Postby JacobT » Mon Nov 07, 2016 7:56 pm
I check in on this forum every so often and this topic grabbed my attention. Some months ago, I posted my frustrations about not being to speak Italian with Italian speakers who visit national parks in the US, where I work. More recently, I came across an internet posting by an American who learned Spanish, only to find that he couldn't use it with Spanish speakers in the US without causing offense. English speakers keen on learning other languages seem to confront challenges like these all the time. This has caused me a great deal of reflection as I pursue my language own goals...
Essentially, I think it boils down to this: we, as human beings, desire validation for our accomplishments and feel dejected when said validation is denied. Perhaps it's part of our tribal instincts. Although learning a language to boost one's ego is arguably a poor motivator, it can be humbling to watch one's efforts go up in smoke with each interaction on the streets of Paris or in the local Mexican restaurant. Conversely, I realize that insisting on the local language can make the interlocutor feel equally invalidated... if I, for instance, insist on Spanish with a waiter who struggles with English, he may feel like I'm insulting his own efforts.
I think it wouldn't matter if we were learning to sing, play basketball or program computers- as humans, we simply desire to be acknowledged for our efforts and sometimes get discouraged when we are not. Being spoken to English everywhere grates upon the sensitivities of those of us who have, in fact, gone the extra mile to communicate in a foreign language. That said, I suspect that most people mean no offense when they reply in English. In some cases, they desire expediency over quality in their communications and English now serves this purpose on a worldwide scale. While sometimes I get discouraged by this, it has caused me to re-assess the reasons for which I am learning foreign languages. Am I doing it because I want someone to compliment me? Am I doing it because I want to "belong" to a certain group, from which perhaps I feel excluded?
I've finally concluded that... it isn't me. It isn't my Spanish (which is quite proficient), nor my Italian, nor my French. It isn't my lack of skills, or my lack of intelligence or my inability to articulate... it is simply the result of a living in a globalized world that, for whatever historical reasons, uses my native language to "get things done". The world speaks English because it is a perceived necessity, and there simply is no equivalent perception in the English-speaking world with respect to other languages. In that regard, I am thankful that I don't have to learn another language, as it's only my ego which suffers when I'm replied to in English- and not my paycheck or quality of life.
I can commiserate with those who feel that we English speakers are at a disadvantage when it comes to learning languages- I can't tell you how many times I've been replied to in English while practicing at home and abroad. Sometimes it's so extreme that I feel tempted to abandon my efforts altogether. Nevertheless, I realize that I am not learning languages to impress others, nor to increase my financial position, nor to be welcomed into a new society which may have preconceived notions about me and my origins, wholly out of my control. I'm doing it because it makes me a better person, gives me a new perspective on the world and, occasionally, opens life changing doors. Learning Spanish in Mexico caused me to reevaluate my political views, opened me to ways of doing things I'd never considered, and netted me friends I would never otherwise have met. I have to constantly remind myself of these things anytime a waiter reverts to English at the local taquería...
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