History Main / BilingualBackfire

** In ''Astonishing X-Men'', [[Characters/XMen2000sMembers Hisako]] is training with [[Characters/MarvelComicsLogan Wolverine]] and the session goes badly:

** Wolverine's fluency in Japanese is first revealed in a similar case. The team is stranded in Japan, there is some huge disaster going on, and there is a newspaper left in there telling precisely the bad things going on. Everybody is surprised that Wolverine (who was still a bag of surprises) understood Japanese. "YouDidntAsk, Bub".

** Zigzagged. Jubilee doesn't speak Japanese, at all. But when she's accidentally transported to Japan after she and Wolverine had an encounter with Mojo, she ends up in a Japanese jail. Two of the women there say, in their native tongue, "Let's beat her up and take her stuff." They suddenly find themselves on the receiving end of Jubilee's plasma fireworks, as she tells them, in English, "I know what that means in any language."

* ''Comicbook/XMen'':
** In ''Astonishing X-Men'', [[Characters/XMen2000sMembers Hisako]] is training with Characters/{{Wolverine|JamesLoganHowlett}} and the session goes badly:

** Subverted in another scene, when Asterix and Obelix are trying to extract information from Rhetoric. He [[ObfuscatingStupidity feigns ignorance of Gaulish]], only for the ruse to slip when he sneezes and says "thanks" in Gaulish after Asterix says "bless you!"

* Juan Pablo Montoya's first UsefulNotes/FormulaOne pole position. ITV commentator Martin Brundle asked him, 'Congratulations, how's it feeling?' Montoya (who is from Colombia) was rude enough to reply in Spanish, then rubbed it in by asking, 'What d’you think of ''that''?!' Brundle's reply? '[[TakeThat Si, es es muy bien!]]'

* ''Film/RangDeBasanti'': Unsurprisingly given her field of interest (the UsefulNotes/BritishRaj), the English Sue is fluent in Hindi. However, DJ assumes that the white girl can only understand English and somewhat aggressively flirts with her in Punjabi-tinged Hindi, while providing "translations" (the rest of their friend group, who know, are visibly barely able to contain their laughter). Sue doesn't reveal that she speaks Hindi till the gang visit DJ's home, after letting DJ tell his mother that she is his new ''wife'', when she greets her in Hindi to DJ's shock and everyone else's amusement.

* When someone who speaks a less spoken language visits another country they're often quick to assume that nobody understands a word they're saying, completely forgetting that they're not the only ones who travel or that people move to different countries. Chances are that someone is wondering what the better option is: Reveal to them that they are understood or continue having fun. The owner of the weblog Roachware occasionally tells friends an episode when he (a German) went to Belgium to a town on the Flemish/Walloon language divide and looked for a specific address. He asked a passer-by, in Flemish (which is close enough to Dutch for him to speak fluently), only to receive a "Comprend pas" (I don't understand). As he was German, he probably surprised the other person enough that, when he then switched to French "Pouvez-vous me dire...", he was interrupted by clear directions. He didn't even say the name of the street in French -- which, due to Flemish/Walloon idiosyncrasies was quite different from the Flemish name....

** In ''Literature/MakingMoney'', Vetinari tells Moist "Pas devant le gendarme" and Detritus says helpfully, "Dat mean no talkin' in front of me." Unusual, because (as a troll in a temperate climate) Detritus is generally considered a bit slow. That said, it's implied (or out-and-out stated) several places that he's ObfuscatingStupidity and is generally much more clever than he lets on. (In this case, it's likely more that Detritus is "street smart" and knows Vetinari than that he actually understands "Genuan.")

* In ''Film/SimplyIrresistible'', Creator/SarahMichelleGellar plays a chef who runs a small restaurant in New York. She's given a chance to step in and replace a celebrity chef at a brand-new, big-money restaurant. The celebrity chef's staff pretty much holds her in contempt. The sous chef, who probably expected as the "second in command" of the restaurant to step into the top spot when the celebrity left, says loudly and in French, "The truffles are probably wasted on her!" Later in the film, this trope is brought into play as Gellar's character issues her orders for the night and begins with, "You... the one who thinks I don't know how to speak French... you're in charge of the truffles. That way I won't ''waste'' them."

