Because they often do. And most non native speakers really work at it too. Love them for it
I always hope that everyone speaks English and if they seem worried about how it sounds I remind them that their English is way better than my their language which usually breaks the ice.
Heard someone say this on reddit many years ago after someone was being a wise ass about their English which was obviously second or third language
You speak English because it's the only language you know; I speak English because it's the only language you know We are not the same
That's pretty funny, but I'm years past accepting the "hurr durr ignorant american knows only one language" thing. Except as a response to someone harassing someone about their English capabilities, as seems to be the case in your example. 😁
The way I figure it, if the people two states away from me in every direction spoke a different language from me, and from each other, I'd probably be multilingual, too. (As would most of us)
Most people I've talked to who know English as a second language speak and read and understand it better than most American's I've spoken to who know only English.
Yeah I hung out with a bunch of Germans who were really good English speakers but constantly were self critical of their English skills. They were beating my German skills by a landslide even at their worst moments.
Even if you speak Thai, complaining about someone's foreign language abilities as a foreigner is rude.
Implying the sign isn't talking about Australians who visit in the same numbers
But America dumbo!
And perhaps Brits and Canadians. I’m not sure about their visit numbers though.
Wait, in that case maybe complaining is a bit justified? Different of course of it's a place off the beaten path, but if it's a hotbed of English-speaking tourists then having staff that speak their language seems pretty important.
Guess it's really hard to say without more context (story of the internet).
I don't even know why some native speakers complain about having to deal with broken English when the learner only needs to know a tiny fraction of the language to be intelligible. As long as they have the vocab, grammar is mostly optional.
Just remember that any Americans vacationing in other countries are Americans who can afford to travel to take a vacation in other countries (and can even take that long of a vacation at all), and that explains the sense of entitlement and rudeness you see which gives Americans a bad name.
Also except for Canada and Mexico (and even for them depending on where in US you live, to get anywhere is a very long, expensive plane trip).
Yes true but that statement is also true for anyone else. Yet you don't see that sense of entitlement
What statement are you referring to? The point that it's far more expensive to travel from North America to a country in Europe for example, than it is to travel between countries in Europe? Maybe Thailand would be as expensive for both, though, I don't know. Or the point that most Americans get much less vacation time than Europeans so again, only the more privileged Americans generally have the time off to take an overseas vacation.
Of course some regular people also take those vacations, but it's probably a once-in-a-lifetime big deal that they saved up for a long time as a dream. Those aren't the ones acting entitled, they are appreciating the opportunity.
I can't wait for us to start exploring the galaxy and giving aliens shit for not speaking English lol
I’m sawwry, I don’t speak ‘at squeaky squacky, beep boop shit. Why don’t you try talking like an American?! You’re in American space space!
I'm American and I am continually shocked and grateful how commonly I'm catered to internationally. I mean it's not fair in a sense but also there does need to be a global language and the English happened to be the right kind of assholes to win that honor.
It's not necessarily just for Americans. English is the most spoken language in the world when you include people's second language. That German tourist probably isn't going to know Thai and that Thai cafe probably isn't going to know German, but they can muddle though with English.
Right. I was addressing the title of the post. I am assuming Americans are among the worst among presuming English should be spoken everywhere, but I don't fall into that category. I marvel at the fact that it's so widely spoken.
It's always so foreign to me that anglophones never need to switch to English to communicate internationally, that's just their everyday language
Yeah, it's pretty crazy to me and I'm an anglophone who barely knows other languages. It's a marvel.
To be fair. Learning english is a must nowadays. The closest we have to an universal language.
And I say it as a non-native English speaker.
One random thought I had about this the other day was that I feel sort of bad for the British, Irish, Americans and Australians. Well, the monolingual ones.
Anytime they go abroad, it's like "oh they didn't even bother to learn the language", but then when we who didn't grow up on English do, we've already learned at least English, so not knowing the local language is somehow more understandable. Or perhaps people don't feel that way, but it's just a thought I had. Like it feels less polite when a native English speaker just addresses someone in English in a foreign country, but if a non-English speaker asks "do you speak English" with broken English, it's much more... sympathetic.
I'm just babling nevermind me.
I do agree with you though and can't really understand people in my country who still say they can't speak English. I mean, people who still use the internet and consume media that's in English. I don't get it. Language acquisition gets worse sure, but it's never gone away from me at least. I watch one season of some show in a language I don't understand and I already start picking up the very basics. Nothing I could use, surely, but like my brain is clearly structuring and trying to make sense of the language, so with enough exposition to a language...
I watch one season of some show in a language I don’t understand
I wish my brain worked that way; I'd be watching Finnish television and movies all day, every day.
I watch a fair number of shows in Swedish or Norwegian, and I've never picked up anything from what they're saying. I always have to have subtitles.
