burger king

netally

A majority of polish workers in this country are brilliant! They're so hard working and just seem grateful and happy to live here. It's just a minority that let them down. They should definitely make everyone applying for a work permit take a language test first to make sure they have basic English skills.

Still, some British people are even worse. In my old job I was gobsmacked to see a CV for a graduate role written in txt speak. :O

starlite_2

Thats so true that some english people are terrible with english, or perhaps just lazy with it?
We found it hilarious my OH had to take a standard english speaking test when his british citizenship was being finalised, by that point he had an A grade gsce english, B a level english, and a first class degree in english literature. (and was halfway through an M.A in English)

He also had to recite an alliegence to the queen in front of a solicitor, which I found just plain wrong, I wouldn't do that and I'm british born and bred.

kittiwoz

starlite wrote:

He also had to recite an alliegence to the queen in front of a solicitor, which I found just plain wrong, I wouldn't do that and I'm british born and bred.

I know what you mean. I used to have to do that "peldge allegience to the queen" bit when I was in the brownies and even as a nine year old I hated it. Should have crossed his fingers behind his back like Red Ken when he had to do it!

Personally I'm glad to live in multicultural Manchester. (Especially for the food shops since I'm a keen cook.) The area I grew up in was very white though there were a lot of Poles there from the war. I do talk to my neighbours in the park or the local shops or on the bus or tram. In fact I have got quite used to it but I tried talking to people in the shops when visiting my parents and just got funny looks.

ben500

I'm not a racist but............ Is the most common statement to precede a racist remark.

jamescredmond

starlite wrote:

Thats so true that some english people are terrible with english, or perhaps just lazy with it?
We found it hilarious my OH had to take a standard english speaking test when his british citizenship was being finalised, by that point he had an A grade gsce english, B a level english, and a first class degree in english literature. (and was halfway through an M.A in English)

He also had to recite an alliegence to the queen in front of a solicitor, which I found just plain wrong, I wouldn't do that and I'm british born and bred.

I guess both you and your OH can see the ironic side to this.

As you say: hilarious.

er, by the way: it's proper spelling is 'alliegiance'.

God , I hope I haven't started something.

Anniek1969

I live in Glasgow which is very mutlicultural but sadly see more and more signs of racism every day. My DH is a bus driver and has several Polish workmates as well as Indian, French, Pakistani, and even American. He finds them all equally friendly and hard working but the Polish workers are even more hard working than most due to the fact that they earn more in a week here than they earn in a month in Poland so most work as much overtime as they can to send as much money back home to their families. I think it's sad that there are countries not so far away from us who's standard of living is so bad that they have to travel overseas for work, it must be a pretty lonely life for a man so many miles away from his family and everything he knows. The reason that they have to bring in workers from Poland is that they can't get British people to take the job, unfortunately so many people see it as being beneath them to drive a bus and think that they are worth so much more. It may not be the best job in the world and the shifts are pretty bad but the pay is good.

As someone else pointed out Spain is full of ex-pats, moving to a sunnier climate and opening bars and restaurants and how many of them managed to learn Spanish before they moved. The world is full of Brits who have moved elsewhere and IMO most do so without ever learning the language of the country they move to but we expect people coming to live in Britain to learn english.

shinkyshonky

I live in an area of east london and love it for it`s multi-culture, every culture has a mixture of good and bad..that`s life ,it`s the person that counts..and with regards to the paper cup incident , very trivial compared with what is happening in the big picture....move on ,nothing to see here as the saying goes

grex9101

ben500 wrote:

I'm not a racist but............ Is the most common statement to precede a racist remark.

true, but remember:

The words "racist" and "realist" are only two letters apart. There's truth in there somewhere.

grex9101

hollydays wrote:

Like ex-pat communities in the Costas?

I think it's absolutely shocking the other way round too.

mug51

Anthillmob wrote:

she was refused with just a shrug of the shoulders and a look of 'me not understand english' (im not being racist it honestly looked like he didnt understand what she said). we asked again and again she was refused.
A PAPER CUP.

why do people always assume those of different race that dont understand have poor grammar.
Maybes it was you who didnt make it clear for the kid to understand

Anthillmob wrote:

as we were leaving i called him a tightar$e.

As you sdaid he didnt seem to understan 'paper cup', as if he would take offense to what you called him.

If you had no luck, you could always go ask a different person.

jamescredmond wrote:

er, by the way: it's proper spelling is 'alliegiance'.
God , I hope I haven't started something.

What if the he did spell it incorrectly, in my opinion you DID want to start something if you posted that by realising you might start something.....and does it really matter?

man i get so p***** off when people rant over people of different race, almost as much as f***ers who speed and try to overtake you which makes you speed too to prevent them from doing so.