* There's that scene in ''Film/{{Braveheart}}'' where William Wallace catches Longshanks' advisor insulting him to Princess Isabelle in Latin ''and'' French:

* The 2005 film ''Film/ManOfTheHouse'' featured Tommy Lee Jones as a Texas Ranger serving as a bodyguard to a group of college cheerleaders that witnessed a murder, he confiscates their cell phones for their safety, when he does this Creator/PaulaGarces yells [[YourMom "Your Mother fucks dogs, you know that?"]] in Spanish, Jones replies in Spanish that he can speak the language and in English states it'd be impossible since his Mother is allergic to dogs.

* In the second half of ''Film/PhantomSoldiers'', protagonist Daniel finds himself waking up in what he assumes to be an American military base after barely surviving a firefight against the titular soldiers, but in actuality the base is a front used by the Spetsnaz to develop their own legion of Super-soldiers. Daniel managed to deduce the truth when he overheard the base's cook cussing in Russian while oblivious to Daniel's presence.

* Used as a plot point in the Spanish-language film ''Ladron que Roba a Ladron'' ("''Thief who Steals from a Thief''"). One of the titular thieves pretends not to speak English to an American security guard, who snaps at him "You're in America, speak English." The thief then hears them talking about the security layout of the building, and as he leaves, shoots over his shoulder "Excuse me, senor? You're in America. Speak Spanish."
* ''Film/TakingLives'' has one as well. Two of the characters consistently talk in another language, often insulting Angelina's character in some manner. If one pays attention, they can see her reacting early on. Eventually she responds in the same language, leading to a reaction that you may or may not consider "classic" for this particular trope.

** Creator/GeorgeClooney's character introduces Dr. Julia Kelly to his Russian contact, who says to Clooney in his own language, "A beautiful woman with a PHD. You're way out of your league." She butts in to reply in Russian, "You have no idea."

* In ''Film/TheLoveBug'', Tennessee speaks to Mr. Wu in Chinese and translates back to Jim Douglas. When Jim discovers that he can't pay the damages, the Judge orders the car sold. Tennessee explains to Mr. Wu that the car is Herbie, at which point, Mr. Wu says he wants the car himself. At that point, Jim (a bit angry) snaps that Mr. Wu can get the car, but has to allow him to drive Herbie in the El Dorado race. Mr. Wu gets the winnings, but Douglas gets to buy back Herbie for a dollar. This prompts Mr. Wu to say loudly in English, "Now you speak my language!" It's a DoubleEntendre, coupled with RuleOfFunny, which the entire movie runs on.
* In ''What's Cooking'', a film about four families on one street corner at thanksgiving, the Hispanic family are introduced to the Vietnamese boyfriend of the daughter. While fetching down a high up dish in the kitchen, all the female relatives compliment his 'looks', and are very embarrassed when he turns out to speak perfect Spanish.
* In ''Film/SimplyIrresistible'', Creator/SarahMichelleGellar plays a chef who runs a small restaurant in New York. She's given a chance to step in and replace a celebrity chef at a brand new, big money restaurant. The celebrity chef's staff pretty much hold her in contempt. The sous chef, who probably expected as the "second in command" of the restaurant to step into the top spot when the celebrity left, says loudly and in French, "The truffles are probably wasted on her!" Later in the film, this trope is brought into play as Gellar's character issues her orders for the night and begins with, "You... the one who thinks I don't know how to speak French... you're in charge of the truffles. That way I won't ''waste'' them."
* In ''Film/MaidInManhattan'', Christopher Marshall and Marissa are gossiped about by two elderly Frenchwomen while sharing the elevator with them. He then pulls this trope by addressing them in French, much to their dismay--they call him a "pig", even though he has ''politely'' invited them to join them for a walk.
* In ''Film/AuRevoirLesEnfants'', set in Occupied France, Julien and Jean become lost in the woods at night, until they are rescued and returned to their boarding school by a group of German soldiers. When they arrive, one of the other pupils exclaims, "They've been arrested by the Boches!", using a French slur for Germans, to which one of the soldiers replies in deadpan French, "Can the Boches have their blanket back?"

