My English is not so good . . .

[Guest]

That was the comment delivered to my husband by a fairly young, hard-working girl from the Drive Thru menu board of a fast food place today.

Our order was messed up, of course. Immensely. We handled it.

But why on earth would someone place this sweet person, who was truly attempting to do her job, into the Drive-Thru order-taking position during a lunch rush?

I imagine she'll have to endure a great deal of abuse today.

 

[oggbashan]

Perhaps she didn't understand what pressure she would be put under?

Perhaps everyone else picked the easier jobs?

Perhaps her English was the best of those on duty?

Perhaps her boss was being cruel and hoping that she'd resign?

Next week - her English will be better.

Og

 

[TheEarl]

OT: The title of this thread gave me a complete wiggins, as it's the opening of an anecdote I have about the time I accepted a bet to chat up a girl in a foreign accent.

<adopts quasi-Slavic accent> Excuse me, my eeenglish iz not verry gud, but you are veerrry beautiful lady. Can I buy you drink?

The Earl

 

[Guest]

Perhaps she didn't understand what pressure she would be put under?

Perhaps everyone else picked the easier jobs?

Perhaps her English was the best of those on duty?

Perhaps her boss was being cruel and hoping that she'd resign?

Next week - her English will be better.

Og

Bless you, Og.

I imagine it will.

 

[Guest]

OT: The title of this thread gave me a complete wiggins, as it's the opening of an anecdote I have about the time I accepted a bet to chat up a girl in a foreign accent.

<adopts quasi-Slavic accent> Excuse me, my eeenglish iz not verry gud, but you are veerrry beautiful lady. Can I buy you drink?

The Earl

Naughty lad.

You said you'd never tell!

 

[damppanties]

Perhaps she didn't understand what pressure she would be put under?

Perhaps everyone else picked the easier jobs?

Perhaps her English was the best of those on duty?

Perhaps her boss was being cruel and hoping that she'd resign?

Next week - her English will be better.

Og

The start of a 50 word story...

 

[oggbashan]

The start of a 50 word story...

As you know, anything can be the start of a 50-word story by Og.

Finishing one is not so easy.

Og

 

[damppanties]

As you know, anything can be the start of a 50-word story by Og.

Finishing one is not so easy.

Og

I've just been reading your Halloween entries. I'm still under the influence. This just seemed as concise as your 50 worders.

 

[oggbashan]

I've just been reading your Halloween entries. I'm still under the influence. This just seemed as concise as your 50 worders.

Thank you.

But they weren't as concise. 50 words is so few.

I'm still stuck on my longer Halloween story, 5,500 words and barely started. Maybe I'll finish it for next year.

Og the occasionally verbose.

 

[Munachi]

in a drive thru must be tough indeed... i wouldn't even understand my own language well enough there.

then again the whole concept of drive through is a bit weird to my mind, but then that's someone speaking who doesn't even have a driving license, so what do i know... can one go by bike to a drive thru?

 

[Joesephus]

As one whoes English is less than perfect...

I've found Americans to be more tolerant of bad English than most others are of folks that mangle their language. The exception would be Europeans... with the exception of the French.

What I do find strange is the way Spanish is being promoted here. Language is a very devisive issue, and it seems odd that Americans seem to be anxious to introduce that problem into their society.

The whole world wants to learn English, it's such a rich language... except here, where every effort seem to be being made to elevate Spanish.

 

[Munachi]

I've found Americans to be more tolerant of bad English than most others are of folks that mangle their language. The exception would be Europeans... with the exception of the French.

What I do find strange is the way Spanish is being promoted here. Language is a very devisive issue, and it seems odd that Americans seem to be anxious to introduce that problem into their society.

The whole world wants to learn English, it's such a rich language... except here, where every effort seem to be being made to elevate Spanish.

how do you mean? europeans are more tolerant than americans but the french aren't, and everyone non-european isn't either? actually, i'd say one meets tolerant and non-tolerant people everywhere... the best is when you speak a very "small" language - even if you know just some words, native speakers of that language will love you for just trying...

as for the promotion of spanish, and the world wanting to learn english... that is a very wide topic, probably too long to get into... anyway, i want to learn both. and many others.

 

[Joesephus]

I speak several...

and I think everyone should. What I meant was (forgive my poor English) that Europe seems to be trying to overcome their language differences... with English. Except for the French who are very anal about French.

In other parts of the world where I've lived, folks don't seem as tolerant of people who speak their language poorly. I'm not talking about a tourist who tries, but people who live there like I did.

You're right about Spanish being a different topic.. sorry.