I can speak Thai so I guess I’m okay
I can’t speak Thai but I am not complaining because I’m not an asshole
Why are people from the USA always called Americans?
Because they're the only country with America in their name whereas United States is shared by Mexico
Also in English there's a distinction between North and South America, with the supercontinent being referred to as "The Americas", so America isn't really ambiguous, they're also geologically and environmentally distinct enough that "The Americas" isn't used so much and "New World" is often more relevant to include Australia as another somewhat culturally similar sparsely populated former colonial area.
Same reason why people from the United Kingdom are called ‘British’, despite Northern Ireland not being in Britain.
There just aren’t better proper adjectives for these 2 countries.
While you can say ‘North American’ to mean anyone from North America and not specifically the US, I’m not sure there’s a fitting word that refers to anyone from North or South America. Although, at that point, the group of people you are talking about is perhaps too broad to be useful in most cases.
And saying North America includes Canada, and I think out of respect to the Canadians they don’t wanna be lumped together with us
Why does someone always smugly point this out in these threads?
Because there's always got to be some young "boo America" edgelord contrarian that thinks they're really doing something by saying it. But really they are just an idiot in a long line of idiots who isn't saying anything at all.
US Americans are seen by basically everyone as the most obnoxious tourists on this planet. Their self importance and undeserved national pride is second to none and it shows in every thread like this. Its just fun to see them get defensive when anyone points it out.
This is literally what that sign is about and its odd that you are confused that people would point this out.
Because calling anyone else an American is insulting.
Would you prefer "yanks"?
Just what people commonly understand so people say it. I always read it in a disapproving Russian accent because of too much TV, the americans
So here's something wild I learned.
To Canadians, when I speak French, I have a very thick American accent. However, when I speak English to Canadians, they really can't tell my accent (presumably because I live in a bordering state?).
I always respect anyone who knows just enough English to communicate something simple/frequent. Because there is no fucking way they'd understand what I was trying to say in their language.
Man that's crazy, I speak French with an undertone of a Belgian accent, but pretty close to French general accent (I know every dept has their accent, chill!), but Canadians have an extremely heavy and weird non standard accent compared to other people.
Language is strange man
Incredible our brains can make sense of any of it sometimes
I'm not American but I also assume everyone speaks English. Other languages are cool but they're just not very useful. I've almost forgotten my native language at this point.
I guess that really depends on your location
Jesus Christ
I think OP means there aren't a lot of use-cases where a non-english language is helpful in communicating more than english is. Like if you learn swahili, there aren't a lot of people around the world who speak that language, and you're unlikely to run into any of them. Millions of people speak swahili, and I'm sure that it has wonderful elements (as all languages do), but there are way more english speakers, and english is spoken in many more places around the world
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because they're frequently proven right, English is the most commonly spoken second language after all
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Americans who can afford to travel abroad are generally more wealthy, and tend to be more over entitled in all aspects of their lives
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Man, that bugs me how many Americans are out there giving the rest of us a bad name. I don't travel, but if I did, I'd be grateful a non-native English speaker knew any English at all. And not learning enough of their language to at least get you by for the trip just sounds like poor planning in general. Some people are just incapable of looking before they leap, and for some reason a bunch of those people travel.
I've been to a few other countries. The people (especially retail workers) are extremely patient. All it takes is a smile and "excuse me" and they will try as hard as they can to build a communication bridge. I don't know why we Americans have no patience
BECAUSE ENGLISH ALWAYS WORKS IF YOU CAN SPEAK IT LOUD ENOUGH
Are there still people that use an accent of the country that they are in but using English words expecting the native person to understand them?
That vaguely works in Japan, because they have a ton of English loanwords, and a lot of them wouldn't be understood by a monolingual Japanese speaker unless you say them in a Japanese accent (it's a bit more complicated than that but that's the gist).
Because western imperialism from English speaking countries has been around for at least 500 years and it's given lots of countries time to learn it.
But also I make sure to know how to introduce myself and ask if they speak English in basically every language I interact with as to not start with it. And then I have conversational understanding of about 7 languages.
I would say the English language supremacy started around 300 years ago, before that the preferred language was french
And Dutch. But let's be honest it was a revolving door of Western Europe and they all new each other.
as if it's not the english making this complaint
Besides people speaking bad English to you are braver and more engaging than the average person in general. Id speak bad English with just about anyone before talking to most of my family lol.
Thanks for the examples
We do?
I'd think that this sign is not there because of American tourists. All the Americans I've met while traveling, have acknowledged that English being their native language is a privilege and have been very polite towards people who don't speak English that well. But in Europe English has become the universal language and it's easy to forget that not everyone can speak it as well.
