belligerentyouth wrote: I always thought that's is how you learn and I must say, there are alot of very rude people here in Europe, all speaking multiple languages, willy-nilly!
So Juan Maria can/should pull out the Spanish at will :-)
Speaking a language that cannot be understood by someone is as rude as you want it to be. You can speak ignoring completely or even scorning the foreign one or you can be as natural as possible and try to integrate or, at least, not exclude completely this person.
On the other hand is the willingness of the foreign to understand what is being said. I know people who get infuriated when, being in Barcelona or La Coruña, are addressed in Catalonian or Galician. Being a little patient and asking not to speak too quickly, a Spaniard can perfectly understand those languages. I’m sure that these same people would try harder, and understand most conversations, if they were in Italy or Portugal.
Juan Maria.
