The trouble with speaking foreign

April 20th, 2016 by Charles Cameron

[ by Charles Cameron — whether it’s Arabic in America, or Welsh in, of all places, Wales! ]

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In the last couple of days, we’ve seen:

Shame on you Southwest Airlines – College Student Removed From Flight After Speaking Arabic on Plane, via @nytimes https://t.co/5nqbebg8Xu

— John Horgan (@Drjohnhorgan) April 19, 2016

and:

someone in an Aber Starbucks was allegedly told 'speak English or get out' when ordering in Welsh https://t.co/tLZRuPHoSI

— Elena Cresci (@elenacresci) April 20, 2016

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Not only is it inadvisable to speak foreign in the United States, apparently — it can also be a problem when foreign is both the local and your own native tongue!

Posted in Charles Cameron, doubletweets, foreign language, language | 1 comment

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  1. Charles Cameron:

    April 23rd, 2016 at 4:29 pm

    Wajahat Ali has an amusing piece at NYT on the uses of Inshallah, the Arabic term that got Khairuldeen Makhzoomi kicked off the plane: Inshallah Is Good for Everyone. Literally, the phrase means God willing aka Deus volente — pretty much the opposite of the crusader’s battle cry, Deus vult — God wills it!.
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    Ali got in another and more amusing lick on the BBC, where he said:

    Another way, often times single people use it like “Man, did you see her?” Inshallah, bro, inshallah, one day, maybe I can talk to her.” Translation: This is an esthetically pleasing female and / or male, I have no hopes of ever acquiring their phone number, but God willing, maybe I can get it.

    Incidentally, that’s a nice illustration of a mind being more playful with thought and language when speaking than the same mind is when writing on the same exact topic.
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    My own contribution, which I picked up once, who knows where, and have dropped more than a few times all over the place:

    Inshallah and the creek don’t rise.