Bill, you can't even say the name of your state without speaking Spanish, gringo.
Bill, you can't even say the name of your state without speaking Spanish, gringo.
"One day you're going to figure out that everything they taught you was a lie."
Well, according to, Wiki English it's the "De Facto" official language of the U.S.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Langua..._United_States
In fact, it lists"Spanish" ad being spoken by less than 14% of the population. That means that 86% of the population is making a special accommodations for 14%. These numbers are from the most recent census among other sources. I'm willing to bet that the numbers skewed even more ridiculously back in the 20's and 30's when the country was receiving immigrants from all over in droves that had to learn the language. Folks like my grandparents for instance.
I'm sorry to say but, your argument doesn't hold water. Even if you dispute the "Official" language being used in an "Official" capacity it is well known throughout the world that, Americans speak English. The numbers still bear this out.
So, I ask again, why are the "Spanish speaking" folks in this country accorded such special treatment?
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78.1% American English speakers. Spanish is still the second most frequently spoken language. Spanish speakers can vote and are part of the healthcare system/work force. Tell me, how much of an inconvenience is this to you or is it just something to be mad about?
It seems that some states (30) have recognized English as the "official" language, on a state level, but it seems there is no one "official language" for the country.
https://blog.lingoda.com/en/what-is-...united-states/
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America is a whole continent, not only USA. If you talk about "Americans", then Spanish is the n.1 language since it's talked in almost all Central America and South America. 😉
That's one thing I never understood. Same as World Series: only played by USA teams 😂 Why is it not US Series?
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28 in 23 (?)!!!!
63 in '23!!!!!!!!!!
My Collection: https://www.thedarktower.org/palaver...ion-Merlin1958
The Houston Astros cheated Major League Baseball from 2017-18!!!! Is that how we teach our kids to play the game now?????
It's not really a matter of convenience, its a matter of principles and a good question since the best answer so far is "Its politics". "Politics" doesn't explain why probably 98% of U.S. companies offer Spanish" right along with, English. And btw that practice began back in the '70's or so long before the "Global Economy" became real along with the internet.
it also doesn't explain why the state and federal administrations adopted a special consideration for the "Spanish Speaking" community but never for the Asian, German, Italian, Romainian, etc, etc, communities back when they were prevalent and also voted, All those cultures/communities not only learned, English or devoutly supported the education of their children in English. What irks me more is there seems to be no real legitimate reason of r this practice. i was just curious if anyone actually knew of any official or legitimate reason for this kind of treatment. That's all.
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The Houston Astros cheated Major League Baseball from 2017-18!!!! Is that how we teach our kids to play the game now?????
Nah, no harm. I'm kinda kidding but it's true I never understood why use "Americans" when refering only to the USA citizens. I've seen it in a lot of places and situations.
As for the language, my only comment on this is that it never hurts to increase opportunities (and knowledge, of course) and allow a wider audience to be able to participate. A language not spoken is a barrier. Including the same info in more than one language allows more people to understand that message that, for instance, it's there for you to read it.
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Well, Spanish speakers have been the group that grew the most in USA. I don't know the numbers but it seems that even during and after WW2 with lots of other languages speakers moving to USA, they were still minority compared to Spanish speakers. It makes sense to try to reach, teach, instruct, etc that group.
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Then why not Russian, German, Japanese, etc, etc. as well? In a way its actually extremely racist. What? Do we doubt the Latin Americans ability to learn the language? They teach in Spanish now in schools to children whom are easier to educate. I just don't get it is all. Doesn't seem to have a reasonable explanation.
28 in 23 (?)!!!!
63 in '23!!!!!!!!!!
My Collection: https://www.thedarktower.org/palaver...ion-Merlin1958
The Houston Astros cheated Major League Baseball from 2017-18!!!! Is that how we teach our kids to play the game now?????
A third of Arizona is Hispanic. It isn't a puzzle, Bill.
"One day you're going to figure out that everything they taught you was a lie."
I'm not annoyed by the "numero Ocho for Español " it's the rest of the message and phone tree that sucks. I grow weary of "please listen carefully as the options have changed" .
Christ, do the options change daily?
Also, many companies don't allow a person to press zero to speak to a live person. Last but not least of my bitches in the post is the incessant prompt to visit their website. If their phone system is byzantine, their website is usually worse.
Bill,
Let’s say you run a call center and had to staff it with live operators to take all the calls from all the people who press 0.
