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Cross-pollination -- the future of business?

by thunderbird
10 replies
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I go to a grocery store where sometimes I have to speak Chinese so they can understand my questions (eg, "Where is the ong choy?). So, imagine my surprise when I discovered that a huge Western grocery store chain owns it.

Loblaws buys B.C.'s T&T Supermarket for $225 million
  • Profile picture of the author Lawrh
    Mergers and acquisitions happen all the time. Ethnicity is irrelevant, the money and market are what counts. T&T are the best Asian supermarket chain in the country, it's surprising it took this long for them to be snapped up.
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  • Profile picture of the author HeySal
    I just don't buy from people who can't speak to me in my own language. I don't care who owns what. English is the traditional language of this country and diglossia doesn't work the way it is practiced here now. In Europe where there are dual languages spoken there is always a national language which must be observed in schools and in government offices. Because there are so many different languages spoken just over borders, many will often know two languages, but when you go to another country, you still try to speak their language first before asking who speaks your own.

    Here in the states it's become a situation that people speak their own language and expect every US citizen to be able to understand THEIR language. There is no respect for the tradition of English and it's causing a real problem and costing a LOT of money. If I have to speak to a customer service rep on the phone that barely speaks my language, that business loses my money. If I walk into a store and am spoken to by a clerk in anything but English, I won't buy and I am very quick to tell the managers why. The only time I make exception to that is when I go to a location which has traditionally been non-English speaking, such as China-town. People who go there know they are going to a separate little cultural pocket when they go and will expect to have a few language barriers when they visit. But when the country at large tries to practice diglossia on the whole macro-level, they aren't creating "political correctness" they are creating problems.
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    Sal
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    • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
      Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

      <snip>

      Here in the states it's become a situation that people speak their own language and expect every US citizen to be able to understand THEIR language.
      <snip>
      Chinese people are far better when it comes to learning English, even in their native country, than non-Chinese people are when it comes to speaking Chinese. This I attribute, not to any ineptness of non-Chinese people to learn Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese or other dialect), but to a lack of willingness to put forth the effort to learn it, due to arrogance (Americans in particular, I'm sorry to say).
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      • Profile picture of the author KenThompson
        Originally Posted by thunderbird View Post

        Chinese people are far better when it comes to learning English, even in their native country, than non-Chinese people are when it comes to speaking Chinese. This I attribute, not to any ineptness of non-Chinese people to learn Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese or other dialect), but to a lack of willingness to put forth the effort to learn it, due to arrogance (Americans in particular, I'm sorry to say).
        What year did 'The Ugly American' get published? Referring to the general American
        arrogance thing. Not referencing any specific person, anywhere. But I don't think it's
        due to complete arrogance. I believe part of it is general laziness, as a whole. Just my
        general feeling about it.

        As a Native American, or half NA, more and more I find it amusing to hear all the comments
        about immigrants and language issues. Sure, conquest and acculturation are as old as the hills,
        and I'm not one to hang onto things that happened so long ago. It's life.

        But still, the conquerors are bitching about all of these issues. I just find it amusing. I no
        longer care about these things. I say - everyone come here, and then I'll quietly slip away
        and go live somewhere else where it's cool and not crowded.
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        • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
          Originally Posted by KenThompson View Post

          <snip>

          As a Native American, or half NA, more and more I find it amusing to hear all the comments
          about immigrants and language issues.<snip>
          Most Mexicans have ancestry that once occupied such territories as California, Arizona, and New Mexico thousands of years before the colonists arrived.
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          • Profile picture of the author KenThompson
            Originally Posted by thunderbird View Post

            Most Mexicans have ancestry that once occupied such territories as California, Arizona, and New Mexico thousands of years before the colonists arrived.
            Don't forget Tejas! Remember the Alamo... lol
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      • Profile picture of the author HeySal
        Originally Posted by thunderbird View Post

        Chinese people are far better when it comes to learning English, even in their native country, than non-Chinese people are when it comes to speaking Chinese. This I attribute, not to any ineptness of non-Chinese people to learn Chinese (Mandarin, Cantonese or other dialect), but to a lack of willingness to put forth the effort to learn it, due to arrogance (Americans in particular, I'm sorry to say).
        I live in an area that has quite a large asian population - and it's rare that I see anyone who doesn't speak English...just a few of the very old, and they probably came over with their children.

        As far as bi-lingual goes, though - a lot of Americans are now getting a taste of how they act. When I was in Europe I heard Americans slamming Europeans left and right for being rude...but those people never once tried to speak the language of the country they were visiting. I was able to speak some German and French and I never had people treat me rudely at all. Mostly they would just wince and smile then speak to me in English.

        A great number of Europeans knew English, but always waited to see how you would address them. When someone first made an attempt to speak to them in the language of their own country, even if they didn't do well, it was considered respectful and they were very nice. Americans who would walk in and start howling about doesn't anyone here speak English were rejected and very justifiably so. I was always impressed that people were taken each at face value rather than lumped all into the same category of being rude and disgusting.

        As far as Mandarin - it's not an easy language to learn. It's a nightmare to learn to write.
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        Sal
        When the Roads and Paths end, learn to guide yourself through the wilderness
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        • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
          Originally Posted by HeySal View Post

          <snip>

          As far as Mandarin - it's not an easy language to learn. It's a nightmare to learn to write.
          Writing is harder, but it is pretty easy to learn to speak it if you're not tone deaf (I'm not, but still musically untalented). Easier than French -- none of that feminine/masculine word and changing verbs according to tense. Many languages are much harder to learn than Mandarin -- eg Basque.
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  • Profile picture of the author KenThompson
    But, just thinking about this I want to add that for a lot of reasons there
    are benefits to diversity. Lots of benefits. I've even thought about learning
    how to speak Spanish. My first choice is to speak French, but can't find
    anyone to talk to in French.
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  • Profile picture of the author thunderbird
    Here's another example of cross-pollination (not sure where I picked up this term from but it is my word du jour):

    The Associated Press: Lionsgate plans 5 Asian films in 2 years
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