Obama complained to Argentina that Americans are clueless with poor foreign language skills

[LeftofLeft]

Obama complained to Argentina that Americans are clueless with poor foreign language skills | BizPac Review

Getting away with impeachable offenses, holding him to his own standard and not America's makes it easy for him (anyone) to destroy America. America(ns) did nothing to deserve this. Such a shame how shallow people in position of representation have become held to a standard of their own. Policies make everyone and thing into what anti-Americans with authority want where cowards of politics lead everyone to follow (by force of policy) .

First antiAmerican president? No. The first anti American that became president in the most sinister way possible...and with a lot of help beyond our ability but within expected duty of elected officials to stop!

Appease Appease Appease.

 

[LeftofLeft]

Not learning another language or 2 is the perfect example of the dumbing down of this country.
Also it's one of the prime reason for the term ugly American.

.......cue in the Obama voter happy about the free cell phone, paying mortgage, and gas bill followed by the stupidity of the American voter that his signature healthcare depended as stated by its architect, Gruber.

Surely you don't meant that ugly American indicative of the dumbing down of this country. Jesus H Christ.....your people's livelihood depends on the dumbing down of this country. Full of shit, you people.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Not learning another language or 2 is the perfect example of the dumbing down of this country.
Also it's one of the prime reason for the term ugly American.

And RWNJs take great pride in their lack of education.

To me, part of the fun of travel is to at least try to speak some of the language.

The RWNJs who refuse to try to communicate with the locals are also those who whine that the people were rude.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Not learning another language or 2 is the perfect example of the dumbing down of this country.
Also it's one of the prime reason for the term ugly American.

.......cue in the Obama voter happy about the free cell phone, paying mortgage, and gas bill followed by the stupidity of the American voter that his signature healthcare depended as stated by its architect, Gruber.

Surely you don't meant that ugly American indicative of the dumbing down of this country. Jesus H Christ.....your people's livelihood depends on the dumbing down of this country. Full of shit, you people.

^^^^^

An excellent example of the ignorant RWNJ.

No matter how often you prove there is no such thing as the "ObamaPhone" etc, he is incapable of learning basic facts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Luddly Neddite]

You know, there is a bit of truth to this, and I've experienced it firsthand.

Whenever I went overseas, one of the very first things that I did was get a phrase book for whatever country we happened to be in. I would take that phrase book with me and instead of going up to a person and asking them in slow English if they spoke English (like most of the people on the boat did), I would walk up with my phrase book and try to speak to them in their language. After all, I was the foreigner there.

What I found out later, was that over 80 percent of the people overseas actually DO speak English, and many of them are happy to practice their English with you, but they like it when you make an effort to communicate in their language. Usually, they would let me stumble around for a couple of minutes, but then would cheerfully tell me they spoke English, and ask if I preferred to speak that.

I also saw many of my shipmates go looking for places like Pizza Hut, KFC, Burger King and McDonalds instead of taking advantage of the opportunity to sample food that isn't known over here in the USA, or would cost them a lot of money at a fancy eatery, because foreign cuisine is generally only served at high dollar places (at least the good stuff).

I also saw them making fun of people over there for doing things that Americans considered "strange" or "unusual", like Middle Eastern men walking down the street holding hands if they were friends, simply because they didn't take time to learn about some of the customs that were there.

No, sorry to say, but very few Americans are interested in speaking to someone in another country in their native language, or even learning about some of the customs of that country.

Got over 20 years of experience with that, and saw it first hand quite often.

I also got the phrase book, usually in the hotel gifts shop, when I traveled to 28 different countries on business. My experience was exactly as you described. I worked with Airline engineers, technicians and pilots during the installation of the navigation equipment they bought from the company I worked for.

Yep, if you make the effort and show them that you know you are the foreigner in their country, they will take time to help you out.

Many times, they will give you inside information that the other tourists don't get, like where the best local food is, cheapest bars, good deals on shopping, etc.

Sadly, many of my shipmates didn't take the time to do that, and they were always amazed and wondered how I got the inside information on the port we were in. My answer to them? Don't act like an ugly American, and try to at least speak some of their language.

Matter of fact, learning how to say please and thank you in Greek got me a free gyro at a Greek eatery here in the United States (Montana of all places), because when he handed me my sandwich, I said thank you in Greek (he was an immigrant), and he was shocked that I took the time, as well as knew how to say it in his language.

Relating to people on their own level has many benefits.

And it's a lot more fun than being pissy and superior and then whining that the people were rude.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[TooTall]

You know, there is a bit of truth to this, and I've experienced it firsthand.

