Is it ok for ethnic restaurant menus to be in another language?

[brainhulk]

https://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2019/03/26/taco-tirade-man-goes-on-rant-at-mexican-restaurant/

Living in southern california, i come across foreign language menus more than other places i assume. Often times i'll have a friend that can read the other language. At Chinese restaurants, the entire specials chalkboard is written entirely in chinese characters. If i'm not with native speakers, I just ask a server and chalk it up as part of the ambiance.

 

[IronWing]

What an idiot.

 

[purbeast0]

I just got back from Grand Cayman and I observed something facepalm worthy from ignorant Americans while there.

There were these 4 white americans in the pool talking about politics and bs and I overheard one of them telling a story about driving on the left side of the road. See over there they drive on the left side with steering wheels on the right side. I drive it all the time and you adapt very quickly.

Well this guy was saying how while he was golfing he was driving on the the wrong side (the right side, like in the USA) and that someone said something to him. He commented to the other golfer 'I'm American I don't drive on that side' and that the other golfer was kind of nasty to him.

To me, that basically epitomizes the problem with ignorant ass Americans, which is a lot They want to go to other countries and be catered to their culture and do things like they do in America. But when other people come to their country, they want everything to be done the American way. They want to have their cake and eat it too.

That shit grinded my gears.

That ignorant ass dude in the taco video says "it's written in Mexican" and it just shows how stupid his redneck ass is.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I've eaten a lot of food cooked on tiny grills in the street in far away places and I no longer ask. I just point and hold up fingers for how many.

 

[Thebobo]

He has a point but he should of calmly asked to see the manager and point out the problem.

 

[purbeast0]

He has a point but he should of calmly asked to see the manager and point out the problem.

Honest question - what is the point that he has?

He could have used it as an educational session and learned a few spanish words but instead showed his true racist redneck colors.

 

[ImpulsE69]

I will say this. It goes both ways. If you are in the US, then yes I think your services should be in english. I don't care if you put multiple languages, but english should be there as that is the primary language here. In the same manner, if I go somewhere non english speaking, I don't expect their services to be in english (which is where americans tend to fail at common sense).

That being said, this video is a testament to the current anti mexican (let's be honest here) sentiment.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I will say this. It goes both ways. If you are in the US, then yes I think your services should be in english. I don't care if you put multiple languages, but english should be there as that is the primary language here. In the same manner, if I go somewhere non english speaking, I don't expect their services to be in english (which is where americans tend to fail at common sense).

That being said, this video is a testament to the current anti mexican (let's be honest here) sentiment.

So what should we call burritos? Meat pillows? Call things what they are, if it's a non-english word (whatever that means, considering the origins of english) then learn what it is.

 

[pcgeek11]

There were these 4 white americans in the pool talking about politics and bs and I overheard one of them telling a story about driving on the left side of the road. See over there they drive on the left side with steering wheels on the right side. I drive it all the time and you adapt very quickly.

I get your point and agree with you.

I was only wondering what the point was to express that they were WHITE? Does it matter what color they are or were?

 

[IronWing]

So what should we call burritos? Meat pillows? Call things what they are, if it's a non-english word (whatever that means, considering the origins of english) then learn what it is.

I'm not a fan of the concept of cultural appropriation but I think referring to burritos as "wraps" is whitewashing bullshit.

 

[ponyo]

So did that ass get his food? If so, I hope they made him real special fish tacos.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I'm not a fan of the concept of cultural appropriation but I think referring to burritos as "wraps" is whitewashing bullshit.

Agreed, if there's already a term for the food just use that, unless it's literally an unpronounceable series of clicks or something.

 

[kt]

I will say this. It goes both ways. If you are in the US, then yes I think your services should be in english. I don't care if you put multiple languages, but english should be there as that is the primary language here. In the same manner, if I go somewhere non english speaking, I don't expect their services to be in english (which is where americans tend to fail at common sense).

That being said, this video is a testament to the current anti mexican (let's be honest here) sentiment.

Sad thing is that there is an English translation of what this man was complaining about and when the employee pointed it out he brought his tirade to another level.

 

[ImpulsE69]

So what should we call burritos? Meat pillows? Call things what they are, if it's a non-english word (whatever that means, considering the origins of english) then learn what it is.

I get what you are going for, but you overshot the point of what I was saying to the extreme.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I get what you are going for, but you overshot the point of what I was saying to the extreme.

