PSA: Learn English before calling your IT Department

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ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,189
87
91
madgenius.com
You know what be awesome, is if anyone called in, and spoke another language, it would translate over the phone, on the fly, into English (or whatever you wanted)

Someone invent this, you will be rich. I want some profits though.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,221
17,894
126
Originally posted by: Platypus
Originally posted by: sdifox

So exactly how am I an ignorant fucktard?

Has it occured to you that it's possible he's not an illegal immigrant?

So, he lives in the USA, has proper documentation, but do not speak any English and works for a company? WTF????
 

TehMac

Diamond Member
Aug 18, 2006
9,976
3
71
Originally posted by: Platypus
Has it occured to you that it's possible he's not an illegal immigrant?

As a general rule of thumb, it's quite usual for English to be a requisite for taking a citizenship test.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,221
17,894
126
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
You know what be awesome, is if anyone called in, and spoke another language, it would translate over the phone, on the fly, into English (or whatever you wanted)

Someone invent this, you will be rich. I want some profits though.

Go to your local pond and find a Babel Fish :laugh:


Here in Toronto, when you call the emergency line, you can just say the name of the language you speak first, and they'll get you an operator that speaks that language. I think it's something like 60 languages.


 

ViviTheMage

Lifer
Dec 12, 2002
36,189
87
91
madgenius.com
Originally posted by: sdifox
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
You know what be awesome, is if anyone called in, and spoke another language, it would translate over the phone, on the fly, into English (or whatever you wanted)

Someone invent this, you will be rich. I want some profits though.

Go to your local pond and find a Babel Fish :laugh:


Here in Toronto, when you call the emergency line, you can just say the name of the language you speak first, and they'll get you an operator that speaks that language. I think it's something like 60 languages.

Crazy!

haha, babel fish.
 

Platypus

Lifer
Apr 26, 2001
31,046
321
136
Originally posted by: sdifox
Originally posted by: Platypus
Originally posted by: sdifox

So exactly how am I an ignorant fucktard?

Has it occured to you that it's possible he's not an illegal immigrant?

So, he lives in the USA, has proper documentation, but do not speak any English and works for a company? WTF????

I work with tons of people who are on work visas who do not speak good English at all. It's actually very common in IT in my experience.
 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,221
17,894
126
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
Originally posted by: sdifox
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
You know what be awesome, is if anyone called in, and spoke another language, it would translate over the phone, on the fly, into English (or whatever you wanted)

Someone invent this, you will be rich. I want some profits though.

Go to your local pond and find a Babel Fish :laugh:


Here in Toronto, when you call the emergency line, you can just say the name of the language you speak first, and they'll get you an operator that speaks that language. I think it's something like 60 languages.

Crazy!

haha, babel fish.

you have heard of such magical creatures right? :laugh:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R..._the_Galaxy#Babel_fish

 

sdifox

No Lifer
Sep 30, 2005
100,221
17,894
126
Originally posted by: Platypus
Originally posted by: sdifox
Originally posted by: Platypus
Originally posted by: sdifox

So exactly how am I an ignorant fucktard?

Has it occured to you that it's possible he's not an illegal immigrant?

So, he lives in the USA, has proper documentation, but do not speak any English and works for a company? WTF????

I work with tons of people who are on work visas who do not speak good English at all. It's actually very common in IT in my experience.

Not speaking it well is not the same as the situation outlined by the op. I am pretty sure the people you hire speak some English, maybe with a thick accent, but they tend to be highly educated and speak English, if not perfectly.

That is not what the op ran into.
 

ConstipatedVigilante

Diamond Member
Feb 22, 2006
7,670
1
0
Originally posted by: ViviTheMage
You know what be awesome, is if anyone called in, and spoke another language, it would translate over the phone, on the fly, into English (or whatever you wanted)

Someone invent this, you will be rich. I want some profits though.

That's the whole reason translators/interpreters exist. :confused: People are working on this, you know.
 

PricklyPete

Lifer
Sep 17, 2002
14,582
162
106
That's funny...it my experience it has been the exact opposite... learn English before becoming part of a IT department that supports an English speaking company.
 

hanoverphist

Diamond Member
Dec 7, 2006
9,867
23
76
Originally posted by: PricklyPete
That's funny...it my experience it has been the exact opposite... learn English before becoming part of a IT department that supports an English speaking company.

or have the IT dept ready to interact with people that speak different languages. know your market. here in AZ its a must, just like in NM and TX. do i like it? hell no. do i know how to get a meal and directions in espanol? of course.
 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
80,287
17,081
136
Originally posted by: hanoverphist
Originally posted by: PricklyPete
That's funny...it my experience it has been the exact opposite... learn English before becoming part of a IT department that supports an English speaking company.

or have the IT dept ready to interact with people that speak different languages. know your market. here in AZ its a must, just like in NM and TX. do i like it? hell no. do i know how to get a meal and directions in espanol? of course.

In Virginia it will soon be a requirement I'm sure. Theres assloads of illegals here and 99% of them speak some form of spanish. I am learning the language right now because its all but been declared officially that they are not leaving. And in the next generation they will be legal citizens.
 

nerp

Diamond Member
Dec 31, 2005
9,865
105
106
Too bad you're not bilingual. You could have helped this guy out. Maybe your company should hire people with more education so they don't get flummoxed when challenged with a foreign language.
 

OCGuy

Lifer
Jul 12, 2000
27,224
37
91
You could have done the smart thing and reset the passwords for every Jose and Hose B in Texas.
 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
80,287
17,081
136
Originally posted by: nerp
Too bad you're not bilingual. You could have helped this guy out. Maybe your company should hire people with more education so they don't get flummoxed when challenged with a foreign language.
Maybe the US government should give a halfway decent education to its citizens instead of free handouts to both foreign countries who dont like us and illegal aliens in our own country.