Whenever I went overseas, one of the very first things that I did was get a phrase book for whatever country we happened to be in. I would take that phrase book with me and instead of going up to a person and asking them in slow English if they spoke English (like most of the people on the boat did), I would walk up with my phrase book and try to speak to them in their language. After all, I was the foreigner there.

What I found out later, was that over 80 percent of the people overseas actually DO speak English, and many of them are happy to practice their English with you, but they like it when you make an effort to communicate in their language. Usually, they would let me stumble around for a couple of minutes, but then would cheerfully tell me they spoke English, and ask if I preferred to speak that.

I also saw many of my shipmates go looking for places like Pizza Hut, KFC, Burger King and McDonalds instead of taking advantage of the opportunity to sample food that isn't known over here in the USA, or would cost them a lot of money at a fancy eatery, because foreign cuisine is generally only served at high dollar places (at least the good stuff).

I also saw them making fun of people over there for doing things that Americans considered "strange" or "unusual", like Middle Eastern men walking down the street holding hands if they were friends, simply because they didn't take time to learn about some of the customs that were there.

No, sorry to say, but very few Americans are interested in speaking to someone in another country in their native language, or even learning about some of the customs of that country.

Got over 20 years of experience with that, and saw it first hand quite often.

I also got the phrase book, usually in the hotel gifts shop, when I traveled to 28 different countries on business. My experience was exactly as you described. I worked with Airline engineers, technicians and pilots during the installation of the navigation equipment they bought from the company I worked for.

Yep, if you make the effort and show them that you know you are the foreigner in their country, they will take time to help you out.

Many times, they will give you inside information that the other tourists don't get, like where the best local food is, cheapest bars, good deals on shopping, etc.

Sadly, many of my shipmates didn't take the time to do that, and they were always amazed and wondered how I got the inside information on the port we were in. My answer to them? Don't act like an ugly American, and try to at least speak some of their language.

Matter of fact, learning how to say please and thank you in Greek got me a free gyro at a Greek eatery here in the United States (Montana of all places), because when he handed me my sandwich, I said thank you in Greek (he was an immigrant), and he was shocked that I took the time, as well as knew how to say it in his language.

Relating to people on their own level has many benefits.

The only place I had a problem was in Pakistan. They had a $200,000 navigation computer that was on loan and there COM didn't want to return it. I tried to be diplomatic, and it didn't work. As a last resort, I took the shop foreman out to lunch and got him to call their version of FEDEX and ship it back. In return, I held a class on their aircraft and taught two of his technicians how to program the computer. I only made one friend there, but my VP gave me a raise when I got back.

 

[The Rabbi]

Not learning another language or 2 is the perfect example of the dumbing down of this country.
Also it's one of the prime reason for the term ugly American.

.......cue in the Obama voter happy about the free cell phone, paying mortgage, and gas bill followed by the stupidity of the American voter that his signature healthcare depended as stated by its architect, Gruber.

Surely you don't meant that ugly American indicative of the dumbing down of this country. Jesus H Christ.....your people's livelihood depends on the dumbing down of this country. Full of shit, you people.

^^^^^

An excellent example of the ignorant RWNJ.

No matter how often you prove there is no such thing as the "ObamaPhone" etc, he is incapable of learning basic facts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Tell this woman there is no Obamaphone.

 

[TooTall]

Not learning another language or 2 is the perfect example of the dumbing down of this country.
Also it's one of the prime reason for the term ugly American.

.......cue in the Obama voter happy about the free cell phone, paying mortgage, and gas bill followed by the stupidity of the American voter that his signature healthcare depended as stated by its architect, Gruber.

Surely you don't meant that ugly American indicative of the dumbing down of this country. Jesus H Christ.....your people's livelihood depends on the dumbing down of this country. Full of shit, you people.

^^^^^

An excellent example of the ignorant RWNJ.

No matter how often you prove there is no such thing as the "ObamaPhone" etc, he is incapable of learning basic facts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Tell this woman there is no Obamaphone.

She probably isn't an excellent example of the ignorant RWNJ.

 

[ABikerSailor]

You know, there is a bit of truth to this, and I've experienced it firsthand.

Whenever I went overseas, one of the very first things that I did was get a phrase book for whatever country we happened to be in. I would take that phrase book with me and instead of going up to a person and asking them in slow English if they spoke English (like most of the people on the boat did), I would walk up with my phrase book and try to speak to them in their language. After all, I was the foreigner there.

What I found out later, was that over 80 percent of the people overseas actually DO speak English, and many of them are happy to practice their English with you, but they like it when you make an effort to communicate in their language. Usually, they would let me stumble around for a couple of minutes, but then would cheerfully tell me they spoke English, and ask if I preferred to speak that.

