What is your reaction when you call for technical support or whatever, and you get an actual person on the phone; but their English is hard to understand?

According to the Ethnologue publication, there are 7,151 distinct languages spoken around the world. About half of the global population speaks 23 languages. The most spoken languages are English, Mandarin, Hindi, and Spanish. Language differences can become a barrier to getting along with others.

As many already know from personal and painful experiences, even speaking the same language doesn’t always avoid misunderstandings and serious conflicts. Language brings humanity together but also becomes a “dividing wall of hostility.” Saying the wrong words at the wrong time has ruptured numerous friendships and relationships. The wounds sometimes happen even if the negative impact of the words is not intended, when meaning is lost in translation.

It’s so easy to misinterpret what someone have said or written. People now days are easily offended by what is said. Those on the Left may call me a racist because of this blog. It seems everything is all about race these days.

Let us really dissect our English language. American English is different than our mother’s tongue, the true English from England. Just listen to the dialect of that English compared to our English. The English language is not the easiest language to learn. Some say that German is easier to learn than English. When you write, you write as you would speak; so you sometimes forget all the rules when speaking and writing in English.

Even in the United States, when you listen to someone speak, it’s different across the nation. People from the South may think that we talk funny up here in Minnesota; likewise, we may think that they talk funny down there. For example: they will say, “Ya’ll come back now.” Whereas, in Minnesota, we’ll say, “Uffda!” In Montana, they call a horse a hoss.

It’s not just the language that is a barrier; so is the culture. This country is known as the melting pot. There are many different languages spoken in this country. Just like there is different cultures as well.

Don’t you just hate it when you lives in a security apartment building; and someone would leave the security door ajar because they cannot bring their keys out with them. I can understand if a person is either moving in or out, or have lots of stuff to carry. Have you ever noticed that most people who does that are people from other countries? Don’t they understand that the apartment building is secured for a reason? Are they more trusting than we are? Believe me, if I see the door ajar open and there is no one around, I will remove the object.

Have you ever noticed that even though a person of color or from other country is next to each other, they still have to talk very loud? Plus, they would not be speaking English either. If I’m in the lounge area at work before I start work or on break, it’s hard to hear the TV because they happened to be talking very loud. I have to turn the volume up just to hear the TV. To me, that is very rude.

Have you ever been around someone who seems to put on way too much cologne or perfume? It’s not necessarily a cultural thing. There are some white who do that too. But a big percentage of black men would bathes in their cologne. When I smell that, I say to myself, “nice cologne, must you marinate in it.” I used cologne and deodorant too, but I don’t saturate in it like some people. Some cologne or perfume is so strong, it gives me a headache. If you are standing next to that person, it just burn your nose.

In some culture, some are more affectionate than others. In some cultures it’s offensive to stand too close to someone. We need to know the proper distance so not to offend someone. In Italy, the Italian are known to give kisses with your meal or when you comes to visit. If you watch any mob movies, if an Italian mobster would kiss you on both cheeks, you’re going to die.

There are many misconceptions about different cultures that cause people to misinterpret and possible offend someone. That is why it’s important to know the proper etiquette.

How do you feel when you go to church and someone is shouting praise the Lord and such? Up here in the north with the Catholic/Lutheran background, people are taught to be quiet in church. Yet down South or color people are more vocal in church. They are more apt to shout, clap their hands, and even raise their hands. One time my mother came to my church and was offended when she heard someone shouting praise the Lord or Amen.

The church I belong to is a multinational church with multiculture. It’s so good to see people from different culture getting together not just to worship but working to get along.

Yet at the same time, you just wish that they would learn to speak English or learn to respect our culture a little.

Some politicians want immigrants to come to this country to fill the job vacancy we have. Some employers figured that they will work for less money because they do not know any better. The Democrats want them to come to this country and they will bribe them just to get their votes. They figured that they can control them. In a way, they are treated like slaves because they do not understand our language and culture.

How do you feel when you have to train them for the job they are being hired for? You don’t speak their language and they truly don’t understand our language. It’s frustrating! I have went through it. My mother went through it herself.

Don’t get me wrong and call me a racist, because I’m far from it. I love people from all nation and culture. I knew a woman who I met at a day labor place. We became friends. She was a colored woman. One time we were visiting with each other at Walmart and someone thought that she was my girlfriend. Some people thinks that black and white person shouldn’t hook up because of the children’s sake.

I also have a friend who was from Iran. He’s a Christian and his family are Muslims. His name is Fred. He’s fun to be around.

There are good and bad people in all culture. It doesn’t matter if they are black or white. All that matter is how we interpret what is being said. If you are offended with this blog, deal with it. Don’t just sit their high and mighty and call me racist when I’m not!