Has anyone ever experienced "Gringo Interuptis"?
As I am learning and growing in my Spanish speaking abilities in La Republica Dominicana, there has been one pestering problem which does not seem to go away. What is that problem you may ask? Is it the rapid way that Caribbeans tend to speak? Is it the colloquial expressions I've never heard? Is it the accent?
No to all of the above!!! The biggest threat to my progress in Spanish is something I would like to call
"Gringo interuptis" 
I am asked numerous times throughout the day to ask for directions, to ask something of a store clerk, to ask where a broom or hammer is.....you name it. However, as I am in the process of communicating these needs to my Spanish speaking friends, my gringo friends think that it is helpful to interrupt, do charades, reiterate what I say in extremely loud English, etc. They are interrupting the natural flow of my conversation in Spanish with my Dominican friends and it is soooo frustrating!!!!
I love him dearly, but my husband is the worst offender. As an example, the other day, we were sent to a small mercadito/comado to purchase 25 water bottles for some extremely thirsty teens. Usually in these small stores, there is only a handful of each item available. So I asked the clerk if he had 25 water bottles and what the cost would be. As he was asking (or trying to ask) whether or not I preferred cold water vs. room temperature water, my husband repeatedly asked "How much?" "How much per bottle?" Now the store clerk didn't speak English, so this was just a disruption in an otherwise simple exchange. However, this sort of thing keeps happening.
Is it human nature to need to be somewhat in control of a conversation? Because I wasn't responding with the price right away, he assumed the clerk didn't understand me, so he interrupted, thinking he could get the point across much quicker. Little did he know that the clerk was asking me for more information. He was also telling me that he had to make sure he actually had 25 bottles. If I ask for a hammer in Spanish and the native I am speaking to is taking a second to try to remember where he put the hammer, then the gringos start with the charades, the loud, slow talking....I think you know what I'm getting at. It is making me loca! jeje
Has anyone else ever experienced this type of "gringo interuptis"? Or am I the only lucky one. 
12 Answers
Here's a new twist to the problem. I blabber away in Spanish at home just to practice even though no one in my house speaks Spanish. A few times when a family member has asked what I'm talking about I'll slow down and try to say it more clearly, thinking surely even someone who doesn't speak Spanish could understand my simple Spanish words. 
I most definatly have, or have been relyed on to transtlate for people who KNOW spanish! I don't dont know if its superiority thing, or a impatience thing, but yes, i have been with teams translating for them and will be helping them go into town or something and while im asking about prices or whatever, they just can't seem to wait "Did you as how much it was? How much is it? did you ask if this one was cheaper?" Sometimes It does make one want to yell and be like, "yes I did, now shut up while I get you what you want or ask for it yourself without me I'll wait outside, Good luck!!!!!!!"
Ohh In Spain my grandma! She worked with Mexican people for ten years and claims she now knows Spanish (which she CLEARLY doesn't) I would be talking to a waitress or something ordering chicken for her in complete sentences and my grandma would burst in and start going POLLO. POLLO!!!!! ME QUIERE EL POLLO!! GRACIAS AMIGA.
and I can't tell her that "me quiere" means me wants because she'll get all defensive and go "NO. I LEARNED FROM MEXICANS. IT'S DIFFERENT FROM SPAIN.
Well she isn't really gringo, she's Filipino and she barely even spoke English 
Once she wanted to ask for the bathroom but wanted to do it herself. She kept saying baño and the person went "¿Servicios?" and I would step in and say sí and she'd be like NO I WANT BAñO! She just couldn't get it through her head that they say servicios in Spain :|
I think it's possible that persons whose language skills are inadequate tend to feel inadequate. One way to compensate for this feeling of inferiority is to make up for it with an assertive forward manner that sometimes produces results and a feeling of success.
It's not very rational, of course. The occasional success may occur in spite of the ineffective attempt, not by virtue of the effort. 
My dad (he's not a gringo, jaja) thinks he's something special when he says, "¿Qué pasa?" 
I don't think he even knows what that means.
If we're driving somewhere and pass a Mexican restaurant, he'll go "cuatros borros". One of these days, Sonrisa is going to explode and yell, "THAT DOESN'T MAKE SENSE!!!" 
Hopefully, I won't be driving the car when that day comes.
I agree that it can be from feeling uncomfortable, but probably also an attitude towards time. It seems we Americans are more rushed than others, and feel a need for a result to be produced rapidly. When you feel uncomfortable, that time goes by so much more slowly, so maybe they compound and the person who feels in the dark about the whole conversation tries to move it along with charades and condescension. I'm sure I've probably been just as unhelpful at times.
Julian said:
" but that the "Ugly American" is, unfortunately, alive and well.
This reminded me of some recent time I spent in Riviera Maya, Mexico. As I went up to the pool bar for a bottle of water, two obnoxious American young men (early twenties) came up and screamed "Dos beers por faaaa vor." They held two fingers just in case the bartender couldn't figure out what they wanted. If I had audio here, I would imitate their horrible American accents. The whole thing was so embarrassing. They were so loud and rude.
The only thing I did learn is that the bartender who I had previously spoken to in Spanish looked at me and we both rolled our eyes together. So I now know that eye rolling is definitely a universal language. 
Nicole, I am sorry to have to say that your sad tale of woe not only demonstrates that many people have "control issues," but that the "Ugly American" is, unfortunately, alive and well.
No, you are not the only one to experience this problem.
It happened to me at the school supply give away last Saturday. After I had already explained to the Spanish speaking person that we did not have any more of a certain material to give away, the person at that station must have thought "if I speak English loud enough and slow enough, they are bound to understand".
Amazing.
The Brits in Spain are the best. In fact thats the reason I decided I wanted to learn Spanish........because we can be sooooooooo embarrassing.
"2 beers" (in a loud voice) "I said 2 beers" (in an even louder voice) "grrrrrrrrrrrrr they can speak English, why don't they. 2 beers, here" (in almost a scream).
Now I don't really consider myself a cultured person lol, but even I cringe at stuff like that.
My husband used to interrupt me a lot in general, not having to do with Spanish. He doesn't do it much anymore because when he would interrupt, I stop talking immediately and just stare at him. After all these years he gets the idea right away. With other people, I have different things I can try. In particular, when I have to talk to someone who is manic, they won't let you get a word in. I put my hand up like a stop sign and say, "Can I interrupt you for a minute?" Even with pretty crazy people this usually works. Once you interrupt the English yeller, you can explain what is happening between you and the Spanish speaking person. If they continue, just look at them and don't say a word. Eventually, most people wind down.
These are very wise words from Pesta:
I think it's possible that persons whose language skills are inadequate tend to feel inadequate. One way to compensate for this feeling of inferiority is to make up for it with as assertive forward manner that sometimes produces results and a feeling of success.
Now, my husband is not so much feeling inadequate as he is more the impatient type. His minute is about 20 seconds shorter than a New York minute. But I have noticed several in my travels who do seem to have that sense of inadequacy. There are one or two (who shall remain nameless) who sort of teased my for spending so much time on learning Spanish. Well, now who is laughing? But it is almost as if they are trying to prove by the loud slow speech and charades, they are just as effective at communication as someone who can speak some Spanish.
Human nature is a curious thing.
