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Why the intolerance for people who speak a different language in public?

Nowadays, I see people all the time - be it in real life or TV - constantly complaining whenever someone nearby is speaking in their own language. They tend to flinch and have a horrible, awkward look on their face as if they should be insecure because they can't eavesdrop on somebody's conversation.

The reason this gets to me is because of the plain ignorance of these people. My sister is one of them. Whenever we a couple of people on the street who are talking to each other in Polish, Romanian, Arabic, whatever, she always says something like "****ing foreigners". But why?

If any of us were to move to another country with family or friends, we would undoubtedly speak English to each other and wouldn't learn a new language and speak in that. When I moved to the Netherlands, I spoke to my English friends in English and even my Dutch friends in English just for sake of ease, but nobody complained and nobody seemed put out because of it. This is likely due to the fact that the Dutch are tolerant of foreigners.

So why must British people be so intolerant? I know Britain is a small island, but we are part of a *huge* continent with hundreds of languages and dialects, so to be so intolerant of that fact is ridiculous. I can understand if they refused to learn English, that's lame and kind of rude, but speaking their own language in public, even in the workplace? What's wrong with that. At least then they can communicate with each other to their best ability. In the workplace, that will help to prevent mistakes.

I realise I just gave the UKIPpers of this forum a load of ammunition, so it'll be interesting to hear what you all think about this.

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What, so you're saying Britain is worse than Russia?
Original post by Francis.C
What, so you're saying Britain is worse than Russia?


Could you talk me through how you came to that conclusion? :P
English is a language which is recognised throughout the world so therefore the majority of people would probably understand what we're saying over there as they will probably have been taught English from a very young age.. thus making it slightly better

A reason why some British may not like it is because we have absolutely no idea what they are saying.. especially in a country where national security is at risk people are non-trusting of pretty much everyone (no thanks to the media).

Plus the British are obsessed with rudeness and many would say speaking in a different language around English speakers is rude.

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Asolare
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Because the British have an absolutely ignorant and abhorrent attitude towards foreign languages on the whole.

I'd rather listen to someone speak Polish than deal with the stereotypical "watz up bruv innit" speech I tolerate every day at college.
Original post by annarchy.
English is a language which is recognised throughout the world so therefore the majority of people would probably understand what we're saying over there as they will probably have been taught English from a very young age.. thus making it slightly better


This isn't as true as you'd think. In the Netherlands, definitely, but in other countries (particularly France and Spain), they can only say a few words they picked up on TV. It would be like saying that we can understand French because there are loads of French words in our language and we're exposed to it.

Original post by annarchy.

A reason why some British may not like it is because we have absolutely no idea what they are saying.. especially in a country where national security is at risk people are non-trusting of pretty much everyone (no thanks to the media).

Plus the British are obsessed with rudeness and many would say speaking in a different language around English speakers is rude.

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This is true enough. I always get the impression, however, that it's due to the "immigrants are scroungers; hate all immigrants" vibe.
Original post by SharkFinnuend0
Could you talk me through how you came to that conclusion? :P


I'm not into politics and all that but from what I know, Russians dislikes foreigners which may include even those in the UK. The reason being is that they do not wish for their country to be multicultural, which includes different language and race.
They not wanting a multicultural community can be understandable because look at the world of today, interracial relationships is starting to be a 'thing' now meaning there may, if not will be, no such race as Black nor White.


I'll stop now, I seem to be going off topic
Original post by Francis.C
I'm not into politics and all that but from what I know, Russians dislikes foreigners which may include even those in the UK. The reason being is that they do not wish for their country to be multicultural, which includes different language and race.
They not wanting a multicultural community can be understandable because look at the world of today, interracial relationships is starting to be a 'thing' now meaning there may, if not will be, no such race as Black nor White.


I'll stop now, I seem to be going off topic


Racist loon spotted
Original post by driftawaay
Racist loon spotted


I don't see where it was racist. He was in a thread I made called What Is Black and has no issue with people of colour. Unless he's a different Francis lol
Original post by Sweet n Sour
I don't see where it was racist. He was in a thread I made called What Is Black and has no issue with people of colour. Unless he's a different Francis lol


He said it's understandable that some people might not want black people in their country because they are worried about interracial dating and how it will ruin the ethnic profile of their country. How is that not racist?
I think it's paranoia
I absolutely love it when I hear someone talking a different language.

Shame people are so ignorant and disrespectful about it.
Original post by Francis.C
I'm not into politics and all that but from what I know, Russians dislikes foreigners which may include even those in the UK. The reason being is that they do not wish for their country to be multicultural, which includes different language and race.
They not wanting a multicultural community can be understandable because look at the world of today, interracial relationships is starting to be a 'thing' now meaning there may, if not will be, no such race as Black nor White.


I'll stop now, I seem to be going off topic


Yay! And every place would look like a Brazilian samba club :daydreaming:

And Russians have had white supremacists attack Asians and Indo-Europeans like Armenians on sight, and have got away with it. Just...look it up.
Original post by driftawaay
Racist loon spotted


Trust me man, racism is there last thing I wish to be involved in, i see both sides to a situation and what I said wasn't th side I go for but there side a quarter of the population have in mind
Original post by Inexorably
Because the British have an absolutely ignorant and abhorrent attitude towards foreign languages on the whole.

I'd rather listen to someone speak Polish than deal with the stereotypical "watz up bruv innit" speech I tolerate every day at college.


problem solved, drop out of college and don't be a spack
It's time to start learning mandarin. Forget english.
Fear of the unknown.
Original post by driftawaay
He said it's understandable that some people might not want black people in their country because they are worried about interracial dating and how it will ruin the ethnic profile of their country. How is that not racist?

Well the bit about there not being any such race as black or white is what made it seem not racist to me.
Original post by Francis.C
Trust me man, racism is there last thing I wish to be involved in, i see both sides to a situation and what I said wasn't th side I go for but there side a quarter of the population have in mind


Yes I'm aware that's how racists think, but when you say something is understandable, you imply that they are right and reasonable.
Original post by judogainz
problem solved, drop out of college and don't be a spack


No thanks as I value my education over some worthless stranger's opinion online on how I should act :smile:

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