Oh, you don’t speak English? What’s wrong with you?

Does everybody speak English? Should everybody know the English language? I don’t think so! That’s why it is so strange to hear when Americans discuss that in some countries around the world not many people speak English. It is even more weird to see that they get kind of surprised by that. I feel that this is so ignorant and rude in terms of getting surprised that a few people can speak English in countries where they have their own language. Why does that surprise Americans?

I think that many of them unconsciously, without realizing that, think that English comes with some cultural background and brings civilization. I think Americans need to be more humble about that because they are deceived that they have a lot of things that they can distribute to other cultures. Definitely there are some very good aspects of American culture that other cultures can use for their own benefit, but every other culture has something unique and special that can benefit others.


It is very simple; people around the world do not speak English because they have their own language! If they are going to learn English, they will do that for their own benefit but not to live up to “American Empire” expectations.     

I am living in the US, and I don’t expect American to speak with me in Russian because I respect their language and culture. I am not surprised that I know a few Americans, but not many, who can speak in Russian.


Maybe next time, as an experiment, when I am going to be in a restaurant I am going to ask a waitress whether or not they have a menu in Russian. I can picture how the waitress will make a sorry face and will say, “I am sorry we don’t have a menu in Russia.” Nevertheless she will think, “Are you kidding me, a menu in Russian? What’s wrong with you? Don’t you know we are in America?”

Ohio, July,2012