Communication
Dutch (adj) - A dangerous combination of ignorance and arrogance resulting in foolish delusions of grandeur.
Do you speak Dutch or ONLY English?
Because there are only two languages in the world, right?
This is a question my Polish colleague and I are asked on a daily basis, sometimes multiple times a day and I can't even begin to tell you how much this pisses us both off. I know it isn't necessarily meant to cause offense, but their indifferent attitude towards offending us does.
What's wrong with asking "Spreek je Nederlands?" or even "Do you speak Dutch?" if you are absolutely convinced our communication options are limited? Needless to say we are both perfectly fluent in the local vernacular and between us we probably speak approximately 16 languages. So NO, we don't speak ONLY English but then considering neither one of us is from England this isn't so surprising.
I know this sounds like a bit of a petty rant, but I haven't spent the last 20 years learning 6 languages only to have the local people's inability to speak other languages projected onto me.
I know how to say "Fuck off" in 10 languages, ask me if I only speak English and I will treat you to all of them!
Do you speak Dutch or ONLY English?
Because there are only two languages in the world, right?
This is a question my Polish colleague and I are asked on a daily basis, sometimes multiple times a day and I can't even begin to tell you how much this pisses us both off. I know it isn't necessarily meant to cause offense, but their indifferent attitude towards offending us does.
What's wrong with asking "Spreek je Nederlands?" or even "Do you speak Dutch?" if you are absolutely convinced our communication options are limited? Needless to say we are both perfectly fluent in the local vernacular and between us we probably speak approximately 16 languages. So NO, we don't speak ONLY English but then considering neither one of us is from England this isn't so surprising.
I know this sounds like a bit of a petty rant, but I haven't spent the last 20 years learning 6 languages only to have the local people's inability to speak other languages projected onto me.
I know how to say "Fuck off" in 10 languages, ask me if I only speak English and I will treat you to all of them!