950
Hegseth declares, 'I only speak American' to room full of foreign leaders (www.irishstar.com)
submitted 8 months ago by to c/nottheonion@lemmy.world
221 comments fedilink hide all child comments
you are viewing a single comment's thread
view the rest of the comments
[–] 30 points 8 months ago (7 children)

Honestly, the way they're speaking. I'm fine with them calling it "american".

It gives the rest of us a heads up that we should use small words so they can understand.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 7 child comments
    •
  • [–] 7 points 8 months ago (2 children)

    Or use big words when we don't want them to understand.

    Not sure if this is common knowledge among English speaking countries, but we in non English speaking countries use English when we don't want our small kids to understand what we're saying. 🫣

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 2 points 8 months ago (1 child)

    ... until they start to understand and begin messing with you in return.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 1 child comment
    •
  • [–] 3 points 8 months ago

    I think we'll be able to tell when they do. Guess that's a good time to start learning sign language lol.

    Joking aside, I've come to understand that speaking a language in front of your kids that they can't understand isn't really a nice thing to do. Makes them feel excluded, and isn't really cool to do to an adult so shouldn't be cool to do to a child either.

    Better to talk openly or just wait until you're alone. 👍 For all the parents out there.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • [–] 2 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago) (2 children)

    Honestly, the way they’re speaking. I’m fine with them calling it “american”.

    I'm not a native English speaker, but I've always been confused by breaking up sentences like this. My understanding is that if one sentence doesn't make senses on its own, it shouldn't be standalone, but rather an introductory to the other one.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent
  • hideshow 2 child comments
    •
  • [–] 3 points 8 months ago* (last edited 8 months ago)

    looks like a punctuation error to me. I would have written it this way:

    Honestly—the way they’re speaking—I’m fine with them calling it ‘“american.”

    You could separate the interjection with commas or parentheses too. the em dashes give some extra emphasis, while commas make it blend in a bit better.

  • permalink
  • fedilink
  • source
  • parent