I also saw many of my shipmates go looking for places like Pizza Hut, KFC, Burger King and McDonalds instead of taking advantage of the opportunity to sample food that isn't known over here in the USA, or would cost them a lot of money at a fancy eatery, because foreign cuisine is generally only served at high dollar places (at least the good stuff).

I also saw them making fun of people over there for doing things that Americans considered "strange" or "unusual", like Middle Eastern men walking down the street holding hands if they were friends, simply because they didn't take time to learn about some of the customs that were there.

No, sorry to say, but very few Americans are interested in speaking to someone in another country in their native language, or even learning about some of the customs of that country.

Got over 20 years of experience with that, and saw it first hand quite often.

I also got the phrase book, usually in the hotel gifts shop, when I traveled to 28 different countries on business. My experience was exactly as you described. I worked with Airline engineers, technicians and pilots during the installation of the navigation equipment they bought from the company I worked for.

Yep, if you make the effort and show them that you know you are the foreigner in their country, they will take time to help you out.

Many times, they will give you inside information that the other tourists don't get, like where the best local food is, cheapest bars, good deals on shopping, etc.

Sadly, many of my shipmates didn't take the time to do that, and they were always amazed and wondered how I got the inside information on the port we were in. My answer to them? Don't act like an ugly American, and try to at least speak some of their language.

Matter of fact, learning how to say please and thank you in Greek got me a free gyro at a Greek eatery here in the United States (Montana of all places), because when he handed me my sandwich, I said thank you in Greek (he was an immigrant), and he was shocked that I took the time, as well as knew how to say it in his language.

Relating to people on their own level has many benefits.

And it's a lot more fun than being pissy and superior and then whining that the people were rude.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Yeah. It IS a lot more fun. I remember meeting up with a group of rollerbladers while I was in Catania Sicily, during the time I was trying to teach one of the guys on my ship how to skate.

We met up with them, said "hi" and a little bit of small talk, but then the leader asked if they could practice English with us while we all skated.

Spent the next 4 hours going all over the streets of Catania, and had a hell of a good time. Not only that, but by the end of the night, Dave (my shipmate) had learned how to blade pretty well.

Every time we pulled into Catania after that? The first night we were inport, some of the group we'd skated with would show up at a certain park to wait for us, because they would see us pull in and know that we'd show up.

 

[Muhammed]

... Here in America, another language is an elective, not a requirement. ....

That is not true in most cases.

What school system requires the learning of a language other than English as a requirement for graduation? There are none in the United States that I know of, and if there are, it's a rarity.

When I went to school (graduated in 1982), taking another language was an elective not a requirement.

If you know of a place where a second language is a requirement for graduation, please post a link. I've never heard of such a rule from ANY school district here in America.

When I went to school taking foreign language classes were a requirement.

 

[MaryL]

Obama complained to Argentina that Americans are clueless with poor foreign language skills | BizPac Review

Getting away with impeachable offenses, holding him to his own standard and not America's makes it easy for him (anyone) to destroy America. America(ns) did nothing to deserve this. Such a shame how shallow people in position of representation have become held to a standard of their own. Policies make everyone and thing into what anti-Americans with authority want where cowards of politics lead everyone to follow (by force of policy) .

First antiAmerican president? No. The first anti American that became president in the most sinister way possible...and with a lot of help beyond our ability but within expected duty of elected officials to stop!

He needed an interpreter to say it though, might take away from the message, Obama being King of the gringos.

 

[LeftofLeft]

Not learning another language or 2 is the perfect example of the dumbing down of this country.
Also it's one of the prime reason for the term ugly American.

.......cue in the Obama voter happy about the free cell phone, paying mortgage, and gas bill followed by the stupidity of the American voter that his signature healthcare depended as stated by its architect, Gruber.

Surely you don't meant that ugly American indicative of the dumbing down of this country. Jesus H Christ.....your people's livelihood depends on the dumbing down of this country. Full of shit, you people.

^^^^^

An excellent example of the ignorant RWNJ.

No matter how often you prove there is no such thing as the "ObamaPhone" etc, he is incapable of learning basic facts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I am an excellent example of what Gruber and you people fear most.

 

[Muhammed]

"Obama complained to Argentina that Americans are clueless with poor foreign language skills"

No, he said that American conservatives are clueless with poor foreign language skills.

And he's right.

Got any proof?

 

[TooTall]

... Here in America, another language is an elective, not a requirement. ....

That is not true in most cases.

What school system requires the learning of a language other than English as a requirement for graduation? There are none in the United States that I know of, and if there are, it's a rarity.

