Recently i’ve noticed that more people have been trying to engage with me in English. It’s probably because the schools are on holiday, and the youngsters that are usually stuck in a classroom for 8 hours a day, can actually get outside and meet other people！
Of course many college students also want to practise their English with the foreigner, and I understand that most students seldom have the opportunity to converse with a native speaker. So I try to be friendly, but sometimes i’m not in the mood.
I have become particularly hardened to this over the last few months and my attitude has begun to change.
They say the environment in which one lives has an effect on how one thinks and acts, and this is what has happened to me.
My attitude is now this: I now generally ignore people that try to speak to me in English.
This is because (outside the classroom) I’m just fed up of listening to bad english, and trying to understand someones meaning when I don’t have either the time or energy to think about it. This is a bit of a selfish attitude, it’s just that too many times i’ve been harangued by people wanting no more than a free English lesson – and the fact is, I really don’t have time to help everyone all of the time.
But I think the real issue here is one of complete ignorance. It seems that most Chinese beleive all foreign people understand English, especially that all White people in the world speak English. This claim annoys me, and so If anyone assumes I speak English without first asking ‘Do you speak English’ I stare back giving them a look as if they are a total moron.
This technique works for most, but it fails to deter the real hardcore element, who will keep asking and asking. For them it is necessary to reply with the simple and succinct ‘我听不动英语’ ‘I don’t understand English’. This results in a confused look ‘but you’re foreign you MUST understand english, don’t you all understand english?! you must be stupid!’
Indeed I have met many people who despite being told ‘我听不动英语’ persist to ask questions in English – it is at which point I tell them I am from Iceland , and to please shut up. Another tactic I have recently employed is to speak complete gibberish back to someone, makes me laugh anyway.
I don’t often eat at McDonalds, but I went there yesterday, and before I reached the counter the lady behind the counter said ‘Hello. How can I help you’
I gave her a confused look and said ‘ 什么?’ ‘What?’ , she repeated the English and I said ‘ 请说汉语，我听不动英语’ ‘please speak Chinese, I don’t understand English’. So I ordered, and she said in in English ‘wait 2 minutes’ I gave that blank stare again and said ‘不动’, she stuck two fingers up at me as if to emphasize the two minutes, which only made me laugh, unfortunately she didn’t get the joke! 🙂
It seems logical to me, to first use the language of the country that we are in (i.e. Chinese), then if the customer doesn’t understand to revert to another language, but to assume this is quite offensive. It’s like seeing someone in the UK who looks asian and immediatly speaking Chinese to them.
Probably some bright spark in the Mcdonalds managment has told their employess to always speak English to foreigners – seemingly even if they don’t understand…
It still astounds me that in the year 2006, how people can remain so insular looking, lacking such basic common sense, afterall Changchun is only 300 miles from Russia and last time I checked they don’t speak English.
I can only imagine how difficult it must be for a Western born Asian who speaks English but no Chinese.
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Hello David,
Forget gibberish – try some Welsh on them… I’m sure Jason would love to teach you some. …I suppose there would be the danger of being mistaken for a Klingon then though!
Iechyd da!
Dad.
Hello David,
Forget gibberish – try some Welsh on them… I’m sure Jason would love to teach you some. …I suppose there would be the danger of being mistaken for a Klingon then though!
Iechyd da!
Dad.
Yeah, if you want confusion, imagine the looks when *I* answer in English to someone saying “ha-lo” to a fellow foreigner when we are walking down the street. It’s funny as hell. But I do have to say, given the fact that English is supposed to be the most-commonly used language between people of different nationalities, one can’t really blame anyone for speaking English to you. Otherwise, how would an Indonesian communicate with a Swede right?
Yeah, if you want confusion, imagine the looks when *I* answer in English to someone saying “ha-lo” to a fellow foreigner when we are walking down the street. It’s funny as hell. But I do have to say, given the fact that English is supposed to be the most-commonly used language between people of different nationalities, one can’t really blame anyone for speaking English to you. Otherwise, how would an Indonesian communicate with a Swede right?