That was the point, to show how absurd your point was.

 

[ponyo]

Sad thing is that there is an English translation of what this man was complaining about and when the employee pointed it out he brought his tirade to another level.

Which is why this is not about couple words being in foreign language but rather about his entitlement. It could've been in English but with small fine print and the ass would've missed it and then threw the same fit.

 

[kt]

I get your point and agree with you.

I was only wondering what the point was to express that they were WHITE? Does it matter what color they are or were?

Let's not beat around the bush, we all know what the central issue here. It's not about any American, it's about WHITE American. So him pointing it out relates to the topic at hand.

 

[Midwayman]

Honestly I'd rather an ethnic restaurant have the menu primarily in the native language with English subtitles. It makes it feel more authentic.

 

[ImpulsE69]

That was the point, to show how absurd your point was.

Let's put it in the context of asian language which is much less similar.

If you walk into a restaurant with only chinese characters and no pictures, the majority of Americans are going to be lost looking at a menu. Add some pictures of a few items, they'll mostly stick to those items. Now realistically, most restaurants go beyond that with english subtext, descriptions - because they have to or they'd cut their business by quite a bit.

What I said is not absurd. Sure, everyone knows what a burrito is from an 'item' aspect and that it isn't an english word, but less people know what 'pollo' or 'queso' mean. You trying to go to the extreme to counter my point is what is wrong with the world. You don't need to go to extremes, it's called using common sense and meeting in the middle. This is lacking in today's all or nothing society.

 

[MagnusTheBrewer]

I will say this. It goes both ways. If you are in the US, then yes I think your services should be in english. I don't care if you put multiple languages, but english should be there as that is the primary language here. In the same manner, if I go somewhere non english speaking, I don't expect their services to be in english (which is where americans tend to fail at common sense).

That being said, this video is a testament to the current anti mexican (let's be honest here) sentiment.

The ONLY anti Mexican sentiment around is the orange one and his idiot followers.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

Let's put it in the context of asian language which is much less similar.

If you walk into a restaurant with only chinese characters and no pictures, the majority of Americans are going to be lost looking at a menu. Add some pictures of a few items, they'll mostly stick to those items. Now realistically, most restaurants go beyond that with english subtext, descriptions - because they have to or they'd cut their business by quite a bit.

What I said is not absurd. Sure, everyone knows what a burrito is and that it isn't an english word, but less people know what 'pollo' or 'queso' mean. You trying to go to the extreme to counter my point is what is wrong with the world. You don't need to go to extremes, it's called using common sense and meeting in the middle.

Alright, well, common sense would dictate that when I said 'an unpronounceable series of clicks or something' that would probably include unreadable non-latin based characters, which would be equally unpronounceable to the average American. 'Pollo' and 'Queso' are however, pronounceable (if badly) and the person can just ask what it is if they don't know, educate themselves, and press on. Hell, they could look it up on their phone within seconds as well.

To me, meeting in the middle means printing the food items as what they are called, possibly having an English description underneath, and having staff members that know what's on the menu so the person can reasonably ask what the item is, then make their selection.

I do not think that finding English terms for food is meeting in the middle. If i'm going to a Vietnamese place, I want Pho, not 'soup with stuff in it' because someone might not know what Pho is.

 

[ImpulsE69]

To me, meeting in the middle means printing the food items as what they are called, possibly having an English description underneath, and having staff members that know what's on the menu so the person can reasonably ask what the item is, then make their selection.

I think maybe I wasn't clear, but I agree with this and is basically what I was saying. The video as pointed out had english but the guy decided to ignore it.

 

[PJFrylar]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_the_United_States

Cliff notes: The United States has never had an official language at the federal level.
Gripe with a wikipedia link if you like, there are plenty of other sources that will say the same thing.

 

[[DHT]Osiris]

I think maybe I wasn't clear, but I agree with this and is basically what I was saying. The video as pointed out had english but the guy decided to ignore it.

My mistake, I thought you meant either including, or not, the primary name for the item, as well as an 'englishified' version (pho/soup). I've seen that in restaurants and it grinds my gears pretty hard.

 

[purbeast0]

I get your point and agree with you.

I was only wondering what the point was to express that they were WHITE? Does it matter what color they are or were?

No point really, rather than to give you an idea of the type of people I'm referring to. I mean, typically these type of ignorant Americans are white.