Taiwanese continuing speaking to you in English even if they know you speak good Mandarin/Taiwanese

[jimipresley]

@ironlady

Well, well-adjusted people would call it an “occasional minor irritation” if they even chose to dignify it with a name. But then again, they don’t regard such things as crimes against entire races of people.

+1

[Teddoman]

@Deuce Dropper

[quote=“ironlady”]Well, well-adjusted people would call it an “occasional minor irritation” if they even chose to dignify it with a name. But then again, they don’t regard such things as crimes against entire races of people.

LOL, I couldn’t agree more.[/quote]
If only they sold anti-itch creams for this…

Well, I guess somebody has to keep our European psychologists like the OP in business.

To paraphrase the great former New York Knick Latrell Sprewell, “I gotta feed my family!” (after he turned his nose up at a 21 million dollar contract)

[Rabidpie]

@Teddoman

[quote=“Deuce Dropper”]English is the default international language, what is strange or rude or odd or whatever about a local speaking English (the default international language) to someone who is visibly foreign? Whitey is too easily bent out of shape these days, just looking for a reason to be offended.

Maybe at a UN meeting. At a roadside tanzi, I think Mandarin or Taiwanese is the default.

And no one is complaining it’s offensive per se, the OP was talking about a Taiwanese person continuing to speak in English (and probably bad English at that) AFTER the foreigner demonstrates a competency in Mandarin.

It’s probably a micro aggression of some sort (in reference to that other thread), who knows. It’s definitely just a bit wierd on some level.[/quote]

I think it’s definitely weird too. You get used to it, but it’s still weird.

[darienpeak]

@Rabidpie

I think it’s definitely weird too. You get used to it, but it’s still weird.

Embrace the weird.

I have been trying (microaggressively) to speak (very bad) Chinese to Chinese people while I’ve been back in Canada. Luckily I haven’t yet accidentally victimized a confused southeast asian or non-fluent CBC.

I would say 1/3 of the Chinese people thus encountered have delighted at my efforts, 2/3 are vaguely uncomfortable, 1/2 reply in Chinese, and 1/2 reply in English.

I find the experience valuable. I get to see what of my bad pronunciation they understand. A few of them will echo back what I’ve said, at which point I try to repeat their repetition to improve pronunciation. Then I can try to understand their actual response.

Frankly, I don’t care if they think I’m crazy. I don’t have many opportunities to practice my Chinese.

These Taiwanese don’t have many opportunities to practice their English in a real-life encounter, outside of the safe confines of a classroom. Just tell them their English is good, and maybe teach them a new word in exchange for some Taiwanese slang. Or be a grump. (Not saying that you are, Rabidpie.) Life goes on.