* In the Irish short film ''Film/NaFiorghael'', a couple of clients at a psychologists' office are positive that the receptionist is insulting them in her phone conversations (which are all in Irish). They take it upon themselves to learn Irish for six months well enough that this happens. [[spoiler:Turns out this was deliberately provoked by the receptionist.]]

* In ''WesternAnimation/PussInBootsTheLastWish'', a depressed Puss tries to get out of talking with a super-excitable dog by grumbling "No hablo ingles". The dog then continues the conversation in fluid Spanish.

[[quoteright:205:[[Webcomic/GoblinHollow https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bilingual.PNG]]]]

* ''{{ComicStrip/Garfield}}'': [[https://www.gocomics.com/garfield/2022/09/11 Liz reveals]] she can understand Garfield and Odie with this trope, calling decades of comics into question.

* Inverted by Creator/MargaretCho. She was promoting her short-lived sitcom ''Series/AllAmericanGirl'', about a Korean-American family, on a morning news show for a local TV station that was being bought out by Disney. The host asked her to tell the viewers at home "in [her] native language" that they're changing over to an ABC affiliate. But since she was born and raised in California and is not actually fluent in Korean, she looked at the camera and curtly said in plain English, "They're changing over to an ABC affiliate."

** Assuming people in France don't speak English is dumb. Assuming that [[https://notalwaysright.com/tag/bus/page/5/ out of an entire busload of people]], ''nobody'' except you speaks English is ''really'' dumb.

* [[https://www.pinterest.com/pin/640566746995288035/ Played straight in this]]''Webcomic/PixieAndBrutus'' comic strip

* In ''Film/TheLoveBug'', Tennessee speaks to Mr. Wu in Chinese ([[AsLongAsItSoundsForeign or an approximation of it]]), and translates back to Jim Douglas. When Douglas discovers that he can't pay the damages, the Judge orders the Car sold. Tennessee explains to Mr. Wu that the car is Herbie, at which point, Mr. Wu says he wants the car himself. At that point, Douglas (a bit angry) snaps that Mr. Wu can get the car, but must allow Douglas to drive Herbie in the El Dorado race. Mr. Wu gets the winnings, but Douglas gets to buy back Herbie for a dollar. This prompts Mr. Wu to say loudly in English, "Now you speak my language!" It's a DoubleEntendre, coupled with RuleOfFunny, which the entire movie runs on.

* Inverted in the ''VideoGame/FateGrandOrder'' fan comic ''[[https://www.reddit.com/r/grandorder/comments/t5prjg/fate_grand_order_ritsuka_to_animaru_kaigi/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share Ritsuka to Animal Kaigi]]''. The animal partners like Tarasque and Reese the Dolphin have brought Ritsuka to a room, where they discuss in AnimalTalk on how hard it is to watch their Heroic Spirit partners not tell their master how they feel. Dumuzid the Sheep also adds how much easier it would be if the girls just went with their instincts and takes him. Though since he's also a god, Dumuzuid's statement is heard by Ritsuka, who now knows how many of his Servants are in love with him.

* German comic
''ComicBook/LulaUndYankee'':

* Zigzagged. Jubilee doesn't speak Japanese, at all. But when she's accidentally transported to Japan after she and Wolverine had an encounter with Mojo, she ends up in a Japanese jail. Two of the women there say, in their native tongue, "Let's beat her up and take her stuff." They suddenly find themselves on the receiving end of Jubilee's plasma fireworks, as she tells them, in English, "I know what that means in any language."

* German comic ''ComicBook/LulaUndYankee'':

* ''Website/NotAlwaysWorking'': [[https://notalwaysright.com/sorry-i-canada-understand-you/58997/ This waiter]] assumes Americans can't speak French, and first derides their attempts to do so, then assumes they can't understand him. And they're not even American, ''they're Québécois ''.