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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]If they are speaking across the room and having full conversations in full view of others who can't understand deliberately when they can use English, yes it is rude.

I am bilingual, though don't speak Spanish. My father always told us when we were kids not to speak in our native language in front of others who couldn't understand unless it was just a few words because it is rude and I have always followed that.[/quote]

Sometimes, when out in public, I've heard (from a distance) parents speaking a foreign language to their children.  When I get a bit closer, and they notice me (for example, at a museum--and I am getting closer to look at the exhibit) I notice they switch to English.   I've always thought this is very polite of them.    :)[/quote]

I suspect it's more to show that they speak English.  I speak a foreign language to my children, and don't really care who is around--I certainly wouldn't switch for a stranger standing next to me.   One of my neighbors (who is monolingual) always complains.  Not sure why she cares if I tell my kid to tie his shoes in another language--it's pretty obivious.  Statement=action.  Some people are just unecessarily perturbed by it, I think.  There are plenty of languages I don't speak (Spanish, for one!), and I don't mind if other speak it around me--especially if they're teaching their native language to their children.

Out of curiosoity--those who were always taught to speak English: did you ""look" American, i.e. white/Cacusian?  OJust wondering if that made an impact on parental choices in that sense.

[/quote]
I am white, blond hair and look as American as apple pie but I grew up bilingual and speak English and the other language perfectly.
DH looks more "ethnic" but is often pegged as Spanish which is not even close.[/quote]

What's the other language?  I'm German, but also speak Japanese fluently, thanks to having grown up there.  The German seems obvious from my appearance, the other leaves people  :shock:.  [/quote]

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