spamfree wrote:

This is somewhat of a USA rant, but Europeans will understand. In
the USA, if a sign/ad includes the word bilingual, it always refers to
an ability to speak English & Spanish (and not European Spanish, but
Mexican / Central American Spanish). But in Europe, bilingual would
simply refer to an ability to speak two languages; German & Italian,
Dutch & French, etc. A European employment ad requiring bilingual
employees would always attract the query "Which two languages?"
This USA policy completely annoys some of us because if we ask that
question, "Which two languages?", we are immediately termed racists,
but in reality we are merely literalists. In any major city's Chinatown,
bilingual would more honestly refer to English & Chinese, and there are
neighborhoods in New York and Chicago where bilingual could easily
refer to English & Polish or English & Russian.

I'd be happy if any of the repair people my landlords employ
WERE "bilingual"! I have no problem with people speaking
their native tongue among themselves, but in a country where
the main language is still English, it is very frustrating
to try to explain a maintenance problem in my non-existent
Spanish! (At least, when faced with communications problems
in another country, I can refer to dictionaries and phrase
books - one doesn't expect to NEED them in one's own home!)
Also, it's one thing exchanging pleasantries like "buenos
dias" and "por favor" and "gracias", quite another trying to
explain (in Spanish) that the dishwasher drainpipe is
clogged, so the dishwasher is draining through its overflow
pipe into the kitchen sink!