“mi Español es horrible!” by Liz DiLoreto

Studying in Spain has shown me many cultural differences between American and Spanish people such as the amount of English spoken. Compared to other touristic places in Spain, Sevilla has much less people who speak English. For example, my parents who visited a few weeks ago noticed how little the Sevillans spoke English with them especially in less touristy districts like my neighborhood, Triana. As American tourists, we are used to having people generally accommodate us and learn our language regardless of their language. Perhaps this is because America and its culture is seen as somewhat of an empire. Maybe this is perpetuated through media like film, tv and music or just a result of our own ethnocentrism. Something I find interesting is that in some parts of Sevilla, my friends and I will be speaking Spanish to somebody and they will respond in English or automatically give us the English menus. I consider this to be my own fault as “mi Español es horrible!” and maybe my Spanish is so bad and insulting that it’s easier for them to speak to me in English. Or maybe, they are seeking to improve their English. Many times, I find that the only language Sevillans know is Spanish which is something I really appreciate and respect. I’ve asked one of my professors before, doesn’t it bother you to see so many product labels, menus, songs and films in English or even translated from it? I know in America, people would be very irritated by this as we are generally intolerant of other languages. Through videos surfacing of people yelling at immigrants to speak English or get out of America and the general rhetoric of speaking English being absolutely necessary, it’s interesting to think about if the cultures were reversed. Could Americans handle it if they were the visitors or immigrants to a place and nobody was willing to speak English? Personally, I'm not so sure.