Press 1 for English!

[eliza61]

hate the "press 1" thingey. Actually I hate the entire automated system. give me a human please.

 

[freckles and boo]

I feel sorry for the OP - everybody jumped on her over a vent! This is the reason why I don't usually start threads on the Dis because of comments like these.

The US may not have an official language but I know for sure we have the Freedom of Speech. The OP is practicing that right with this vent. It doesn't make the OP a good or bad person.

As far as I'm concerned OP, go ahead a vent!

Yep. Go for it. But when you vent about things that make you sound xenophobic and bigoted be prepared for someone to call you on it. That is also part of having free speech.

 

[Cornhusk]

I feel sorry for the OP - everybody jumped on her over a vent! This is the reason why I don't usually start threads on the Dis because of comments like these.

The US may not have an official language but I know for sure we have the Freedom of Speech. The OP is practicing that right with this vent. It doesn't make the OP a good or bad person.

As far as I'm concerned OP, go ahead a vent!

Yeah, huge pitfall of "Free speech" is that others have it too and so can call you out on your statements as well.

 

[Took]

But my finger hurts

 

[Handbag Lady]

Whenever I read a thread like this, I envision the same people who complain about other languages in the States as being the tourists I keep running into who get irate that they can't find anyone who will speak to them in English!

Yes, I know...I really shouldn't stereotype people!

Isn't that the TRUTH!! Although, as a traveler, I do love it when I'm trying my best to ask a question in the native tongue and then the native looks at me, laughs (kindly!), and says, "I speak English. But you were doing well."

I at the very least try to know: Please, thank you, help, bathrooms?, and directions.

 

[Tinkerbell58]

I speak Pig Latin or in my tongue Idiggay speakaday piggish latiniday

Oh, Lordy! I'm in trouble; I don't speak Pig Latin. I guess I'll press #1.

 

[MIGrandma]

Whenever I read a thread like this, I envision the same people who complain about other languages in the States as being the tourists I keep running into who get irate that they can't find anyone who will speak to them in English!

Yes, I know...I really shouldn't stereotype people!

I would never go to a country where something other than English was their main language, without LEARNING some of the basics at the very LEAST, before I went. And if I was going to stay there for a long period of time (a year or more) I would take a class in their language so I could LEARN as much as I possibly could, so that I could speak to people.

It just amazes me that people come to this country and don't know a single word of English. I know, because I worked with some. The boss couldn't even communicate with them. She had to wait until her college daughter was home on weekends so she could tell her what she wanted to tell the employee, then her daughter spoke to the employee in Spanish.

If people are going to come here, LEARN some of the language FIRST.

 

[Briarmom]

I would never go to a country where something other than English was their main language, without LEARNING some of the basics at the very LEAST, before I went. And if I was going to stay there for a long period of time (a year or more) I would take a class in their language so I could LEARN as much as I possibly could, so that I could speak to people.

It just amazes me that people come to this country and don't know a single word of English. I know, because I worked with some. The boss couldn't even communicate with them. She had to wait until her college daughter was home on weekends so she could tell her what she wanted to tell the employee, then her daughter spoke to the employee in Spanish.

If people are going to come here, LEARN some of the language FIRST.

I lived in 2 different countries recently. The Air Force was nice enough to send us.

I in NO WAY could have learned enough Arabic to speak to someone. Not in person, not on the phone, nothing. There were no classes for me to take. I did some Rosetta Stone, but other than about 100 words, I spoke no Arabic.

When we moved to Belgium, I was lucky because I'd already taken a few years of French. I can tell you that it did not prepare me to speak on the phone. I can get by in person, but on the phone it is very very difficult.

Thank goodness I met such *nice* people there who were kind to me since I was such a piece of crap for moving there and not learning an entire language ASAP.

I'm sure in all of your travels around the world and away from Michigan, you've known all the languages of the countries you've lived in, though.

ETA: Your boss shouldn't have hired people who don't speak English if she was going to have trouble communicating with them and if they were going to have to deal with the English speaking customers, so I can't really feel badly for her.

 

[Nik's Mom]

To you it may just be a small vent, but the fact that you vented about it reveals tons about your general attitude toward those different from you.

I do not think you really understand the quote in your signature. People who do not speak English in America are facing a major battle, one much bigger than having to wait one extra second and press a button before going on to press a longer series of buttons in order to resolve their question.

You are my new favorite Dis'r!

Now to answer the op's question, the only time I got annoyed was when I accidently hit the spanish button. I had to call back because I didn't know what the heck the automated service was saying. Other than that, no it doesn't bother me at all.

 

[freckles and boo]

ETA: Your boss shouldn't have hired people who don't speak English if he was going to have trouble communicating with them and if they were going to have to deal with the English speaking customers, so I can't really feel badly for him.

I was thinking this same thing. The boss had several options.

1) hire only English speakers
2) learn enough Spanish to manage his/her employees (many managers do this)
3) facilitate English lessons for the employees.

I think it is interesting that people forget historically first generation immigrants did not arrive in this country with English nor did they all learn it immediately once the ship docked. This is true of most of our immigrant ancestors and in some parts of the country (the Germans in Wisconsin come to mind) there were multiple generations who didn't learn English. Typically it is the second generation that learns it.

