We don't get that on our phones..this is England, this is our language.. however it does irritate me when I have to press for English at the Cash-point..I feel that the country's language should be automatic, and all other languages should be highlighted secondary , and also more annoyingly is when English isn't at the top of the list!!
It probably irritates most EVERYONE!! However, we do have many citizens and those visiting (legally and illegally) who may not speak English. Any of them may need a service or a product, so help is offered in a variety of languages. In some countries, such as Mexico or even parts of Asia, people don't have a good education. If someone can't read or write, it is hard for them to learn a new language. Even if they can speak somewhat conversationally, they are more comfortable purchasing or conducting business in their own language if it's available.
Well, this is America, but many, many times, a person would really wonder. However, years ago, when I was in a Chief Auto Parts in Anaheim, California, each aisle had a sign in English, Spanish and Vietnamese stating what was in the aisle. Also, like calling Customer Service for something and someone from India answers who has a heavy Indian accent. All you can say is, "please repeat, I don't understand". This can go on until the person requesting help gets frustrated and hangs up the phone.
No, it doesn't irritate me. I suspect someone will be annoyed or irritated enough to invent a bypass of it all if not already. What does irritate me are those automated calls created with hopes that you'll listen to the end.
Maybe if they put one of those signs listing all the languages and a particular code that you would have to enter if you want a different language. That way us homies wouldn't have to do anything special.
As someone who took several years of Spanish in high school, the phone message brings a smile to my lips. I've used my Spanish at summer jobs, in communicating with and helping Hispanics, and certainly in more direct usage than those who took Latin...
All "Press 1 for English", "Click here for English", Restroom signs not in English, etc. should be eliminated throughout our land! The foreigners in our Country should learn to speak simple English before they cross or borders, then learn our language completely when they settle here. (And I prefer that they didn't settle here) My mother was a foreigner, and if she didn't come to America through Ellis Island, I would have been a Ukrainian. Hal
When Victoria was Queen of England, she had powerful Armies and a Navy that ruled the Seas of the World, giving her worldwide powers of colonization! During her reign, the Sun never set on the British Empire! "Walk wide of the Widow at Windsor, for half of Creation she owns!" (Kipling) Hal
Living in the Rio Grande Valley of Texas, I know that Winter Texans would get upset when someone at a restaurant or bank wouldn't be able to speak English well enough to understand them, and I can remember one incident where the Winter Texans at the table next to us seemed to believe that no one else in the room understood English because they were complaining that people at other tables were speaking Spanish, and they thought that was rude. This is America, after all. Actually, that part of America has never been primarily English-speaking. People whose ancestors had lived there for generations spoke Spanish, so someone coming to the Rio Grande Valley expecting everyone to speak English to them was a little like expecting everyone to speak English to you when you visit Mexico City or Italy. Yeah, there are probably a lot of people who speak English but that's not their go-to language unless they're trying to sell something to you.