Oh gosh. I found this blog via googling the term “changchun”. I’m a Chinese American vacationing in China right now… currently in Changchun. I can speak Cantonese (useless in this part of China) but no Mandarin. And yeah, it’s extremely frustrating that people assume that I speak Mandarin when I don’t. My situation is a bit more understanding though as I pretty much blend in with everyone else here- why wouldn’t I know the language if I AM Chinese?
Oh gosh. I found this blog via googling the term “changchun”. I’m a Chinese American vacationing in China right now… currently in Changchun. I can speak Cantonese (useless in this part of China) but no Mandarin. And yeah, it’s extremely frustrating that people assume that I speak Mandarin when I don’t. My situation is a bit more understanding though as I pretty much blend in with everyone else here- why wouldn’t I know the language if I AM Chinese?
Double-Seventh Festival will coming(31th,July:-) try to forget unhappy time,smile..and enjoy ur life even if there is no more things worth u..smile.im sorry to leave some words in bad english.neither learn english from u,nor ignore ur eyes.just leave some words tell u -a girl here care u :)i hope u have a nice day ..in everyday. ^^
Double-Seventh Festival will coming(31th,July:-) try to forget unhappy time,smile..and enjoy ur life even if there is no more things worth u..smile.im sorry to leave some words in bad english.neither learn english from u,nor ignore ur eyes.just leave some words tell u -a girl here care u :)i hope u have a nice day ..in everyday. ^^
Hey Jenny by any chance you are staying at the Changchun Normal University? I saw two young Chinese females entering the apartment at around 1:30pm Monday and they were speaking English, with one speaking North American English.
Hey Jenny by any chance you are staying at the Changchun Normal University? I saw two young Chinese females entering the apartment at around 1:30pm Monday and they were speaking English, with one speaking North American English.
Hey Jenny by any chance you are staying at Changchun Normal University? I saw two young Chinese females entering the apartment at around 1:30pm Monday and they were speaking English, with one speaking North American English.
Hey Jenny by any chance you are staying at Changchun Normal University? I saw two young Chinese females entering the apartment at around 1:30pm Monday and they were speaking English, with one speaking North American English.
To T W – just returned to Changchun after a trip to Chang Bai Mountain… no, I’m not staying at Changchun Normal University, although that’s sort of a close guess. My mother is here for a convention at Jilin University, and they’ve put us up at the South Lake Hotel. Staying in a heavily guarded walled off compound isn’t really my cup to tea, but hey- at least it’s beautiful in here.
To T W – just returned to Changchun after a trip to Chang Bai Mountain… no, I’m not staying at Changchun Normal University, although that’s sort of a close guess. My mother is here for a convention at Jilin University, and they’ve put us up at the South Lake Hotel. Staying in a heavily guarded walled off compound isn’t really my cup to tea, but hey- at least it’s beautiful in here.
YOU are really really an asshole. Watch your mouth or we Chinese will kick your ass and fuck your asshole!!!!SHIT!!! BUSTARD!!!! SOB!!!!!!
YOU are really really an asshole. Watch your mouth or we Chinese will kick your ass and fuck your asshole!!!!SHIT!!! BUSTARD!!!! SOB!!!!!!
You complete dullard. If you’re going to post offensive comments at least have the foresight to cover your tracks.
I know who you are, I know where you live, Your campus, even what building you are in. IP adresses give out a lot of information, so do cookies, and my website has a recorded cookie from your computer.
I have emailed a very senior connection I have at your university and I have also emailed your IT dept; rest assured you are going to be in some serious trouble.
I suggest you aplogise ASAP.
You complete dullard. If you’re going to post offensive comments at least have the foresight to cover your tracks.
I know who you are, I know where you live, Your campus, even what building you are in. IP adresses give out a lot of information, so do cookies, and my website has a recorded cookie from your computer.
I have emailed a very senior connection I have at your university and I have also emailed your IT dept; rest assured you are going to be in some serious trouble.
