What would be your opinion

Question

If you are around a group of girls who speak only spanish and you as a guy speak only english and the location is at a club,cafe or even at the park,you see them talking, wispering,smiling,giggling and laughing and remember you are not of their ethnicity and culture you're from a different country,what could you possibly think they saying,feel and think about you?Thanks.

Please note that it is mandatory on this forum to use correct spelling, grammar, and capitalization in your posts.

If nothing else, put a space after your comas. - Zoltán, Oct 8, 2009

Answer 1

I will tell you the secret. They are talking about the same silly things girls who speak english, or any other language for that matter, are talking about. Boys, clothes, boys, texting, boys, mom. It would seem the only one remembering that you are of a different ethnicity is you, since they let you be part of the group. Don't thing on such silliness...you are a person, they are a people. Just be a people and enjoy yourself with these people who don't seem to mind your ethnicity.

I like your answer better than mine. - quépasa, Oct 8, 2009

Yup, agreed.. Paranoia is just inconvenience & nothing else. - Deanski, Oct 8, 2009

lol...thanks los dos. - ChamacoMalo, Oct 8, 2009

thanks for the confidene - jyoung, Oct 8, 2009

Once again. Impressive! - Seitheach, Oct 8, 2009

Answer 2

I have no idea. You would have to ask them.

I used to work with a Yugoslavian family and two of the young men would make comments to eachother. I never knew if they were talking about me or not and it did make me feel uncomfortable at times. They were perfectly capable of speaking in clear English around me so it was strange to me.

I had just finished reading a few Jane Austen novels and started dropping English words that most English speakers don´t understand and that sent them a very clear message. hehehehe

If they were fluent or at least intermediate in your language, they should have made an attempt to be polite.

Teenage girls being polite??? Where does that happen? - ChamacoMalo, Oct 8, 2009

Teenage boys are more polite than the girls these days. - Nicole-B, Oct 8, 2009

thank u - jyoung, Oct 8, 2009

Yeah I was always polite when I was teenager, especially to the girlfriends moms, they loved me.. The dads didn't quite feel the same way though hehe.... - cheeseisyummy, Oct 8, 2009

Chamaco, you never knew me as a teenage. hehehe. - quépasa, Oct 8, 2009

Answer 3

Oh, they are definitely talking about you.

.....I'm kidding! Just like you I have no idea what they are talking about unless I ask (or at least easedrop.) But as others have pointed out, it does not help to assume it's negative (maybe they are talking about how cute you are and daring each other to go up and talk to you) and there's no way to know if culture enters into it at that moment, but it's certainly true that groups of girls of every culture whisper and giggle

Sometimes it's convenient though to not let someone who is speaking another language know how much you know.... I always remember a group of my Puerto Rican friends were talking in Spanish, feeling very free thinking I didn't know a word. They started to talk about some girl, Luis: "do you think she's cute", Carlos: "yes she's very cute, I like her" Fernando: "who are you talking about?" Carlos: "Kitty" (my name) (and then he slaps his hand over his mouth and blushes, realizing that part wasn't "in code" at which point everyone laughed!) So that's how I knew Carlos liked me when he was too shy to say so.

Answer 4

You should have talked to them.

Answer 5

Language is not the only barrier between cultures, but it is a huge one. We, being people who want to speak more than one language, can bridge this gap. You cared enough to ask on a Spanish message board...may I assume that you care enough to help us bridge this gap and work towards world peace and understanding? Next time, talk to them!!! Ask them how they are, who know what you may find.