/End angry rant by young man soon to start voting Republican.
 

Krynj

Platinum Member
Jun 21, 2006
2,816
8
81
I like the people that just don't listen to me, no matter what I say, or how many times I say it.

"Ok, I want you to go ahead and restart your computer right now."
"Alright, well, are..you sure?"
"Yup. Just go ahead and restart it, and let it boot back into Windows."
"I wasn't sure, because I just restarted... the thing a few days ago."
"Ok, well, just go ahead and restart it now."
"Do you need to change the CMOS or BIOS configuration at all?"
"Nope, just need to restart it."
"Ok, So you just want me to restart it?"
 

guyver01

Lifer
Sep 25, 2000
22,135
5
61
Originally posted by: nerp
Too bad that person wasn't bilingual. You could have helped this guy out. Maybe your company should hire people who speak english so they don't get flummoxed when working in America.



fixed that for ya.


you work in america
for an american company

SPEAK FUCKING ENGLISH

try going to france or spain or japan and work for a company and not speak the native language.

 

JujuFish

Lifer
Feb 3, 2005
11,436
1,053
136
Originally posted by: guyver01
Originally posted by: nerp
Too bad that person wasn't bilingual. You could have helped this guy out. Maybe your company should hire people who speak english so they don't get flummoxed when working in America.



fixed that for ya.


you work in america
for an american company

SPEAK FUCKING ENGLISH

try going to france or spain or japan and work for a company and not speak the native language.
There is no official language of the United States of America.
 

guyver01

Lifer
Sep 25, 2000
22,135
5
61
Originally posted by: JujuFish
There is no official language of the United States of America.

That's kinda strange.. considering every sign on every street i walk down is in ENGLISH.. and not klingon, or interlac, or freaky-deaky dutch.

So while English may not be the official language, it is unofficially the primary language of this country.

 

shortylickens

No Lifer
Jul 15, 2003
80,287
17,081
136
Originally posted by: JujuFish
There is no official language of the United States of America.
That argument has already been shot down a dozen different ways.

I am learning Spanish because the pussy Republicans and Democrats have been using similar piss-poor logic about the situation since the 1970's and not doing a god damn thing about it.
 

zCypher

Diamond Member
Aug 18, 2002
6,115
171
116
I deal with people who have a hard time communicating on a fairly regular basis. Sometimes the barrier is language, but other times it's just pure stupidity. It comes in all forms... I've heard people from my own country (Canada) that I could hardly fucking understand, and other people who had accents from other countries that were very intelligent and easy to understand.

Often I get people who just don't listen. Those are the most frustrating calls ... Sounds like they're listening, till you realize they're doing something totally different than what you asked and you wasted so much time.

I've once spent around 2 hours for a password reset. I shit you not.
 

SacrosanctFiend

Diamond Member
Oct 2, 2004
4,269
0
0
I actually need to know Japanese before calling my companies IT department. English doesn't get me that far with them.
 

destrekor

Lifer
Nov 18, 2005
28,799
359
126
Originally posted by: shortylickens
Originally posted by: hanoverphist
Originally posted by: PricklyPete
That's funny...it my experience it has been the exact opposite... learn English before becoming part of a IT department that supports an English speaking company.

or have the IT dept ready to interact with people that speak different languages. know your market. here in AZ its a must, just like in NM and TX. do i like it? hell no. do i know how to get a meal and directions in espanol? of course.

In Virginia it will soon be a requirement I'm sure. Theres assloads of illegals here and 99% of them speak some form of spanish. I am learning the language right now because its all but been declared officially that they are not leaving. And in the next generation they will be legal citizens.

Thankfully the kids will all learn English in schools. Unfortunately, the parents will continue to speak only Spanish, and will demand of their children to be translators for them everywhere they go.
:(

But you'll be able to communicate with all first generation born very easily, because even though there will be a high population of speakers, the kids are ripe and will learn English in school and Spanish at home. Many of these kids will actually be very smart, sadly their parents will prevent them from really living the way they could. As will the environment these kids will likely grow up in, lower income neighborhoods breed corrupted youth, because they really can't escape it. A good portion will escape eventually.

Note, before people attack me:
this is a universal truth, and not directed at any single color of skin. We humans are all alike - where you are raised often determines your lifestyle choices, and immigrant communities are rarely a pretty place. Doesn't matter, even white immigrants. We have a Polish neighborhood in NW Ohio - it's not a good area of town. The German community in Cincinnati has a few decent areas, but is also not a good place in general.
They all become culturally mixed most often, but that's where problems grow even worse sometimes. Looking at L.A. for this.
 

rudeguy

Lifer
Dec 27, 2001
47,351
14
61
Originally posted by: guyver01
Originally posted by: nerp
Too bad that person wasn't bilingual. You could have helped this guy out. Maybe your company should hire people who speak english so they don't get flummoxed when working in America.



fixed that for ya.


you work in america
for an american company

SPEAK FUCKING ENGLISH

try going to france or spain or japan and work for a company and not speak the native language.

I handle calls every day from people that speak very little English. I take my time, speak slowly and treat them with respect. We have translators available, but most people prefer to try speaking English. Those are actually some of my favorite customers. I get the feeling that they have dealt with ignorant pricks who didn't understand their situation in the past...


I figure when my relatives got off the boat, they probably didn't speak English. There are tons of people born and raised in America who speak worse English than the people I am talking to.