Why most english people who come to live in Spain refuse to learn Spanish ?
and why do they tend to form closed communites with no connexions with the spanish people and spanish culture ? Why a big part of them expect locals to speak their language ? I know that some of them learn Spanish, but not the majority.
Immigration - 23 Answers
Random Answers, Critics, Comments, Opinions :
1 :
Because people in spain speak english.
2 :
Why do most people who come to America not learn English???
3 :
Probably the same reason that when spanish people move to america the refuse to learn english... **note-i'm not prejudice just in a bad mood
4 :
is that so? hmm. i had no idea, well then i guess people should stop complaining about Mexican immigrants coming over to the U.S. who never fully get the English Language.
5 :
Then you know one of the problems that Americans face.
6 :
Its silly. In my opinion if a country has a national language, you should try to speak that language. I have no problem with people in America not speaking English, because there is no official language in the United States. People say its English, and unofficially it is, but you cannot discriminate on language barriers because it is not in the constitution.
7 :
Probably for the same reason people come to America expecting them to speak their language. I know I would not do that, but I can speak for only myself.
8 :
maybe it's because they're only doing what the MExicans who come to America do. I'm not confusing Mexicans with Spaniards, I'm only stating that it's a learned behavior from what we see everyday.
9 :
I don't live in Spain, but i have been! i have learnt Spanish and speak Spanish when i am there, many of the English people i am sure who live out there try to speak Spanish. Unfortunately in schools today the main foreign languages tend to be French and German they don't focus on other European countries!
10 :
WELL IT IS COS THE ENGLISH LIKE TO TAKE OVER AND THEY INFACT HOPE SPAIN WILL BECOME AN ENGLISH SPEAKING COUNTRY ONE DAY...AND IT IS GOING TO BE SOON.
11 :
I remember I visted Madrid with my Spanish class, and just our presence there, walking around as a group of American's - we got yelled at and cussed at. We were not allowed to speak English while there, and being there totally gave me a respect for anyone who comes to America to visit and has trouble with the language. I think if you're going to live in a country, you need to know the language of that country. Just like Americans expect everyone to bow down to the sacred language of English *rolls eyes* :) To fully answer your question, I think that a lot of Americans do think they own the world. :/ Anyways, I think Spain is beautiful, and I totally respect your culture/country. Sorry to hear that there are communites of Americans there who act/feel differently. - To the people saying that English the the "native" language of America - I disagree completely. Native Americans didn't speak English, even the different tribes of Native Americans spoke different variations.
12 :
Wow, that sounds really familiar--we have that problem here too. Do they also try to change your laws to suit them, try to change your National Anthem, try to take away your rights to celebrate your traditional holidays in public --as it isn't what they believe, get out of paying taxes for a set number of years when they arrive, sneak in, expect their kids to be able to pay "local" tuition.....well I guess that immigration is a problem in more places then America. Hmmm.
13 :
We still all have a little bit of the 'British Empire' in us. We have always expected others to learn our language. Why should we learn theirs?
14 :
probably for the same reason so many Mexicans enter the USA [& I'm not talking about the "legals"] & refuse to learn the English language & like idiots, we've catered to this misbehavior & everytime you make a call to a business now, you have to press "1" to get your native language, English!! It's an OUTRAGE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! grr-r-r-r-r-r-~!@#$%^&*~!@#$%^&*!!!!!!
15 :
It is my opinion that people should learn the language of the country in which they live (AND USE IT). I live in the Southern US and wish my million, illegal, Mexican neighbors would answer your question. Since they don't understand English, I guess we'll have to translate "deportation" for them.
16 :
Ho la,Good question that I am sure can be asked in many countries. To be honest, we English are not very good linguists in the main. We learn foreign tongues piecemeal a little phrase at a time over a long period. Not to put too fine a point on it, we are ohhh sooo lazy with regard to learning languages. There is also just a little snobbery. We regard English as the best language in the world so why can't the foreigners, (meaning the Spanish in Spain) learn it. Crazy world huh?
17 :
We have reverse problem in the U. S. Unfortunatly, they don't stay in a closed community.
18 :
I was not aware of this situation, but, as a native speaker of American English (who learned Spanish so that I could better communicate with Hispanics in America), I think people with such an attitude are missing out on a lot. Of course, I have observed that English people who visit the U.S. miss out on a lot because they refuse to learn proper American English and insist on using their primitive European dialect. I do remember one of my Spanish teachers, who was from the Basque Country, telling the class that if we ever visited the Basque Country in Spain we would be better accepted speaking only English than trying to communicate with the locals in Spanish.
19 :
well thats what people who live in spain do when they move to america too... people move to a new place, feel like a stranger and do what they can to preserve their heritage, including keeping their language, making communities with other ppl like them... they usually change some of their habits in order to assimilate to their new home.
20 :
In most cases, the Americans living abroad do not give up their US citizenship. Even then, they should respect the country they are living in and respect the people as well. It is a two way street though, and the opposite is also true about non-citizens and naturalized citizens in the US.
21 :
because i no understang de la speak espanyol, comprend me?
22 :
I got to tell you, having lived in spain, i worked really hard on my spanish, but almost everyone i met under the age of 30 wanted to speak english to work on there english. there is also a difference between english, aussies and americans, i lived near a lot of ex pats working for US companies etc, and it seemd to me most of the americans there were more keen on trying to learn english--assignment was 6 months and i traveled in a lot of the country, but not malga and islands
23 :
Who cares why ?! Go ask them ! May be Spanish language is not so popular.
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