"Most Americans Don't Like Speaking Spanish."

[Marina-Del 10]

I agree with most here. I am very tolerant of people in the US who don't speak English perfectly, but I do agree that if you live in the US you should try to learn English. At the same time, I expect people to be tolerant with me here in Brazil. My Portuguese gets better every day, but it's not perfect and some people are really rude to me. To understand me 100% you have to really listen to what I say. For example, I might say "I slept tomorrow" or something, so you have to think a little bit and maybe ask me "Do you mean you will sleep tomorrow or you slept yesterday?" or something. But some people just don't have the patience for that (which I can kinda understand but I promise I am trying really hard!!!). It annoys me and hurts my feelings when people laugh at me or don't even try to listen to me. Especially when I KNOW I am saying the right words. Maybe my pronunciation is off, but I am saying the right words. Then I'll come home and tell Del what I tried to say and he'll tell me I'm saying it correctly! So why the ** couldn't that other woman understand me!?

I've learned who is nice and who isn't when it comes to this. Del's father and aunts =really nice. Dels SIL =not nice.

Anyway, my experience here has given me a new level of understanding for those in the US who are trying to learn English.

Edited June 18, 2009 by Marina-Del

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

have a roman orgy?

Trying to tell us about your last trip to Italy Charles?

never been to italy.

[Empress of Groovy 373]

Almorranas sounds a lot better than hemorrhoids. The rolled r is key.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

have a roman orgy?

Yes, but all moaning and groaning must be in English. I get mad when my wife cries Oi in a moment of passion.

[Ban Hammer 13,352]

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

have a roman orgy?

Yes, but all moaning and groaning must be in English. I get mad when my wife cries Oi in a moment of passion.

just tell her "english only outside of the regional forums"

[Craneman 2]

My wife cuts my hair, she speaks Portuguese, does not effect the hiar at all.

[Craneman 2]

The worst people we have encountered are in the Government offices Social Security and DMV.

They invariably tell me that she needs to answer the question not me, I tell them then they need to learn Portuguese.

More sods work for the government, you would think it was a requirement.

[scandal 951]

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

have a roman orgy?

Yes, but all moaning and groaning must be in English. I get mad when my wife cries Oi in a moment of passion.

just tell her "english only outside of the regional forums"

I think I'll have to try that one, should Thai utterances be spoken in the heat of passion!

[almaty 19]

just stop..and say "what did you say about my mom"

[jundp 191]

So far I speak 3 languages, I sure wanna pick up another two, I plan to go back to Japanese when I can, and I'd like to learn one more, either German or French.

I've lost most of my French and the less I use my Spanish the more I lose it. I taught Spanish for 7 years, and though I read it with no trouble, I have a harder time speaking these days. There's always the moment of panic when someone speaks directly to me in Spanish where my brain says "OMG FOREIGN LANGUAGE DANGER WILL ROBINSON!" My German is laughable but P tells me "one word at a time." I do want to be fluent in German though to speak to his grandma and to him even.

My son, who just graduated from high school speaks Spanish and German fluently and knows basic French. His intended college majors are archaeology and Near Eastern Studies, so he's already planned his next 5 years and the other 3 languages he wants to learn. I am impressed, but is it bad that your own kid makes you feel dumb?

[panamania79 2]

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

have a roman orgy?

Trying to tell us about your last trip to Italy Charles?

never been to italy.

He just watched Caligula.

When in Rome, do as the Romans do.

have a roman orgy?

do a slave boy?

get invaded by Huns and Visigoths?

Stay away from the Spartans !

[panamania79 2]

Hmm...good point. The Spainish were ruthless when they discovered America. They enslaved the natives, force them into extinction through by introducing diseases unknown to the Aztecs, and other tribes throughout America. Heck, they were the group responsible for most of the carnage in America.

England on the other hand was late in coming to find the rich in America. They arrived in New England starting near where Portugal was fishing the COD FISH (aka Cape Cod) all the way to virginia. Heck, slaves came mostly from the Portugese who had their trading with Africans cemented and took monopoly on the slave trade. England was the second hand trader. They almost have a working fair Court System that tried to be fair to the Natives.

The Spainish converted the local tribes in meso-America into Catholic, and kidnap people to Spain to teach them the ways of Spain. Then they return them to currently, Mexico, to convert more people. But, a short time later they claimed their Independence from Spain because of their skin color.

I prefer English though.

They all sucked

[spookyturtle 9,466]

My wife usually says, you'll have to paint the ceiling.

[_Simpson_ 250]

You know those people who when eating at a Mexican restaurant try to improve there Spanish by asking the waitress how do you say this how do you say.... I find it somewhat annoying.

[spookyturtle 9,466]

You know those people who when eating at a Mexican restaurant try to improve there Spanish by asking the waitress how do you say this how do you say.... I find it somewhat annoying.

Why do you hate people who want to learn?