I certainly don't. It's a huge part (besides cost) of why I find the prospect of travelling to other countries to be very intimidating. I don't want to be a pain in the ass for the locals when I can't communicate with them properly.
Why do you presume this is about Americans?
American tourists are much less common in Thailand than English or Australians.
Because most people in the Western world do speak it proficiently. As well as the more urban populations of much of Asia.
Because we have to if they don't speak our language
I say it because every time I try to speak in someone in their language, they immediately switch to English. (even the one I'm pretty damn good at)
Because of the dominance of English, many people learn it and that's enough to talk to people from many countries, but what are we supposed to do? We can't learn all the other languages.
I live in the Netherlands, where it's not the Americans assuming everyone speaks English. Sometimes it's quite bizarre too: we have this deaf, Ukrainian colleague who doesn't speak but communicates with Russian Sign Language (and whatever gestures you can think up on the spot), and it's very blatant that he doesn't speak English because he doesn't speak and can't hear, and has never written any notes in English or anything like that, but I've still caught other colleagues mouthing, or sometimes outright saying, things to him in English, as if it'd help. I remember once coming across a mute man who obviously understood Dutch, who then tried to ask someone a question, who then replied in a very "my husband is antiquair" kind of way. Otherwise it's mostly European tourists and immigrants who assume you speak English.
I'm a native speaker of German and of course I spoke English to the people in the Netherlands when I was there. I don't know any Dutch and don't expect them to speak German, so English is pragmatically the language that we have most likely in common.
We're talking about the assumption rather than whether it's more likely. German in the Netherlands is a poor example, as it happens, as a lot of Dutch people speak it to some extent, but now you mention it, Dutch people often complain of Germans assuming they understand German.
I personally don’t think it’s a bad thing that the world is moving closer to having a universal language, and resisting a clear and obvious trend that serves an obvious public good is simply being obstinate and anti American just for the sake of being anti American.
If there's ever a universal language, why should it be English? Why not Spanish, Portuguese, Chinese? Those are also language spoken by many people. Is it because many (though not all) Americans can't be bothered to learn about other languages and cultures? If anything, it should be a conlang, such that it benefits no one. Or at least no one is currently raised on it. I for one would vote Interlingua, seeing as it is supposedly easier for and based off European languages like Italian, French, Spanish, Portuguese, but also English, German, and Russian (or so I hear)
Edit: let us not also forget of the cultural aspects of languages currently existing
English started becoming the lingua franca before American cultural dominance even. It happened because of British naval superiority and dominance over trade
That whole clear and obvious trend I mentioned is a good place to start, but as far as the language nobody currently speaks the last thing you want to say when trying to get everyone to adopt something is that it won’t benefit anyone.
As far as Chinese, Spanish, Hindi, etc. yes those could be a good option but they are simply not the best option.
PLEASE don't COMPLAIN about my THAI at a TOURISM HOTSPOT
I wonder if there was a time in which a similar sign was written in Latin.
NOLITE ACCVSARE DE NOSTRA LATINITATE SI NON POTESTIS LOQVI LINGVA CELTICA
VOS AMAMVS
honestly not sure how grammatical that was, I never really learned to write Latin :(
Classic mistake of someone Thai trying to speak English. They forgot to write the words “long time” at the end.
Because they have no official language so any language can be used in the US
I'm an American living in Chicagoland, the 3rd largest metropolitan area in the country. I can drive for over 900 miles in any direction and everyone still speaks English, though some jerks Quebec wouldn't admit it at gunpoint. Even foreign born immigrants who never took a class can usually manage enough pidgin English to get by, even if it's just a hundred words or less.
America also has the largest English speaking pop globally. More than the next 3 countries combined. England is 5th on that list.
America had been the dominant global source of money, technology and education since WW2. Though it's in it's slow decline arc, good luck explaining that to uncritical people who were spoon fed the doctrine of American Exceptionalism since infancy.
Why do many, if not most Americans assume everybody else speaks English? Why the hell wouldn't we?
Europeans and Brits go on vacation abroad and it's usually elsewhere in Europe. Huge swathes of the world had to learn English when the British Empire was large and in charge. The US picked up where the Brits left off. It's been that way for literally centuries.
There's a dozen or two languages they might need to be at least passingly familiar with, on top of English which is needed for business, industry, education, flying/air traffic control, and gawd knows what else. It's the lingua franca of the modern age, and if they have no other language in common, two people with a passing knowledge of English can communicate at a basic level.
Americans go on vacation and travel three time zones over without leaving the continental US. A small town is basically the same in New York and California. You can go anywhere in America or Canada (or most major foreign cities) and find at least a few things you know and are familiar with, from chains like Hilton and McDonald's to independently owned clones like Motels and Diners. Our country, a third of the continent (more or less) is larger than all of continental Europe.
