Language Barrier

Intercom: Que?
UPS guy: UPS.
Intercom: Que?
UPS guy: UPS.
Intercom: Que?
UPS guy: U. P. S.
Intercom: Que?

* (I am not kidding…this went on for about 3 minutes.)

–Prospect Heights

Overheard by: Stacey duda

Asian guy: I’m not Japanese; I’m Chinese.
Black girl: Yeah, but who has more Chinky eyes?
Asian guy: What?
Black girl: Whose eyes are Chinkier?

–A train

Overheard by: John W. Eddy

Black receptionist: Carlos De Jesus George? Are you here?
Latino receptionist: It’s not pronounced ‘De Je-zus George,’ but ‘De He-sus Hor-he.’
Black receptionist: Excuse me? What are you saying? This clearly says ‘Carlos De Jesus George.
Latino receptionist: No mother would name their son Jesus. And besides, that’s not the correct pronunciation in Spanish.
Black receptionist: What? Oh, girl, you know I don’t speak those words.

–Doctor’s office, 15th & 1st

Guy: “1-800-Deportees”? That’s a horrible phone number.
Chick: That’s “deportes.” Sports!

–1 train

Overheard by: djlindee

Chick #1: So she taught the baby to use sign language? Is that because the baby only speaks Spanish?
Chick #2: No, because it’s seven months old and doesn’t speak.

–Penn Station

Overheard by: kelley girl

Woman on cell: Hi honey…yes, I’m fine…I can hear you…stop saying hello to me. I goddammn hate it when you say hello.

–42nd & Madison

Hobo: Hey, miss! Yeah, you! Talkin’ on your cell! Don’t walk away from me! I see you listenin’ to me! Hell, I can hear you listenin’ to me!

–43rd & 8th

Woman on cell: Guess where I am….guess where I am!…Hello? Hello? Shit!

–La Baguette, University Place

Overheard by: Matty K

Slightly thugged-out guy, rapping to little white poodle: Li'l coco! You's a muthafuckin' beast, yo! Li'l coco! Yeah!

–Cobble Hill, Brooklyn

Overheard by: John Bender

Guy to dog: Lady, it's just me! There's only me!

–77th St, Bay Ridge

Overheard by: Jon A.

Big burly guy to tiny yorkie, as it sniffs tree and walks away: Well, thanks for that false alarm.

–43rd St & 10th Ave

Upper West Side lady to little pampered dog with sweater: It's okay, baby, you can talk.

–80th Ave & Columbus

Hipster dog walker, whispering to herd of dachsunds: Mushhhhh…

–Central Park

Tween girl: No, it's "Yiddish"! "Yiddish," not "ribbit."

–Penn Station

Overheard by: ragnvaeig

20-something girl to older friend: No, no… "ghetto" is just slang–it's not a real word.

–PATH Train

Guy on cell: Yo. (pause) Yo, yo. (pause) Yo, yo. (pause) Yo, yo, yo.

–Pacific St & Atlantic Ave

Overheard by: jayloo

Guy to another, who has obviously caused him some emotional strife: I just don't understand why you had to did me so dirty.

–Hudson River Park

Teenage boy: But I ain't know where was them talkin' about it! (teenage friend nods sympathetically)

–Downtown 6 Train

Girl to guy: It must be your manstinct. (pause) Not ya manstink!

–Central Park

Bus driver: Anyone on here who speaks Russian? I need someone to tell this lady that her transfer is already on the card. Anyone on here who speaks Russian?…Please tell her that her transfer is on the card.
Woman: The transfer is on your card.
Bus driver: In Russian! In Russian! I coulda told her that in English!

–B82 bus

Man in bathroom stall to old Chinese man persistently knocking on his door: Look, I only got in here just now. Stop knocking! I'm gonna learn Chinese just to tell you how it is.
Man using urinal: Don't be hatin'.
Man in bathroom stall: Don't be stupid!

–Columbus Park