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If the language is Spanish it is not a "foreign language", it has been spoken in North America longer than English.
If the OP is in the West then he/she may be in a part of the West that was New Spain before it was Mexico, before it was taken over by the US and English-speaking immigrants. English speakers are the newcomers here. The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo guarantees the right to speak Spanish in the territories that once belonged to Mexico.
I am bilingual but if my coworkers are talking too much I'll tell them to "shut up--I can't hear myself think!" in the appropriate language. You don't have to tolerate such loud chattering no matter the language.
I don't have to think about it. It isn't a new situation for me. Colleagues will frequently have conversations on the phone in their native languages while in my hearing and I don't see how that's got anything to do with me. Conversing with each other in languages other than English is relatively rare because while many of my colleagues are native speakers of something other than English, they don't share another language. But it does happen and usually means somebody who has weaker English is trying to get a translation.
I exclude colleagues from my conversations all the time when I call somebody to my office at shut the door. I don't see how that is very different. And I don't want or need to be in on every conversation in my office. I don't even want to know what the people I supervise are saying all the time, let alone my colleagues. That way lies madness.
OP was not talking about phone or closed door conversations. I get that and don't feel it's rude when done.
OP was talking about colleagues speaking a different language right in front of him/her (I'm assuming the content was typical workplace chitchat which may or not have been related to the actual job). I guess it's a matter of opinion but I for one think it's rude to do so when everyone CAN speak a common language. I would never do so but that's me.
Personally, I think just out of professionalism, people should always speak English at work, so that others that do not speak the non-English language will not think that others are talking about them. It's professional and considerate to act in this manner.
Depending on the work environment this is very distracting. I deal with it on construction sites and usually the motormouths involved are NOT getting any work done and are not being area aware.
Retail wise some personnel must be being paid by the word. It then becomes a training and management issue. Are they attentive to customers? No. They're so involved that you, the client, find yourself waiting for the opportunity to break into the noise to ask your one question.
There's another issue, particularly on jobsites. I've noticed that people LISTEN in their native language. It's enough of a challenge to create a safety culture and keep a high level of area awareness. If you speak English at work you may improve your listening ability.
We work with at least three functional languages in Canada on jobsites. English and French are the official ones, but due to the numbers Spanish is usually now included, particularly in Alberta and on international (oil and gas) projects. I don't see it as a language issue, but an awareness issue. And no ipods if you want to come out alive.
I absolutely hate to hear others speak in a foreign language in mixed company. It is extremely rude. Whatever language they choose to speak while out of work is their own business, but when on the job - speak English.
I have never experienced this or heard of this in my entire life. It does not even seem normal to me for two people not speaking their native language to each other just because they are not in their native land. Sure, it can be fund, but reality is many second language speakers have a different proficiency, so trying to speak a normal conversational tone many times is frustrating. Plus the awkwardness of it, two Americans speaking another language to each other just because they are not in America; what language is spoken if in a country neither American knows the language of?
It's not awkward. I'm not speaking it because I'm not in America. I speak it because I want to. You're making a mountain out of a molehill. It's good to keep my languages sharp.
I agree with you, and I use French too (I'm in Quebec though, not France) if there are any French-speakers present.
I heard that using Canada-French in front of people who speak France-French causes actual pain to the France-French people. Could you try and report back?
This is a problem in bilingual areas, I worked in Florida, and basically English is a second language.
What I found interesting about this.. I don't look like I speak Spanish, nor do I speak it very well, but I do understand it... Thanks to a Maternal Grandmother born in Mexico.
YOU ARE FIRED! Pretty much the same in any language.
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