHeaven]

I know enough German to get around and look like an American tourist...

[Vault Dweller]

Damn. Cyrillic and Old English? Impressive. I had enough trouble with Middle English. Right now, I know enough Spanish that I could get by if necessary. Like I said, just haven't had the time to study any other languages.

I met a girl in one of my classes who learned Welsh. That seems like another interesting (but "useless," as she put it) language.

[klo]

uhm........
most accents are hott, except spanish ones.
"ay mami" UGH

[Mantralord]

you're all racist jerks regardless of your views

[HandOfHeaven]

Finnish.

[Thanatos]

haha look at the Spaniard taking offense. Carlos Mencia makes you guys look so distinguished...

[KagomJack]

Like I said, I can't comprehend Cyrillic and Old English, but I can read and pronounce the words pretty decently. Most Russian I know is "Ya Amerikanetz," which is "I'm American."

[Vollstrecker]

Heh. Guess the sarcasm didn't translate well in that post. I was just trying to provide a counterpoint to the complaints in this thread regarding Spanish speaking immigrants. I just picked French out of a hat. I could just as easily have used German, Russian, etc.

Honestly, if I had the time, I'd work on becoming multi-lingual. I'd greatly prefer that to one unifying language. There are too many phrases and concepts that don't translate accurately from one language (culture) to another. (For instance, according to the Dalai Lama in his book Ethics for the New Millennium, Tibetian Buddhism does not have an equivalent concept for the Western idea of "guilt.") A unifying language could erase various culturally oriented perceptions that have the potential to benefit the whole of mankind. At the same time, I do see how it could put us all "on the same page." I guess I'd just prefer the benefit of knowing multiple languages in order to open historical avenues of study.

Of course, there is the fact that mathematics and science have already presented the world with unifying languages, so an actual conversational language isn't really necessary in order for mankind to progress scientifically.

Even Mathematics and Science require a medium to explain new principles and such, a unifying language would still do a lot for the people of the world in my eyes, at least for public speaking and such.

[Demosthenes]

I propose everyone be forced to learn Lojban (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lojban)

[Vollstrecker]

First I've ever heard of it. What is its current purpose?

[Demosthenes]

I believe it was created for strictly academic purposes. Haven't looked into it too much.

[WetWired]

In FireFly, humanity speaks English and Chinese. Sensible really. English is the language of buisiness in the west, and most far eastern cultures have present or past use of Chinese characters.