Workplace language

[~ Monk ~]

We've had an interesting development where I work.

We have a good number of Polish workers here. They all speak English quite well and there are no problems with communication. Amongst themselves, however, they speak Polish. Now when I say amongst themselves, I don't mean quietly, in hushed voices, etc. They speak loudly. Often times louder than an average conversation. This has apparently upset some people and they've complained about it. The gist of the complaint, from what I've been told, is: if you can speak English fluently, why is there a need to speak Polish in the workplace?

Obviously no one is going to say other languages can't be spoken here, but it made me wonder what other people think about this. Initially, it seemed like prejudice to me - but if I were their boss or a close co-worker would I feel differently...?

[Ahautenites]

I hate it when people speak in other languages in front of me. That was the main reason I learned Spanish. I want to know when people are talking about me and I want to be able to tell them "Up yours!" in the language of their choice.

**edited to add (lest people think I'm really a jerk)** I would never say anything to anyone speaking in their own language, no matter how uncomfortable I feel, because I do understand that they feel more comfortable with their language.

[WandererInGray]

Uh....because English isn't their first language.

Think about it, if you're having an animated conversation with someone you'd probably want to do it in a language you're all comfortable in.

*shrugs* I don't have a problem with it, and honestly can't see why anyone at their work would get their underwear in a twist over it.

Now if the complaint is about the volume level, that's easy enough taken care of, but to complain about them talking in their native language to each other??

*sheesh*

[WitchJezebel]

I agree with Wanderer, my only complaint would be the noise level if that's the issue.

[MammaStar]

At my workplace, there are three languages spoken. English, Spanish and Russian. The guys in the back, that are part of the plant, speak mainly Spanish, with only two of them speaking Russian to each other. They do speak English, so-so, most of them at least. And yes, at times it's loud, but that's because they are shouting across the shop at each other. Doesn't bother me because i'm mainly in the front office and don't venture to the manufacturing plant much. There used to be two different companies at my office as well, with the majority of the workers speaking Italian.

*shrug*

[Erincelt]

Sugar: So, what, you worked at the UN? :D

Seriously though, I don't see any problem at all with a person simply wanting to speak their own language. Telling them they can't is like regulating breathing... a person doesn't go through 20+ years growing up around language X just to one day abandon it in favor of language Z.

Then again, I'm not a good example, being a native English speaker who thinks Latin has English beat any day, and that Irish and Japanese are the most beautiful languages devised by man -- even over the "Romance" languages.

[Ahautenites]

I think we all need to learn Esperanto!!!! :D :D :D

[MammaStar]

LOL, you would think I do with all the different folks we got here!!!!! :lol:

[Athena-Nadine]

*...shrugs...* Where I grew up, in NYC, over 50% of the population speaks American as a second language. 85% of my high school was Asian when I attended. For me, hearing six different languages spoken while walking down a city block was a normal, every day occurrence.

I wouldn't want to go to another country and have people complain about my being most comfortable speaking American, even if I was fluent in their language. I think it's selfish, arrogant, and insecure to expect others to stop speaking their native language just because someone may feel uncomfortable hearing it. Besides, what difference does it make what anyone else is saying when they're speaking to someone else? It's no one else's business but those involved in the conversation.

[Phoenix Blue]

This came up in my inprocessing briefing when I first arrived at Maxwell AFB. The fact is, just because two people are speaking in a different language does not mean they are speaking about you behind your back. Unless they're talking to you and you can't understand them, or unless they're talking so loud that it's creating a distraction, whatever they're talking about really isn't your business anyway.

[Haruka2077]

Originally posted by Erincelt
Latin has English beat any day, and that Irish and Japanese are the most beautiful languages devised by man -- even over the "Romance" languages.

All very true statements. :)

[Psyche Ague]

I think it's silly for people to be upset about others speaking a different language. English is DEFINITELY not the only language spoken in the world - much less in America!

In fact, my boyfriend and I speak in French to each other when we're in public whether we care if people hear us or not. Mostly it's just instinct or we don't even think about it. Not a big deal. We do get some strange looks at Sheetz, though! (Sheetz being like a 7-11 type store here in Pennsylvania.)

This is all coming from someone who prides herself on knowing several different languages and has the ability to pick them up very quickly. I love hearing other people speak in different languages around me - especially if I don't know the language. I love the way different languages sound. They're all beautiful.

[Sequoia]

Originally posted by Erincelt
Then again, I'm not a good example, being a native English speaker who thinks Latin has English beat any day, and that Irish and Japanese are the most beautiful languages devised by man -- even over the "Romance" languages.

I love you! :heartthro :loveduv: I speak a little Japanese, a friend of mine speaks Irish. . . *floats around with heart eyes*

[Scarlettvixen]

i think it depends on how other languages are used in the workplace.

as some of u know i am a nurse in australia, in hospitals here we now have strict rules that english is to be the only language spoken on the floor unless staff are communicating with a patient in their native language and they dont speak english.

you may think that is harsh - but 20 yrs ago i worked on a ward where handover was in malay - and they then abused u as u didnt know what was going on! they would also make derogatory comments about u in malay - silly them, they never thought that a lily white girl could speak any malay - truthfully i couldnt speak much, but i did understand enuff of what they were saying to know it wasnt nice - so i let it go on for 3 weeks and then discussed their heritage in detail - in malay lol

sometimes people speak in another language to exclude or be rude about someone - then i dont like it

in our cafeteria we have a rule - if there is one person at the table who doesnt speak the other language then they have to revert to english

i personally have objections to it - tho this isnt work related
my parents in law speak fluent english, yet my mother in law will speak in tagalog (phillipino dialect) deliberately to exclude me
so i am probably a bit bias about it all

[~ Monk ~]

Well, as you can imagine this is being smoothed over as quickly and silently as possible.

We'll never know who exactly it was that complained or why - my guess is it was probably started by the volume of the conversations (there have been times when some of the workers have talked over their cubes to people who aren't very close to them) and then escalated to "Are they talking about me?" feelings. I know it wasn't their boss because I'm friends with her and she doesn't care what anyone says about her, English or not.

As for me - since I'm pretty much in my own little world here, I can't really say I care either way. Maybe if I were in a different position I'd feel differently...*shrug*