Should American Employees Speak English?

Hello all...

I saw this video pop up on the news just recently so I had to Youtube it and see what it was all about:



In the video, an english speaking customer was refused service at a Taco Bell because she didn't speak spanish. In my opinion, it's quite laughable but living in Austin, TX, I do see this in some part but I was never refused service because of a language barrier. There were always ways to come to a mutual understanding. There are some shops and stores here in certain areas where the older generation will sometimes not understand a wedo

Personally, it doesn't bother me because it's sometimes fun but I will admit that I have been frustrated going through a drive through and had my order completely jacked up because they didn't understand me. In many ways, I can really see how this would be a problem. Either way, you simply don't refuse service because you don't understand the common language of the US majority of peoples.


What do you guys and gals think?

If you would like to see the full video uncut:
Go Here

Yeah, it happens. Here it's French in Quebec though. Not often but it still happens. # Trois-Rivières!!!

English should be made the national language of the united states.

Dbl post....
Damn fast fingers....

Those employees are just being disrespectful.

I'm a Spanish speaker. Its my first language. You dont go to anothers country and not make an effort.

When I came to the US my parents enforced learning English.

a reply to: StallionDuck

I think it's wrong.

I've lived in several foreign countries and took the time to learn the language of the country I was residing in.


It illustrates a growing undercurrent of a refusal to acknowledge or even assimilate into the country you are living in.

It's what invaders demand when they take over a nation.

originally posted by: Bluntone22
English should be made the national language of the united states.

It isn't?

There is not national language in the USA, although if you immigrate you do need to understand, read, and speak English to become a citizen.

I do not think one should speak English to have a job. But I do think an individual will have more opportunity in the work place if they do speak English.

originally posted by: StallionDuck
Hello all...

I saw this video pop up on the news just recently so I had to Youtube it and see what it was all about:

In the video, an english speaking customer was refused service at a Taco Bell because she didn't speak spanish. In my opinion, it's quite laughable but living in Austin, TX, I do see this in some part but I was never refused service because of a language barrier. There were always ways to come to a mutual understanding. There are some shops and stores here in certain areas where the older generation will sometimes not understand a wedo

Personally, it doesn't bother me because it's sometimes fun but I will admit that I have been frustrated going through a drive through and had my order completely jacked up because they didn't understand me. In many ways, I can really see how this would be a problem. Either way, you simply don't refuse service because you don't understand the common language of the US majority of peoples.


What do you guys and gals think?

When I lived in Coral Gables/Miami in 1974...you couldn't get a job most anyplace if you didn't at least understand some Spanish.

Stores, gas stations, party stores...it was kinda hard...but the wife and I stayed employed all 5 yrs we lived there.

So, I can relate a little....and now can speak a bit, and understand even more.

To the op's premise..not sure it's fair...but perhaps necessary in places to speak a common area language.

originally posted by: intrepid

originally posted by: Bluntone22
English should be made the national language of the united states.

It isn't?

You would think but no.

No neccesariio.....yo habla mucho Espanol en Texas.....

Comprende Todo en las trabaho....

le major en otro companas....no se !!

Yo solamente balio...blanckito....hehehehe

a reply to: StallionDuck

I can't wait to get one of those bugs from Hitchhiker guide to the galaxy in my ear that translates any language into the language you speak..... Or the technological equivalate.

American English is the official language of the U.S.A..

Burn that sucka down.

Speak American!

I think that taco bell decided they made a mistake hiring someone not qualified for the job? it seems that she was let go after this. but really, I can't help but think that maybe the worker had some sort of gripe against the person and was just pretending.... I just can't believe she made it through the interview process without management (and training) without noticing that she didn't understand english.

originally posted by: watchandwait410
a reply to: StallionDuck

I can't wait to get one of those bugs from Hitchhiker guide to the galaxy in my ear that translates any language into the language you speak..... Or the technological equivalate.

Babel Fish.

"The Babel fish is small, yellow, leech-like, and probably the oddest thing in the Universe. It feeds on brainwave energy received not from its own carrier, but from those around it. It absorbs all unconscious mental frequencies from this brainwave energy to nourish itself with. It then excretes into the mind of its carrier a telepathic matrix formed by combining the conscious thought frequencies with nerve signals picked up from the speech centres of the brain which has supplied them. The practical upshot of all this is that if you stick a Babel fish in your ear you can instantly understand anything said to you in any form of language. The speech patterns you actually hear decode the brainwave matrix which has been fed into your mind by your Babel fish.
"Now it is such a bizarrely improbable coincidence that something so mind-bogglingly useful could have evolved purely by chance that some thinkers have chosen to see it as a final and clinching proof of the non-existence of God.

"The argument goes something like this: 'I refuse to prove that I exist,' says God, 'for proof denies faith, and without faith, I am nothing.' 'But, says Man, the Babel fish is a dead giveaway, isn't it? It could not have evolved by chance. It proves you exist, and, by your own arguments, you don't. QED.' 'Oh dear,' says God, 'I hadn't thought of that,' and vanishes in a puff of logic. 'Oh, that was easy,' says Man, and for an encore goes on to prove that black is white and gets himself killed on the next zebra crossing.

"Most leading theologians claim that this argument is a load of dingo's kidneys, but that didn't stop Oolon Colluphid from making a small fortune when he used it as the theme of his best-selling book, Well That About Wraps It Up For God.
"Meanwhile, the poor Babel fish, by effectively removing all barriers to communication between different races and cultures, has caused more and bloodier wars than anything else in the history of creation."

hitchhikers.wikia.com...

I say yes.

The majority of people speak english.

If you do they'd get more out of what 'Murica has to offer.

a reply to: watchandwait410

Babel fish:

"The Babel fish is small, yellow, leech-like - and probably the oddest thing in the universe. It feeds on brain wave energy, absorbing all unconscious frequencies and then excreting telepathically a matrix formed from the conscious frequencies and nerve signals picked up from the speech centres of the brain, the practical upshot of which is that if you stick one in your ear, you can instantly understand anything said to you in any form of language: the speech you hear decodes the brain wave matrix."

en.wikipedia.org...

of course people working with customers in the US should have to speak English. and well enough to understand and make themselves easily understood by customers. that only makes sense. now if they can understand and speak another language on top of English, that can be helpful (but not necessary). but they at the very least should be able to communicate in the language of the country they are working in. even workers who don't work with the public need to be able to speak English since of course they need to be able to communicate with management and anyone else they work with.

I get that a lot down here in key west , Florida ....If you go to The local Publix grocery store and they don't want to help at the deli counter ... They say in their Spanish accent ..."No Comprende ... No English "....:. And the I just want to punch them . ... Hialeah, florida is south Miami and very Spanish . I had to go to a tile store there and ask for an English speaking represtative .

I would never employ anyone who didn't speak English.

How could you relay instructions etc confident that they had been fully understood?

Whenever I've visited foreign countries I have always tried to learn some basic words and phrases.....usually related to ordering beer and food.