I have a co-worker who is of Asian descent. He was born and raised in America. He does not know any foreign languages. He doesn't speak with an accent. I've noticed that some people ask him if he speaks a foreign language. I also have some African-American co-workers and I have not heard anyone ask them if they speak any foreign languages. Why do you think this is the case?
Why my co-worker is asked if he speaks a foreign language
- Thread starter Volts
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Spitfire
New member
2nd or 3rd generation Asian Americans may actually still speak the language of the country that their family came from with their families, while African Americans are many more generations removed and may not even know which country their ascendants came from or what languages they spoke?
The Berean
Well-known member
This is very true in Silicon Valley which has a very large Asian population (Korean, Chinese, Vietnamese, Singaporean, Indian, etc.)
Many people are bilingual. And the question was not anything unusual if they are not white or black.
We expect black and white are usually not bilinguals.
lain:That's true. 2nd or 3rd generation Asian Americans are more likely to hear a foreign language in the home when growing up, but not African Americans.