I suggest you aplogise ASAP.
I don’t think it’s a reasonable comparison to say that a McDonalds staff member in Changchun addressing you in English is equivalent to a McDonalds staff member in London addressing a customer of Chinese appearance in Mandarin.
How many white foreigners with fluent Chinese would that Changchun worker encounter? Very few I’d wager. Anyone who deals with customers on a regular basis is naturally going to adopt whatever method of communication has proved most reliable in the past. If they assume that you speak English, it’s probably just a reflection of their past experiences with white customers, and hardly seems to warrant feeling offended in any way.
To be honest, I’d say the staff member at McDonalds was exhibting common sense. After all, the fact is that their assumption, whether you like it or not, was correct.
I don’t think it’s a reasonable comparison to say that a McDonalds staff member in Changchun addressing you in English is equivalent to a McDonalds staff member in London addressing a customer of Chinese appearance in Mandarin.
How many white foreigners with fluent Chinese would that Changchun worker encounter? Very few I’d wager. Anyone who deals with customers on a regular basis is naturally going to adopt whatever method of communication has proved most reliable in the past. If they assume that you speak English, it’s probably just a reflection of their past experiences with white customers, and hardly seems to warrant feeling offended in any way.
To be honest, I’d say the staff member at McDonalds was exhibting common sense. After all, the fact is that their assumption, whether you like it or not, was correct.
Point taken about the comparison but if you live here you’re understand where i’m coming from.
Point taken about the comparison but if you live here you’re understand where i’m coming from.
I think you’re being a touch harsh on these people. David, this isn’t Canada or the UK, but a country that was essentially firewalled from the rest of the world for how long?
And given that so much of the “white” world does speak English & most of the “white” world is influenced by American popular culture (all english), can you blame them? If these people are exposed to popular music & film by “white” people, it’s most likely in English, not in Swedish or German. Given the less-than-worldiness of Changchun, would you really expect much difference?
Racial stereotyping exists everywhere. I’m sure most Europeans see Americans as “fat and stupid”, and many see Canadians as people that live in the forest in snow huts. Just as many North Americans believe all Irish people drink Guinness, all Swedes are blond, all Germans are great engineers, etc. WE don’t have an excuse, but many of these people do.
Regardless, fascinating blog.
I think you’re being a touch harsh on these people. David, this isn’t Canada or the UK, but a country that was essentially firewalled from the rest of the world for how long?
And given that so much of the “white” world does speak English & most of the “white” world is influenced by American popular culture (all english), can you blame them? If these people are exposed to popular music & film by “white” people, it’s most likely in English, not in Swedish or German. Given the less-than-worldiness of Changchun, would you really expect much difference?
Racial stereotyping exists everywhere. I’m sure most Europeans see Americans as “fat and stupid”, and many see Canadians as people that live in the forest in snow huts. Just as many North Americans believe all Irish people drink Guinness, all Swedes are blond, all Germans are great engineers, etc. WE don’t have an excuse, but many of these people do.
Regardless, fascinating blog.
I’m pretty sure McDonald’s workers in China are trained to deal with foreign-looking people a certain way. At pretty much every one I’ve visited, every time a laowai walks up, the server takes out the menu right away. They’re supposed to be able to serve you in English, some are stoked and want to practise, others don’t like it and look relieved when you can speak Chinese. If you go back to the same place a *lot*, eventually, the staff will recognize you on sight and even remember your order. (I know this from personal experience, it helped me gain back 8 kg from when I got sick)
I’m pretty sure McDonald’s workers in China are trained to deal with foreign-looking people a certain way. At pretty much every one I’ve visited, every time a laowai walks up, the server takes out the menu right away. They’re supposed to be able to serve you in English, some are stoked and want to practise, others don’t like it and look relieved when you can speak Chinese. If you go back to the same place a *lot*, eventually, the staff will recognize you on sight and even remember your order. (I know this from personal experience, it helped me gain back 8 kg from when I got sick)