So yeah, that's why. Don't worry, the planet will probably kill us off within a generation or two, assuming the Orange Idiot or some foreign despot like Putin decides to end it all early with nuclear hellfire. So if it's a problem for you, at least it's a problem that will solve itself.
We know WHY you do it. We just aren't very happy with it.
Also, I find it hilarious how US Americans can seamlessly switch between "we're so very united, everywhere is the same, same food, same culture, same language" and "we're really 50 separate countries that each do their own thing, don't judge all of us for the bullshit legislation some of us choose to have".
I was not suspecting this amount of cope. But here we are.
Hop on a 6 hour flight, or drive for 40 hours from most countries and you’ll likely find yourself in a place that speaks an entirely different language. In America all that gets you is someone who has a different kind of twang in their voice.
Not saying it’s right to make that assumption but it’s definitely understandable why people do.
Chi!
They don't, but enough do that it's worth noting.
Is this sign in the US or Thailand? If it’s US there is no excuse. If it’s Thailand then speak Thai or stfu.
Judging by the foliage I'd guess Thailand over the US
Go from Wales, Alaska near the Bering Strait to the southern tip of Florida. You have traveled 4,580 miles (7,370 km) in 14 states and provinces. At no point were you not in a jurisdiction that was predominantly English speaking.
Mandarin Chinese may have the most number of native speakers, but English has the most number of total speakers, and those speakers are spread much more widely around the world.
The US is a business, economic, and geopolitical powerhouse. So was the British Empire.
I'm not saying that every other language should crawl in a hole and die. I'm currently taking a crack at learning Spanish. But there are pretty solid reasons why Americans make assumptions, even if they are erroneous sometimes.
I think the point is that Americans assume that people speak English in countries where English is not the predominant language without first making even the slightest effort to adjust to the local language and customs. And it really comes across as assholery.
Go from Wales, Alaska near the Bering Strait to the southern tip of Florida. You have traveled 4,580 miles (7,370 km) in 14 states and provinces.
I really want to do that, though I was thinking Washington (state) to Florida. Want to drive the Florida Keys at one point definitely. I'm a foreigner though, idk if they even let you stay in the country for vacations that long lol
It looks like the type of visas that are usually used for vacations give you 180 days per stay and last for 10 years. From what I've heard, they're either fairly easy to get a hold of or ridiculously hard depending on your country of origin. In other news, everything in the US around visas and immigration is fuuuuuuccccckkkkked.
Go from Wales, Alaska near the Bering Strait to the southern tip of Florida. You have traveled 4,580 miles (7,370 km) in 14 states and provinces. At no point were you not in a jurisdiction that was predominantly English speaking.
Laughs in Russian
Probably because if your business is based around profiting from American tourists, you're probably going to need to know some English. It seems to me like when money is involved people tend to find a way to communicate what they need to regardless of what languages they share, though. And obviously this does not excuse rude tourists.
Or tourists in general. I'm Estonian. Loads of Estonians go to Thailand. I doubt any of them speak Thai. Most speak English to some degree.
I've been to Thailand. It's not the Americans that are complaining, it's the British and the Australians, both of which also speak English.
Why are you jumping to Americans?
Of course as people pointed out, this is far from a uniquely American thing. Also, I'm sure by American they mean the USA, but "Americans" are inclusive of north, central and south America. Here in Europe, we also expect people to speak English as it is the universal language.
As a side note, it is also often commented that Americans (USA Americans) can only speak English. This is a narrow view that primarily broadly looks at white Americans and ignores the fact that the US is a huge melting pot of cultures and for many US citizens English is their second or third language.
It goes without being said, the contents of the picture should never have a reason to be written. Don't be a dick to people trying to help you.
Why’s everyone assuming this isn’t in America? I’ve seen signs like this here and it’s immigrants’ way of saying “listen we’re trying to speak your language well, but please be sympathetic as it’s our second (or more) language”. We’re generally fine with people not speaking English when we’re outside America, it’s inside our borders that we’re tremendous assholes about it
Because the plants and the building look very Thai, or at least tropical and not in the US.
Because gunpowder.
Gunpowder go in metal tube.
Projectile go in metal tube.
Ignite.
BOOM.
Death.
Human go new place.
Bring Boomsticks.
Native humans = Dead
Native humans = Surrender
World = Dominated
Language = Spread
Language = Become default
The End
Sadly Ever After
(Fun fact most pilots have to learn Aviation English in order to operate internationally. You can thank the gunpowder for that.)
Edit: Lol Lemmy Shitposts doesn't like a shitpost about the british empire taking over the world.
The End
Would have been really funny if you said
Thai End
there
Accurate af
Not a justification, but part of the reason is that English is currently the world's lingua franca.
We should fix that. Everyone start learning Esperanto.
I'm not sure if this is a bait or serious
