Should I mind?
People here in US are very sensitive when we talk with somebody else in our mother tongue in front of them. I guess they have every right to react like that.
I faced a similar situation few days back and that made very uncomfortable not knowing whether they were talking about me or talking about something else. In fact these things are very prominent in a software company mainly because of outsourcing. I have come across many instances where people talk very loudly in their mother tongue not minding people around them. I think this behavior is unprofessional. It’s OK when you talk with your friends in your own language of comfort. But if we are doing it in a public place we should talk in a low tone so that it does not bother others.
What do you think?
3 comments:
I completely agree. When in a group, it is considered very rude to have conversations in a language not known to everyone in the group. I think this applies to any country\culture.
Private conversations in a third launguage is okay in a public place as long as everyone present in the group understands that language and as you suggest is best carried out in a low tone. For that matter, it is best to carry out all conversations in public in a low tone - that would be very decent.
I guess this means carrying out most public conversations in the US in English when there are people present who don't know a third language.
The only exception to this "rule" may be Spanish, since it is fast becoming a second language in the US, but I don't know even about this, since many in the US are opposed to a second official language. I personally have conflicting opinions on a second US language, and can't make up my mind..
well i dont mind talking to a mal friend in malayalam even when we r in a group provided our talks r not a part of the group discussion. But of course when in a group and if a part of the group discussion i think that the language should be comfortable for all.
there used to be a girl in our office who talks in tamil loudly when at work to her friends who sit near her desk. i used to get very irritated by this.
I try to maintain a low tone but get confused as to 'how low do I go?’ Sometimes my tone goes so low that I have to repeat. I really don't mind repeating since I think for the people that do not understand the language, it is louder than it actually is. Probably same reason why loud music is good to hear for some and 'noise' for others.
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