I'm finding Spanish to be really useless (in the U.S.)!?

Question

Ever since college, the Spanish language (and the history of Spain) has been one of my life passions. But I work at a hardware store, and you would think with so many Hispanic customers coming in (construction workers, day laborers, plumbers, electricians, etc.), I would use Spanish every day. Nope. Not at all. Many Hispanic customers actually speak good enough English (at least, enough to make their transaction), and those who DON'T speak English are (I presume) so ashamed that they would rather not speak at ALL than speak español to me. Unless the associate is Hispanic also. I'm a non-Hispanic white. I'm not accusing the Hispanics of being racist, but it just seems they don't like to speak Spanish to "Anglo-Saxon" white people. Maybe they're afraid of being labeled as "illegal"? There have been maybe two or three times I have gotten to speak Spanish, but that's it. I must say, Spanish is becoming a useless language in the U.S., as many Hispanics want to assimilate themselves into U.S. culture. What are some good ways to practice Spanish in the U.S.? Perhaps just online friends or something? Meetup.com? Anything else? Or should I just go ahead and switch to Italian, as that is more of a "white people" language?

Deino · Answer

Where I live, people speak Spanish recklessly and without shame, often using it as a shield or a maneuver to use miscommunication as a tool of gaining an upper hand in an otherwise non-confusing scenario, even and especially if they speak English well enough. Knowing Spanish can be the difference between good and bad service or any service at all. It can also be the difference between getting a good deal and getting intentionally screwed. 
So maybe it doesn't matter where you live, but in some parts of the country, you gotta know it or know how to bluff it because otherwise, you can find yourself last in line -- sometimes more than once at a time since they'll push you back again if somebody behind you speaks the right language. Just sayin

Alex · Answer

I think it may just be your location. There are plenty of places in the USA where Spanish is widely spoken, though much of the time you wouldn't want to be there because they're dangerous. But in Miami, for example, there is a lot of Spanish speakers everywhere, and many of them are white due to being Cuban (most Cuban Americans are white).

So I think it may just be your location. Maybe you should try speaking Spanish first to them and try to look friendly and welcoming. They may be intimidated by you or something or feel like you don't want to deal with them speaking Spanish. Or tell them you are trying to practice. There is no shame in that either! You could of course also meet friends who speak Spanish, as you suggested.

Also, Spanish is and always will be a white language because it was white people who created Spanish, and millions of whites do continue to speak Spanish worldwide (Argentina, Spain, Cuba, even Mexico, etc.)

Hope I helped.

Anonym · Answer

Oh my God, your analogies are hysterical. They don't have to speak to you in Spanish if they are perfectly capable of speaking English.

Anonym · Answer

"Or should I just go ahead and switch to Italian"

Do you expect people to speak Italian in the US? Besides real Roman descendants will also see you as just an Anglo.

Anonym · Answer

Jygio

I'm finding Spanish to be really useless (in the U.S.)!?

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