Barack Obama: Your Children Should Learn To Speak Spanish

[The Annoyed Man]

  BHO is mono lingual, not even Indonesian any better than my Japanese (where I lived as a small child). I don't know how he managed to graduate High School without  any foreign language. Both my High School and College required years of it. I took Latin, Spanish, German. I never had use for any of them, except for the Latin. Hey, it helps with English, "Romantic" languages", and Medicalese.  OK, we had a few monolingual  Hispanic patients. Also French, german, Indian, Arabic... Now, Haitian Creole was a problem. It doesn't have a lot of relation to English, French, or New Orleans, and that translater was kind of hard to find. It's amazing  how much can be communicated with body language alone.The Chinese are taught English from Kindergarten through college, since it's such a universal language.

  "Meci boucoup" isn't Spanish. Spanish came from, duh, Spain.

  I don't know anyone who doesn't smoke about "pressing one for English". Makes me want to press 6 for Navaho.
Sounds like this board is more muti-lingual than the facist Martinet..

[Perd Hapley]

The definition of politeness, to me.

When I lived in S. Florida, I came out of a store, and two ladies were speaking to each other in Haitian Creole. They switched to English without a break in their conversation to each other along with their nod and smile of greeting as I passed...as if there was an unsaid social rule common to both of them that it was simply polite to do so if others could overhear the conversation, being that they were in America.

I've never understood why anyone cares about that.  They should have stuck to Creole. 

[doczinn]

Actually, I have to agree with fistful on that one - passersby have a right to understand my conversation? I don't think so.

[longeyes]

BHO is monolingual?  Indonesia?  Muslim schooling?  Hmmm.

[macadore]

Actually, I have to agree with fistful on that one - passersby have a right to understand my conversation? I don't think so.

Its rude to speak a language that others do not understand. Its like whispering in front of others.

[Perd Hapley]

What does it even have to do with you? 

[doczinn]

Its rude to speak a language that others do not understand.

Says who? Why do passersby have a right to understand what I'm saying?

[Laurent du Var]

"Guten Morgen, das ist HK Kundenservice. Sie saugen und wir hassen sie."
[/quote]

 

[macadore]

Its rude to speak a language that others do not understand.

Says who? Why do passersby have a right to understand what I'm saying?

If three people are standing together and one turns to the other, covers his mouth, and whispers to the other so you can not hear, it is rude. The person whispering is implying that you are not worthy of hearing the conversation. It is rude, disrespectful, and condescending. It shows a distinct lack of class.

[doczinn]

If three people are standing together and one turns to the other, covers his mouth, and whispers to the other so you can not hear, it is rude.

Perhaps, but that's not what I'm disputing.

[longeyes]

Speaking more than one language doesn't mean you make any more sense.  It is quite possible to be a superficial dolt in many tongues.

In an era where Harvard Law graduates can't seem to think clearly we need to get back to basics.

[K Frame]

"If three people are standing together and one turns to the other, covers his mouth, and whispers to the other so you can not hear, it is rude."

Your point supposes that the three people standing there are together.

If only two are together, and the third is an unrelated party, there is nothing rude about one of the first two whispering to the other.

There is also absolutely nothing inherently rude to two people continuing a conversation in their native language if you are not, and are not intended to be, a part of it.

[Perd Hapley]

"If three people are standing together and one turns to the other, covers his mouth, and whispers to the other so you can not hear, it is rude."

Your point supposes that the three people standing there are together. 

Even if they were together, it could be rude, condescending, blah, blah, blah, but not always.  The fact that they don't want to share X with you is not necessarily an insult.  It just might not be something you need to hear.  If it bothers you, macadore, it might indicate a bit of insecurity or paranoia on your part, depending on circumstances. 

I'm left out sometimes, when my wife is talking to a female friend.  Sometimes they have a little bit of girl talk to take care of.  I don't care.  I just lean forward, and pretend to listen in, just to annoy them.   

[doc2rn]

I gotta better idea! Why dont they just learn the language of the country they are in illegaly for the most part!?. Oh yeah this is DC common sense left long ago......

[longeyes]

I'm left out sometimes, when my wife is talking to a female friend.  Sometimes they have a little bit of girl talk to take care of.  I don't care.  I just lean forward, and pretend to listen in, just to annoy them.

You should listen.. because from what I can see girltalk is going to be the official language of the United States, if it isn't already.

[macadore]

If it bothers you, macadore, it might indicate a bit of insecurity or paranoia on your part, depending on circumstances. 

It does not bother me if people want to parade their lack of class. As for your ad hominum attack, thanks for accentuating my point.

[AZRedhawk44]

It does not bother me if people want to parade their lack of class. As for your ad hominum attack, thanks for accentuating my point

I don't think that's an ad hominem attack.  Excessive concern over the unrelated actions of others and the fixation that those actions have bearing on one's self is a classic definition of insecurity or paranoia.

Just because it can be inferred to apply to you in this particular instance doesn't make the argument any less cogent.

Paranoia:
1. Psychiatry. a mental disorder characterized by systematized delusions and the projection of personal conflicts, which are ascribed to the supposed hostility of others, sometimes progressing to disturbances of consciousness and aggressive acts believed to be performed in self-defense or as a mission. 
2. baseless or excessive suspicion of the motives of others. 

[Perd Hapley]

If you can label some actions as rude, I don't know why I can't suggest that your point of view MIGHT indicate some shortcomings on your part.  DEPENDING ON CIRCUMSTANCES.  I think I was about as circumspect as possible.  If that bothers you, thanks for proving my point.

[RevDisk]

Of course, if you learn German, you can yell at HK customer service reps in a more effective manner.

"Guten Morgen, das ist HK Kundenservice. Sie saugen und wir hassen sie."

Bwahahaha, I'm so answering the phone with that from now on out.

[Scout26]

whisperwhisperwhisperwhisperwhisper Fistful whisperwhisperwhisperwhisperwhisper Mike Irwin whisperwhisperwhisperwhisperwhisper

 

[The Annoyed Man]

Of course, if you learn German, you can yell at HK customer service reps in a more effective manner.

"Guten Morgen, das ist HK Kundenservice. Sie saugen und wir hassen sie."

Bwahahaha, I'm so answering the phone with that from now on out.

What does that mean? I got the first part, "Good morning, this is the HK customer service". What about the rest?

[Perd Hapley]

whisperwhisperwhisperwhisperwhisper Fistful whisperwhisperwhisperwhisperwhisper Mike Irwin whisperwhisperwhisperwhisperwhisper

 

That, sir, is a vicious lie!!   

[Headless Thompson Gunner]

"Guten Morgen, das ist HK Kundenservice. Sie saugen und wir hassen sie."

Where have I heard that before?

[seeker_two]

whisperwhisperwhisperwhisperwhisper Fistful whisperwhisperwhisperwhisperwhisper Mike Irwin whisperwhisperwhisperwhisperwhisper

 

That, sir, is a vicious lie!!   

I agree......Irwin would never be that gentle with fistful......   

[Glock Glockler]

BHO is mono lingual

In an interview with the New York Times Obama stated that the Muslim call to prayer was the "prettiest sound on earth" and then recited it in perfect arabic.