Two days ago, while waiting for a flight at LAX, I heard this p.a. announcement: “Atención, will passenger [redacted] please return to the security desk.” The announcement was made twice. Judging from the accent, I would say the speaker is Hispanic but his mother tongue is English.
On a flight today, the captain gave his usual spiel about the flying time and conditions. He referred to our destination as “Los Angeles, the city of angels.” Then he labored through a Spanish version, struggling with most of the cadences but trying quite hard to nail it. It’s my first time ever hearing the airplane’s captain do his spiel in Spanish, let alone someone clearly practicing Spanish as an adult learner.
Back at LAX, walking past the TSA agents, I heard one say: “That’s so stupid. I think they did it to piss people off.” Another replied “They did the same thing last year.” They were discussing the Phoenix Suns NBA team donning Los Suns jerseys for Cinco de Mayo. Judging from their accents, I’d guess the two agents are African-American.
It’s said that the plural of anecdote is not data but I have a feeling something very interesting is happening in the US of A. Thank you state legislature of Arizona. Or, as it is becoming fashionable to say, muchas gracias.