Now let’s say I come to you and tell you could reduce your staffing costs by 15% (or whatever) simply by creating some one-time recordings in Spanish so that more callers could understand how to handle their issues via the automated system. And maybe it would be greater than 15% because some people speak English and get along, but aren’t fluent enough in English to know all the specific words that go with their issues in your industry. You would make the recordings post haste.
Oh, but what about the French and Germans and whomever? The Romance language speakers (French, Italian, Portuguese, etc.) may be able to get by with the Spanish since the languages are close. The Germans and Japanese and whomever can hit the 0.
Oh, but why not create a button for every language on Earth? Because these automated systems are complicated enough to navigate and the cost/benefit doesn’t justify adding them. English and Spanish cover so much of the audience, the rest can talk to an operator.
It’s not just about inclusivity, which is reason enough, it also makes business sense.
"...that Siren which called and sang and promised so much and gave, after all, so little." ~ Ray Bradbury
Well, they likely were not nearly as large a group compared to the Italians, Germans, Russian, etc, etc back in the '20's and 30's when the huge immigration to the states took place back in that time frame. Logically speaking why weren't the same, asyet unidentified, protocols used for the largest foreign group back then? I don't have numbers handy at the moment but I bet the size of those groups back then rivaled Spanish speaking groups and no "special treatment" was afforded to those millions of immigrants. I'm just looking for the reasonable justification for the practice.
28 in 23 (?)!!!!
63 in '23!!!!!!!!!!
My Collection: https://www.thedarktower.org/palaver...ion-Merlin1958
The Houston Astros cheated Major League Baseball from 2017-18!!!! Is that how we teach our kids to play the game now?????
Yeah,well I was in the business back in the 80's and trust me the automated attendant features didn't have the capacity to match what became standard in the 2000's and you are justifying the practice not providing a reason why Spanish speaking folks are afforded the luxury over every other culture on the planet, The auto attendant feature was just not available at the current level until the new millenium dawned.
Plus, not for nothing but, all those "Romance languages" as you so poetically posed it hitting the "0" still would get an English speaking operator and therefore need to know English to get by. So you're saying that everyone living in the states that does not speak, English or Spanish is fucked. lol lol Of course, this was the case back in the day and those folks learned, English and encouraged their children to speak it in addition to their native language.
28 in 23 (?)!!!!
63 in '23!!!!!!!!!!
My Collection: https://www.thedarktower.org/palaver...ion-Merlin1958
The Houston Astros cheated Major League Baseball from 2017-18!!!! Is that how we teach our kids to play the game now?????
"In the United States there are more speakers of Spanish than speakers of French, German, Italian, Portuguese, Hawaiian, the various varieties of Chinese, the Indo-Aryan languages, and the Native American languages combined."
"Spanish has been spoken in what is now the United States since the 15th century, with the arrival of Spanish colonization in North America. Colonizers settled in areas that would later become Florida, Texas, Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona, Nevada, and California as well as in what is now the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico. "
The story of The US and The Spanish language is a longer and more complex one than any of the other languages mentioned.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spanis..._United_States
A pretty decent sized chunk of city (and some states) names come from Spanish.
AND Mexico is the United States largest trade partner.
There are nearly as many Spanish speakers in the US as are in the entire country of Spain.
I'm with you all the way on those'peeves", Boss. You know when I was selling those Automated Attendant systems back in the 90's and 00's I had to convince a helluva lot of the business's that it was "OK" not to have a human answering a call. a lot of firms were strict about having a human answer. That bastion fell away in the late 00's and totally disappeared currently. My biggest peeve is when (and this happens with a LOT of companies) the Auto Attendant logs a shitload of info (i.e. number you're calling from, account number, area of inquiry, etc., etc.) and then when you are finally directed to a human they have not received any of that info in advance and make you go thru the whole process again with them, voice to voice!!! lol lol That one drives me nuts!!!! lol
28 in 23 (?)!!!!
63 in '23!!!!!!!!!!
My Collection: https://www.thedarktower.org/palaver...ion-Merlin1958
The Houston Astros cheated Major League Baseball from 2017-18!!!! Is that how we teach our kids to play the game now?????
Just for shit and giggles, next time you call a health care provider, tell the person the call is being recorded, ask for their full name and date of birth.
You can almost hear them getting pissed before they utter a word.
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