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Old 02-09-2018, 06:30 PM
 
Location: Outskirts of Gray Court, and love it!
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My guys do that, doesn't bother me. Sometimes they get to laughing, and Ill ask whats so funny or whatever, but nah, doesn't bother me.
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Old 02-09-2018, 06:32 PM
 
Location: Seattle area
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Why would you assume people speaking their native language, they must be saying something bad about their co-workers? That is a very limited thinking.
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Old 02-09-2018, 08:11 PM
 
18,499 posts, read 7,254,362 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by tnff View Post
As I said, it's rude. It indicates someone who wants to be separate rather than part of the group and culture they have supposedly chosen to become a part of.
That's not why it's rude. It's rude because it's the same thing as whispering in front of people, which is rude.
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Old 02-09-2018, 08:12 PM
 
18,499 posts, read 7,254,362 times
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Originally Posted by Botev1912 View Post
Why would you assume people speaking their native language, they must be saying something bad about their co-workers? That is a very limited thinking.
Because they know how to speak English yet choose not to.
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Old 02-09-2018, 08:35 PM
 
Location: Florida
7,195 posts, read 5,681,138 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Botev1912 View Post
Why would you assume people speaking their native language, they must be saying something bad about their co-workers? That is a very limited thinking.
I also find this to be a weird and paranoid assumption. Surely people aren’t monitoring every conversation that takes place in their workplace or neighborhood at all times.

Anyone could be talking about you in English at any time. But they’re probably not, mainly because most people don’t care that much about an individual person to have lengthy conversations about them in any language. If you suspect that anyone speaking another language is probably talking about you, get over yourself... you’re not that important.
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Old 02-09-2018, 08:49 PM
 
Location: Seattle area
9,182 posts, read 12,057,739 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by hbdwihdh378y9 View Post
Because they know how to speak English yet choose not to.
How about it's their NATIVE language, therefore much better? There is nothing wrong speaking your native language with someone else who speaks it too.
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Old 02-09-2018, 09:40 PM
 
Location: The Ozone Layer, apparently...
4,005 posts, read 2,057,710 times
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I guess it really depends on environment, and why people are speaking their native language.

If we are on the work clock, how many of our bosses and managers are really paying us to have a private conversation with a friend?

If we are on break, in the employee lounge, and there are just us two that speak Irish Gaelic, while the other two consist of one English speak, and one bilingual Spanish/English speaker, the two that continue to converse in Irish Gaelic, while knowingly keeping the other two from joining in the camaraderie are in effect turning our back on them, and might as well literally do that. It is rude. We are exercising a right they cant. We could join in their English conversation should they decide to have one, but neither one of them can just join in our Irish Gaelic conversation.

If we are talking a walk outside during our lunch break, and we continue to speak in Irish Gaelic as we pass our coworkers, we are not being rude, or stealing company time. It is our hour, in a non-confined space, to do as we please.

Fortunately, it wont matter for long, as technology will be making it all a non-issue. Right now, anyone can record a public conversation in any language on their cell phone, and have it translated in a matter of minutes. It's not like we have a reasonable expectation to privacy in the workplace, afterall.

If you wanna be cute, and someone asks if you understand the language they are speaking, play back the translation, smile and say yes, I do.

Last edited by ComeCloser; 02-09-2018 at 09:51 PM..
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Old 02-09-2018, 11:52 PM
 
10,226 posts, read 7,491,009 times
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Originally Posted by Disgustedman View Post
Was at my new job, had been walking 3 days and enjoying it. Today had to sit for the entire day. I was working with a female who was native of Mexico and every so often one of the other hispanic females would come by and they'd speak in their native tongue.

She did this for most of the day, then asked me "Does it bother you that we do this?" I replied "Nope, I don't mind, I know that you understand english and can speak it when the situation calls for it. So I'm not worried about what you are speaking about or that you are speaking in your native tongue"

She did say in some other companies she had worked at, had many people demand they speak english at all times and were told to not be found or overheard speaking their native tongue.

Only time I ever have heard of a "English only" was at the WSOP's tourneys (World Series Of Poker)

I worked one company which had 5-7 vietnamese who couldn't speak one word of english and they'd been here 5+ years.

Anyone ever have a company have that for a rule?
I never had people at work conversing at length in a different language, so I don't know.

I think it's generally considered rude to speak in a different language in a setting where the common language is different, knowing that others don't speak it. But our office didn't have that policy. But I don't know if it would bug me or not. Maybe not.
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Old 02-10-2018, 12:22 AM
 
Location: my Mind Palace
658 posts, read 714,406 times
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Disgustedman View Post
Was at my new job, had been walking 3 days and enjoying it. Today had to sit for the entire day. I was working with a female who was native of Mexico and every so often one of the other hispanic females would come by and they'd speak in their native tongue.

She did this for most of the day, then asked me "Does it bother you that we do this?" I replied "Nope, I don't mind, I know that you understand english and can speak it when the situation calls for it. So I'm not worried about what you are speaking about or that you are speaking in your native tongue"

She did say in some other companies she had worked at, had many people demand they speak english at all times and were told to not be found or overheard speaking their native tongue.

Only time I ever have heard of a "English only" was at the WSOP's tourneys (World Series Of Poker)

I worked one company which had 5-7 vietnamese who couldn't speak one word of english and they'd been here 5+ years.

Anyone ever have a company have that for a rule?
I only mind if they're talking about me, LOL;P

I find a lot of Spanish speakers seem to think that other people around them only speak ENglish which isn't always the case. Some have said, "I can speak two languages and you can only speak one!" Well sure, in some cases that's true. But just because a person does not speak SPANISH doesn't mean they aren't multi lingual.

And when they think all Spanish speakers are dark skinned etc. - my friend from Chile is a blue eyed blond and has caught people talking about her in Spanish when they assumed she couldn't understand. Always a nice moment when she surprises them

In general if they can't speak English at that moment for whatever reason I guess it's fine though obviously it does feel a little rude if you're sitting right there. Meh.
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Old 02-10-2018, 12:38 AM
 
Location: On the road
2,798 posts, read 2,659,282 times
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Originally Posted by tnff View Post
So if we moved to Mexico or Brazil, or Germany, or China, or take your pick, would it be right for us to speak English or learn their language? Why does this even have to be an issue? If you move to a country to live, you should speak the language of that country. To do otherwise is rude.
When I am in China, and talking to Americans, or Brits, and we are having a private conversation, I never had anyone tell us we must speak Chinese. Same in Germany, Spain, France, Italy, or anywhere else I have been. I did have some French folks act offended that I did not speak their language when I was speaking to them. But, they didn't care when I was talking to other people.

And I would never get cranky about other people having a private conversation in whatever language they are comfortable with.

What utter ignorance that demonstrates.
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