The Language Barrier

We may live in a small world and the United States indeed has a very diverse population. I enjoy most aspects of that.

In fact my grandfather was born in Naples, Italy. I had always wished that I had learned Italian from him. I think it is unique to be bi-lingual.

So I have no qualms with people from foreign countries coming here to be my neighbor and keeping their native tongue in tact. I personally would think that like my grandfather they would like to speak English also.

Now I am not trying to stir controversy as whether it should be mandatory or not. But I do have a couple areas in which it does really get on my nerves.

For one, any one and every one should have the right to be gainfully employed. But please if you’re going to wait on me can you at least understand what I am asking for as your customer?

The other day I was at a famous doughnut establishment. It happened to be owned and operated by a family of recent foreign arrival. I ordered a large French Vanilla coffee and got a hot tea. She had know idea what I said to her. And I had know idea what she asked me in an apparent attempt to clarify my order.

Now I don’t think it is wrong for them to have the place. That’s great that they do. Land of opportunity right? But I do expect to be waited on in the native tongue. If I were in her country then tough luck for me. Therefore if you want to run a business and be a part of another country than perhaps you should aquire enough communication skills to know what your customer wants.

Along a similar theme I am totally on board with businesses having instructions and/or directions in multiple languages.

When I go to an ATM I have a problem though. It is perfectly understandable why there is directions in other languages. But I shouldn’t have to choose English as an option. The machine should have a default that automatically assumes you speak English. On the screen you could have other languages offered if you want another language. The languages can come up when it asks yo to please enter your pin number. If you want a language other than English, then you may select it. Otherwise you just punch in your pin and move on in English.

Now this isn’t me saying that I need to save that five seconds of time. It is just the principle that it is totally unnecessary. And over time that five seconds become minutes, and then hours.

So please let us continue to share our cultural nuances and variety of language. Can we just remember that in the end we don’t need an education when we are being the customer?