When I went to school (graduated in 1982), taking another language was an elective not a requirement.

If you know of a place where a second language is a requirement for graduation, please post a link. I've never heard of such a rule from ANY school district here in America.

When I went to school taking foreign language classes were a requirement.

The small high school I attended in Wisconsin had to get a retired teacher to return to teaching since she was the only one in town that had taught a foreign language. The reason was the state colleges passed a requirement that at least one year of a foreign language was required for admission.

The only language she taught was Latin, and I found it very helpful when I later took Spanish since Latin is the basis of several of the romance languages.

 

[LeftofLeft]

... Here in America, another language is an elective, not a requirement. ....

That is not true in most cases.

What school system requires the learning of a language other than English as a requirement for graduation? There are none in the United States that I know of, and if there are, it's a rarity.

When I went to school (graduated in 1982), taking another language was an elective not a requirement.

If you know of a place where a second language is a requirement for graduation, please post a link. I've never heard of such a rule from ANY school district here in America.

When I went to school taking foreign language classes were a requirement.

The small high school I attended in Wisconsin had to get a retired teacher to return to teaching since she was the only one in town that had taught a foreign language. The reason was the state colleges passed a requirement that at least one year of a foreign language was required for admission.

The only language she taught was Latin, and I found it very helpful when I later took Spanish since Latin is the basis of several of the romance languages.

Making Latin a required language today would serve many purposes.....basis for Spanish, French, Italian. Yet, some asshole would find a problem with this as being racist.

 

[Katzndogz]

Americans don't travel to other countries so there is no reason to learn another language. If anyone comes here they should learn English.

In other countries, English is the language of business, finance, and the sole language of aviation worldwide.

No one has explained to me the importance of speaking to the housekeeper or gardner in Spanish.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

Not learning another language or 2 is the perfect example of the dumbing down of this country.
Also it's one of the prime reason for the term ugly American.

.......cue in the Obama voter happy about the free cell phone, paying mortgage, and gas bill followed by the stupidity of the American voter that his signature healthcare depended as stated by its architect, Gruber.

Surely you don't meant that ugly American indicative of the dumbing down of this country. Jesus H Christ.....your people's livelihood depends on the dumbing down of this country. Full of shit, you people.

^^^^^

An excellent example of the ignorant RWNJ.

No matter how often you prove there is no such thing as the "ObamaPhone" etc, he is incapable of learning basic facts.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

Tell this woman there is no Obamaphone.

There is no OnamaPhone.

There is, however, a ReaganPhone but it may actually back further than that.

Don't be so damn gullible.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Katzndogz]

... Here in America, another language is an elective, not a requirement. ....

That is not true in most cases.

What school system requires the learning of a language other than English as a requirement for graduation? There are none in the United States that I know of, and if there are, it's a rarity.

When I went to school (graduated in 1982), taking another language was an elective not a requirement.

If you know of a place where a second language is a requirement for graduation, please post a link. I've never heard of such a rule from ANY school district here in America.

When I went to school taking foreign language classes were a requirement.

The small high school I attended in Wisconsin had to get a retired teacher to return to teaching since she was the only one in town that had taught a foreign language. The reason was the state colleges passed a requirement that at least one year of a foreign language was required for admission.

The only language she taught was Latin, and I found it very helpful when I later took Spanish since Latin is the basis of several of the romance languages.

Making Latin a required language today would serve many purposes.....basis for Spanish, French, Italian. Yet, some asshole would find a problem with this as being racist.

Someone going to Spain. France or Italy should learn a few words as a courtesy to the people of those countries.

 

[Luddly Neddite]

"Obama complained to Argentina that Americans are clueless with poor foreign language skills"

No, he said that American conservatives are clueless with poor foreign language skills.

And he's right.

Got any proof?

Read the posts in this thread.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

 

[Unkotare]

... Here in America, another language is an elective, not a requirement. ....

That is not true in most cases.

What school system requires the learning of a language other than English as a requirement for graduation? There are none in the United States that I know of, and if there are, it's a rarity.

When I went to school (graduated in 1982), taking another language was an elective not a requirement.

If you know of a place where a second language is a requirement for graduation, please post a link. I've never heard of such a rule from ANY school district here in America.

When I went to school taking foreign language classes were a requirement.

The small high school I attended in Wisconsin had to get a retired teacher to return to teaching since she was the only one in town that had taught a foreign language. The reason was the state colleges passed a requirement that at least one year of a foreign language was required for admission.

The only language she taught was Latin, and I found it very helpful when I later took Spanish since Latin is the basis of several of the romance languages.

All of the romance languages.