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I speak two languages. I know others who speak several. For some of those, English is not their first language.
All of us, and especially the ones who have language besides English as their primary, are careful to never, ever exclude anyone at anytime by speaking a language that even one person may not understand. It is rude to exclude others. IF we are in a situation needing to communicate with someone who only speaks one language that will not be understood by those around us, we self interpret. It is the polite thing to do.
Just sounds like someone that is whining about not understanding a different language. As soon as I read, "I wanted to slap you", I already knew the complainer was a lowlife. Hey, it is what it is. Best to not let it bother you. Is it rude for someone to speak a different language in front of customers in that way? Yes, but if you are worried about what a cashier is thinking or saying, I think you might be wound a bit tight. Who cares what they are saying? Lots of languages spoken in the US, by tourists and transplants. I remember reading someone complaining about ATM machines, asking why in the heck they have other languages on them? Imagine how dim that person was complaining about languages on an ATM. A simple enough answer would be, so someone from another country can use the machine. Goodness, get a life.
So take it to an aside and ask privately. Asking it in front of patrons is rude no matter what language it's done in.
Sure. And I can see being slightly peeved in the moment. But to pay your money, go all the way home, fire up your computer, type an angry diatribe and push send? Over what? Because people spoke Spanish in Front of you during a check dispute? Eh.
You people are forgetting the conversation in front of her was about her. And she knew it. That's rude as hell.
The English-speaking complainer wrote: "I took enough Spanish in high school to know you were questioning whether or not we were honest when we told you what we had to drink."
As her Spanish skills were that developed (she says), then she could have easily have addresed the cashier in a simple Spanish sentence: Ask me that question in English, please. And it undoubtedly would have had a great effect, and perhaps an ongoing one. If the cashier really asked (in Spanish) something to the effect, "This broad says she only had two cokes, is that true?" And the complainer understood that this was really the question - her honesty, and not just the number of drinks; then she understands Spanish very well and could have really zonked the cashier with a Spanish retort. My inclination is to feel that she is assuming the former without really having a clue.
It sounds like a case of being very, very thin-skinned. I lived in Manhattan in NYC for more than forty years, and I've had Koreans, Chinese and Hispanics all make asides to each other in their own language even though they all knew English, and this occurred at work as well as outside of work.
I means nothing, absolutely nothing unless it turns into an extended conversation that leaves you totally out of the picture.
If I walk over to a cashier without a bill and tell that person what I had, I have had the cashier verify that with a waiter: "Hey, Joe, three cokes here, right?" Seems like a smart move to me, and why should I care whether she asks her colleague in Swahili or Catalan or Wangodango instead of English? Being neither a thief or a liar, no problemo.
I personally love people speaking any other language, and it does not bother me at all. The owner of the deli at work is greek and he teaches me a new sentence every day. I found it wonderful but I am one of those people that embrace every single culture.
Love to hear different languages, actually i am learning italian thru rosetta stone just to understand the opera a lil better.
Well -- these people come here because they adore the easy money and government handouts but that's where their appreciation of this country ends. They have zero interest in learning anything about this country or it's culture, the money is what they care about, and they don't want to move to Spanish speaking nations because they'd have no money and have to beg on sidewalks if they want to eat.
This kind of rudeness is very common-place where I work and Spanish is spoken to exclude and isolate others. We had a Cuban boss that said that it was okay to speak other languages in the break room or cafeteria but it had to be English in the work areas, partly because that only makes sense when it comes to quality and inclusion -- and irony of ironies, he was accused of being a racist.
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