 

[C.Ann]

Most of the places I call don't offer that option.. Instead I have to listen to the message in English first - then in Spanish - before I can continue.. The automated systems I've dealt with will not allow you to "skip" through.. You have to listen to both versions first.. I hate wasting my time like that, but that's the way it's set up.. Annoying, but not the worst thing in life that could happen.. LOL..

 

[RitaZ.]

I would never go to a country where something other than English was their main language, without LEARNING some of the basics at the very LEAST, before I went. And if I was going to stay there for a long period of time (a year or more) I would take a class in their language so I could LEARN as much as I possibly could, so that I could speak to people.

It just amazes me that people come to this country and don't know a single word of English. I know, because I worked with some. The boss couldn't even communicate with them. She had to wait until her college daughter was home on weekends so she could tell her what she wanted to tell the employee, then her daughter spoke to the employee in Spanish.

If people are going to come here, LEARN some of the language FIRST.

If it presented such a problem for your boss, then he/she shouldn't have hired that person. Let me guess, your boss probably couldn't find cheaper labor or simply wasn't willing to pay the appropriate wages for an English speaking worker. Which was it?

It's easy to say what one "would do" in a given situation without actually having to do it.

 

[disneyjunkie]

Yep. Go for it. But when you vent about things that make you sound xenophobic and bigoted be prepared for someone to call you on it. That is also part of having free speech.

I would never go to a country where something other than English was their main language, without LEARNING some of the basics at the very LEAST, before I went. And if I was going to stay there for a long period of time (a year or more) I would take a class in their language so I could LEARN as much as I possibly could, so that I could speak to people.

It just amazes me that people come to this country and don't know a single word of English. I know, because I worked with some. The boss couldn't even communicate with them. She had to wait until her college daughter was home on weekends so she could tell her what she wanted to tell the employee, then her daughter spoke to the employee in Spanish.

If people are going to come here, LEARN some of the language FIRST.

How did the employees complete their job applications? How did your boss conduct interviews with people she couldn't communicate with?

I wonder if the boss paid them same salary she was paying her English speaking employees.

 

[lucas]

S.C.,

 

[kinntj]

I hear ya OP! I flip off my bank's ATM every time that option comes up. For razzen, frazzen sakes, we don't even border a Spanish speakin country way up here. Now French I could see, since Montreal is closer.

 

[denisenh]

I hate automated phone messages too OP.

Once when calling some business I accidently pushed the wrong language button (for me) the fellow greeted me in that language and
I said "I am sorry. I meant to push the button for english" and in plain english he said "Thats okay. I can still help you."
so next time press #1. It will probably be fine.

 

[Sleepy]

I lived in 2 different countries recently. The Air Force was nice enough to send us.

I in NO WAY could have learned enough Arabic to speak to someone. Not in person, not on the phone, nothing. There were no classes for me to take. I did some Rosetta Stone, but other than about 100 words, I spoke no Arabic.

When we moved to Belgium, I was lucky because I'd already taken a few years of French. I can tell you that it did not prepare me to speak on the phone. I can get by in person, but on the phone it is very very difficult.

Thank goodness I met such *nice* people there who were kind to me since I was such a piece of crap for moving there and not learning an entire language ASAP.

I'm sure in all of your travels around the world and away from Michigan, you've known all the languages of the countries you've lived in, though.

ETA: Your boss shouldn't have hired people who don't speak English if she was going to have trouble communicating with them and if they were going to have to deal with the English speaking customers, so I can't really feel badly for her.

You said everything I was going to say. It is not something anyone can understand until they actually live in a foreign country.

 

[FireDancer]

I would never go to a country where something other than English was their main language, without LEARNING some of the basics at the very LEAST, before I went. And if I was going to stay there for a long period of time (a year or more) I would take a class in their language so I could LEARN as much as I possibly could, so that I could speak to people.

It just amazes me that people come to this country and don't know a single word of English. I know, because I worked with some. The boss couldn't even communicate with them. She had to wait until her college daughter was home on weekends so she could tell her what she wanted to tell the employee, then her daughter spoke to the employee in Spanish.

If people are going to come here, LEARN some of the language FIRST.

I know my mother's side of the family only spoke Italian when they landed on our shores in the early 20th century. I am pretty sure my father's family only spoke Polish when they did the same. They all learned the language after arriving here but historically many communities were insular at first and still spoke their mother tongue.

Now, it is true that they didn't work in communication fields but that was because back then life was like that. What is going on the Hispanic communities now is pretty much the same that was going on in many immigrant communities in the past. Communication is just more prevalent now in all facets of life so it is more noticeable.

If I were going to another country to live and work I would at least start to learn the language ahead of time but based on how I was in high school Spanish it would take me a while to really pick it up.

 

[kaytieeldr]

I speak Pig Latin or in my tongue Idiggay speakaday piggish latiniday

Excuse me, but that's not the Pig Latin I speak. I believe you actually meant to say, "Iway eakspay igPay atinLay".

This concludes Lesson One in Traditional (vs. Modern?) Pig Latin. And now, back to your regularly-scheduled silliness.

 

[kaytieeldr]

For the same second that it takes for them to say for english press one is all it would take for them to say for spanish press 1.

In my experience, and knowing only a little Spanish, it generally takes longer than a second for the recording to provide its message IN Spanish.

Therefore, I'd RATHER have the "Press 1 for English" option FIRST. That way, I can press (or say) 1 and be off on my way to getting my transaction started after just a second, without having to listen to ANY-length message in a foreign language.