Speaking Spanish

raehtz10 · January 24, 2008

Anyone?

We had a call at our company and someone only spoke Spanish. Out of 160 employees, not one was coversational. We are in Michigan, so it is a bit of a hike from the border, but it was surprising. I can understand most of it, but not speak it. I can get along when I am in Mexico, but only in touristy areas.

Who here can speak it enough to get by on the phone?

Understand, but not speak?

withdrew · January 24, 2008

[quote name='raehtz10' post='880427' date='Jan 24 2008, 02:32 PM']We had a call at our company and someone only spoke Spanish. Out of 160 employees, not one was coversational. We are in Michigan, so it is a bit of a hike from the border, but it was surprising. I can understand most of it, but not speak it. I can get along when I am in Mexico, but only in touristy areas.

Who here can speak it enough to get by on the phone?

Understand, but not speak?[/quote]
Sounds like situations I've been in countless times, only I have problems finding people that actually speak and understand ENGLISH.

Honestly, I don't find your scenario all that strange. English is the national language still, isn't it?

Mr Mizuno · January 25, 2008

Un poco... but not enough to get along with native speakers.

billybaroo · January 25, 2008

Puedo hablar poco tambien, pero para hablar por el telefono is tan dificil porque no puedo ver su boca. Mi esposa no habla espanol, entonces no tengo alguien para practicar con y si no usarlo, olvidalo!

creo que las palabras aqui estan espanol. ja ja ja. :man_in_love:

JoeF · January 25, 2008

[quote name='withdrew' post='880758' date='Jan 24 2008, 04:06 PM'][quote name='raehtz10' post='880427' date='Jan 24 2008, 02:32 PM']We had a call at our company and someone only spoke Spanish. Out of 160 employees, not one was coversational. We are in Michigan, so it is a bit of a hike from the border, but it was surprising. I can understand most of it, but not speak it. I can get along when I am in Mexico, but only in touristy areas.

Who here can speak it enough to get by on the phone?

Understand, but not speak?[/quote]
Sounds like situations I've been in countless times, only I have problems finding people that actually speak and understand ENGLISH.

Honestly, I don't find your scenario all that strange. English is the national language still, isn't it?
[/quote]

Actually the United States does not have an "official" language

raehtz10 · January 25, 2008

[quote name='billybaroo' post='882068' date='Jan 25 2008, 10:51 AM']Puedo hablar poco tambien, pero para hablar por el telefono is tan dificil porque no puedo ver su boca. Mi esposa no habla espanol, entonces no tengo alguien para practicar con y si no usarlo, olvidalo!

creo que las palabras aqui estan espanol. ja ja ja. :man_in_love: [/quote]

See, I can put together the gist of what you are saying, but you are right that it is harder w/o seeing the mouth. If I were to try and write that, I would never be able to conjugate properly and the such.

I think it is similar to how my buddy can understand Tamil when his parents speak to him, but he responds in perfect english.

withdrew · January 25, 2008

[quote name='JoeF' post='882076' date='Jan 25 2008, 10:55 AM'][quote name='withdrew' post='880758' date='Jan 24 2008, 04:06 PM'][quote name='raehtz10' post='880427' date='Jan 24 2008, 02:32 PM']We had a call at our company and someone only spoke Spanish. Out of 160 employees, not one was coversational. We are in Michigan, so it is a bit of a hike from the border, but it was surprising. I can understand most of it, but not speak it. I can get along when I am in Mexico, but only in touristy areas.

Who here can speak it enough to get by on the phone?

Understand, but not speak?[/quote]
Sounds like situations I've been in countless times, only I have problems finding people that actually speak and understand ENGLISH.

Honestly, I don't find your scenario all that strange. English is the [b]national language[/b] still, isn't it?
[/quote]

Actually the United States does not have an "official" language
[/quote]
No where in my post did I say "official" language.
I'm aware of the U.S.'s non-designation of an official language.

82% (that's an overwhelming majority) of the United States population still speaks English, so I think it can qualify as the native language or "national" language of this country. Street signs remain in English, even where I live in NYC (which is probably one of the most diverse cities in the world) so again, I'd venture to say that English is U.S.'s native language.

I'm not bashing anyone, and I'm not trying to pick a fight here...just the facts.