Speak English...please! Restaurant owner draws fire for posted sign!

I was channel surfing the other evening when I stumbled on an interesting news report on a restaurant owner back east who drew a lot of  flak because of a sign that he posted in the window of his establishment.

The gentleman in question posted a notice that his staff only spoke English in the eatery.

Some in the quaint little town - tourists mostly passing through - were disturbed by the sign which they immediately perceived as racist and discriminatory in nature.

Not so, though.

Apparently, the owner of the local restaurant was prompted to post the sign on the heels of an unpleasant incident which went down in recent days.

According to the report, a Latino family entered the restaurant to order a meal, but did not speak any English.

"It was a frustrating experience for me," the man told a reporter.

"They got angry because no one working in the restaurant spoke Spanish.  I tried to explain to them that this was America and that English is the language that is spoken in this country. But, they did not understand.  They got up, and angrily left the restaurant without eating."

Frankly, I sympathize with the restaurant owner.

Is he expected to hire a Spanish employee to speak Spanish to Latino customers who may saunter in now-and-then?

I have a pet peeve of my own about the current problem with Latinos and the issue of English.

On many occasions, I have gone into McDonald's or Jack-in-the-Box, and had difficulty communicating with the employees on the counter because they did not speak much English.

I have also been particularly annoyed about the fact that on occasion when I have been in a store - wihere Latino workers are employed - they often speak Spanish as I am standing there - and I am subsequently left out of the conversation.

It is not only rude - and shows bad manners - but it is damn annoying!

In fact, I wrote a column on it in my "Mr. Manners" regular feature on the Tattler.

Post: 11/24/2010

http://ijulian.blogspot.com/2010/11/mr-mannersenglish-in-businesses.html

I think it is high time that the Government instituted a Federal law that stipulates only English be spoken in businesses, government offices, and public areas, to ensure that our English language is not pushed aside in favor of Spanish, and or any other language, for that matter.

I am not off-base about this, either.

In Quebec (Canada), for instance, the French Canadians actually have "Language Police" who make sure that the French Language is preserved so that the culture remains intact without threat.

For example, signs in stores must feature French first, in spite of the fact Canada is a bilingual country (English/French).

Also, the signs in French must be prominently displayed, to ensure that the message is loud and clear.

In Quebec, French is the first language, that will not be diminished by English-speaking Canada attempts to ignore its presence (or culture).

Sixty Mintues broadcast an interesting report on this issue which bears watching for those who are concerned about their language and culture not being trampled upon, disrespected, or lost in the throws of an illegal seige on their Nation.

Amen!

http://www.thetattler.biz

Latino clerk...mangles my name! Si, Señorita...

The way things have been going, I knew it would come to this!

Today, I was asked to produce my Driver’s License to finalize a transaction at a business establishment in Las Vegas.

The Latino employee scanned my I.D.

“Hoo-li-an,” she quizzed with a thick accent.

In spite of the fact it should have been obvious from my lily-white skin and responses in perfect English - that I am a “Julian” - she chose to take a stab at the Spanish pronunciation instead.

Is it my imagination, or do I have a sudden urge to cross the border illegally now?
 
 

 

http://www.julianayrs.com

Spanish...language creeps into the American mainstream @ CVS! Si...

On the heels of tabulating the goodies I snapped up at CVS the other morning, a perky cashier instructed me to input my pin on the ATM machine, select the cash-back option, and what-have-you.

Shortly after I keyed in my ultra-secret 4 digit code in a clandestine fashion, the ATM machine continued on, and screamed out a second personal directive to me from the miniature screen resting at my nimble fingertips below.

"Do you want cash back?"

When I scrutinized the response options offered up, I was slightly taken aback.

There should have been two entries to choose from, right?

"Yes" or "No".

I suppose I'd better put my specs on, I muttered to myself.

If I was not mistaken, there appeared to be 3 (!) distinct choices staring smack dab at me!

Uh-huh!

And, what was the 3rd word etched in line right below the "yes" option.

Si!

I hesitated.

I mean, what the heck?

Was this a prankster's idea of an off-the-wall joke?

Or - the first "baby step" towards surreptitiously introducing "Spanish" as a "second" language - into the mainstream around the country?

Suddenly, a quote from William Drayton sprang to mind:

"Change starts when someone sees the next step."

http://www.julianayrs.com

Blog...published in foreign languages. How does "Tattler" translate?

Just recently it came to my attention that "The Tattler" is being read in German, Italian, French, Spanish - and possibly - Japanese.

And - who knows - perhaps in a smidgen of computer-speak, too.


So, I have paused to consider whether the blog musings translate well.

Because I am inclined to use a lot of slang in my posts - I wonder - does the stilted prose cause some consternation to newbies overseas?

Then, there are those fu**king fleeting expletives. Is it just an American phenomenon, or do censors across the pond have to deal with naughty words in far-a-way mystical lands like they do in the puritanical States?

I tend towards self-censorship out-of-courtesy to my Christian readers. But, I am curious to know if foreign readers find the asterisks dotting the literary landscape humorous like readers on these shores do. Or, just plain baffling?

As to the windbag material on my blog!

Well, I endeavour to avoid being too local.

As George Bush would say, "I try to be Universal". In appeal, at least.

So, I tend to toss in a few candid shots of celebrities here and there to amuse, then guide the unsuspecting down the garden path as best I know how.

Occasionally, I'll feature a foreign film like - "The Live of Others" - to reveal my strident West Coast intellectual side. Or, report on the celebrity sighting of a respected European actress - like Nastassja Kinski - to butter 'em up a little.

And, if a hearty few manage to maneuver through all the landmines in my prose, there is a definite upside. They'll be privy to a bird's-eye view of the topsy-turvy 2008 Presidential Election Race. A bit skewered, I confess.

But, what good is a blog, if you can't wield your elusive power now and then?

However, now I am facing a new dilemma.

Some posts are garnering "comments" from my fast friends on far shores.

But, frankly my dears, it's all Greek to me.

I am inclined to just "publish" the scribbles without deciphering as a courtesy to web surfers who diligently traversed miles of data from beyond to peruse me.

But, what if the message - unbeknowst to me - flippantly laments:

"Fu** you!"

Is there a universal response that says "same to you" succinctly?