English Speaking Contractors Save A Little Extra At This Home Depot
Reader Curt saw this sign at Home Depot. He writes:
Se Habla Espanol? Hope not.
Apparently, speaking English saves you $50 as a Home Depot Contractor.
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Comments:
Huh?
The $50 difference is what they had to pay the local techie to bookmark Google Language Tools into their customer service computer's browser.
It's probably just the conversion of the once-valuable US dollar to Mexican Pesos.
The bottom one is Pesos, which has the same $ symbol.
Yes, the dollar is just that weak.
Would it be legal to do that (assuming it's not a mistake, which I'm guessing it is)?
No and yes, I'm sure it's a mistake.
What I'm wondering is, why would any person speaking any language in the United States, and recognizes the dollar sign, need the number to be written a second time to understand what it means? This mistake wouldn't be made if the sign was designed better.
Converting an 8 to a 3 is pretty easy. I call shenanigans on this.
I have seen hispanic-owned stores that cater specifically to fellow hispanics (illegals) charge less for hispanics than they do for gringos. ANd I'm talking about stores in the states.
So what's the problem?
I'm willing to bet that the person who wrote these down just put the wrong number in. A simple mistake, 2-3-2-8-4 to 2-3-2-3-4. No conspiracy here.
They could always learn English since I learned a little Spanish. I know we do not have a set language, but most everything we do is in English and it could save them 50 bucks :)
In reality, it is probably a mistake on their part.
Guys... this post is even tagged "mistakes" and "errors". I don't even know how this made news anyway. Somebody just incorrectly wrote a 3 instead of an 8, or vice-versa. Big deal. Must be a slow news day.
@forgottenpassword: So they have a gringo surcharge? Is it added to the bill? What if I look like a gringo but speak fluent Spanish?
/if it smells like BS....
//pinche guero
It would help if they actually asked a real translator to write their signs. All those big box stores have clearly just used a dictionary to translate each word one-by-one. See also JC Penny with "halar," which is not a word, when they meant "jalar," pronounced with an 'h.' It's a disservice to Spanish speakers to pretend like you're catering to them when you're just patronizing.
That's the price you pay working for "The Man"
@cmdrsass: You broke the "commenters are not moderators" rule!
At any rate, I apologize for my comment. I didn't read the new code and I'll be more careful with my comments.
@forgottenpassword: That's the way it should be [sarcasm] damn gingos saving more in Home Depot we have to make the savings from somewhere else [\sarcasm]
Come on. Obviously the bottom one is metric.
@The Count of Monte Fisto: It's common to create customer groups with pricing based on what type of customer someone is. But really that's based on what that person buys and how often. Not so much language.
The guy who walks in off the street is going to pay more than the contractor who buys weekly (or daily).
It looks like two people wrote the two different numbers, but I'm having a hard time imagining the guy who finishes the first number and then gets someone to cover for him while he goes on break.
the rest of the world does this. Why cant we?
I was in france two weeks ago and was asked to leave a small cafe because I didn't speak french (my fiance does). wasn't being loud...annoying or anything.
I guess thats what we get for saving them twice.
What I want to know is: Why is it that the only thing I need at Home Depot is on the isle closed for the fork life? It happens every time.
@differcult: You realize that we'd still be saying "colour" and "flavour" if it weren't for the French? It having just been the 4th of July and all, maybe some Revolutionary War review would be fun? I know not everyone enjoys it, but once a year it's pretty fascinating stuff.
The newest Home Depot near my home has a sign out front that says
GRAND OPENING
Gran Apertura
I don't know Spanish, but doesn't that say "big hole"?
@forgottenpassword:
Yes, because as we all know, all Hispanics are illegal. [/stupidity]
Back to the topic on hand, it looks like a simple mistake. Sure glad I speak both languages, so I can take advantage of price savings in both languages! Just gotta learn Chinese know so I'll be covered in 99% of the places I go to here in SoCal.
@tmccartney: Apertura is more like opening, not hole.
But still, "big hole" (insert beavis and Butthead laugh here)
OBVIOUSLY, this is a result of additional money saved by american-speaking individuals that decide to pick up:
Home Depot Official Contractors' English-Spanish Translator & Guide to Speaking to Your Subs (5th ed.)
MSRP $49.95, FREE (with mail-in-rebate) for registered contractors
a spanish version of that wouldn't make much sense now, would it?
Oh come on, has anybody here never made a mistake?
I'm going to spell this phoneticly, because I hear it all the time but never seen it written down and I think it applys here: "Bienchie wahvon gringos! Maricon!" The phrase means "You are a swell white guy," right? Right?
I'll never understand this whole thing. I'd never move to a place that speaks a different languaget without learning the damn language. Living in Southern California sucks most of the time! Luckily, I live in a small town.
@ lingum:
just twice. the french left vietnam after the 1954 geneva accords, before the involvement of the united states.
@Stormslanding: Nah, the eight was written as a figure eight. Didn't show up in the picture. I just though the sign was amusing and knew that others would put some spin on the implications.
Why are there two blanks (in different handwriting, no less) for one sign? Clearly the intent is to allow discriminatory savings disclosures.
@dj-anakin: I'll forgive you for your woefully off-topic rant long enough to ask why you'd have considered forgoing your So Cal existence for the chance at a more profitable life in a foreign land.
Obviously, if you were considering leaving your small town to risk your life breaking into a country where you didn't speak the language, had little chance of getting a work permit, but plenty of employers would welcome your inexpensive, undocumented labor with open arms, there'd have to be some incentive for you.
In other words, of course you wouldn't. But if you were someone else, born into a different life in a different place, then you might. You'd be a different person, though, so who knows what you'd do?
Spanish numerals obviously have a different exchange rate.
It's fairly obvious the number was writen with dry-erase markers.
With that bit of factual information its actually quite simple to deduce that some random person walked up and erased half of the "8" for the bottom figure... as is about the only thing a customer could do unless they are in the habbit of carrying around various colors of dry-erase markers in their back pocket.
Not sure why.. no... HOW that revelation could not pass anyone but the semi-to-full-blown jerry springer level public... or maybe I don't give myself enough credit?
@nforcer: see my above post.. not even an error.. I'd place my bet on a self-proclaimed witty customer.
@jessemoya: Ahhh, has nothing to do with the same French...completely different political scheme and set of values now. While the French helped us over 200 years ago, it was more for their ambition to destroy the British then to help America out.
America really never had a need to enter the European theater and if those arguments don't work….the score is 2-1
Well, if Home Depot had any sense at all, anyone who does not speak English should pay at least double. If they don't like it, then get the hell our of my country!!
ummm... isn't this from July 9, 2008?
Well, bilingual signage isn't free.