Swaggadocious said:

Serena said:

It doesn't matter if it's negative or not, it's a matter of commonality in communication. If you don't want others to know what you're talking about, do it on your own time.

But if they're not communicating with you, why does it matter? Why do you have to know what they are discussing between themselves?

Swaggadocious said:

Serena said:

It doesn't matter if it's negative or not, it's a matter of commonality in communication. If you don't want others to know what you're talking about, do it on your own time.

But if they're not communicating with you, why does it matter? Why do you have to know what they are discussing between themselves?

I get that, but if you're in the workplace and it's a work-related discussion, why cloak it in a language that only they understand? If you're on break or behind closed doors, speak Vulcan for all I care, but in front of customers and other employees, it should be in a language that all can understand.

Reading the comments on this thread made me remember the time when I worked as a temporary employee at this one company. There were two women who worked there, and who would come up to me, speaking in a foreign language. Of course, I didn't know what the hell they were saying, but I would just smile at them. Now, in retrospect, I wish I would have told them, "You know, I don't understand a word of what you're saying. Could you please speak in English?" For all I know, they could have been saying something negative about me, and I didn't even know it.

Swaggadocious said:

Some people speak their native tongue to talk about a personal matter that they don't want everyone to know about. But I think trying to put regulations on people speaking their native tongue is a slippery slope, unless you can prove they're directly insulting you or another co-worker.

I agree that it's a slippery slope but only because of PC tip-toeing. It's a slippery slope for companies that would rather let bullshit slide than have to deal with bogus accusations and lawsuits as a result.

Here's a tip for folk who don't want co-workers hearing their personal business...don't fuckin discuss it during work hours. WTF ? How simple is that?

Genesia said:

Swaggadocious said:

But usually it's those like you that have an issue with foreigners altogether. Unless you can prove they're having a conversation that's detrimental to the workplace, then all you're doing is being paranoid, which is what fuels the likes of your kind anyway.

"My kind"?

Back, White Devil Woman!

johnart said:

Genesia said:

"My kind"?

Back, White Devil Woman!

Dammit, I forgot to pick up my hood at the cleaners again.

Genesia said:

johnart said:

Back, White Devil Woman!

Dammit, I forgot to pick up my hood at the cleaners again.

The cleaners??? You don't have a Mexican at home doin your laundry??

Damn I just lost a $20 bet.

[Edited 5/3/11 13:39pm]

johnart said:

Genesia said:

Dammit, I forgot to pick up my hood at the cleaners again.

The cleaners??? You don't have a Mexican at home doin your laundry??

Damn I just lost a $20 bet.

[Edited 5/3/11 13:39pm]

Man alive! I just cackled out loud here at the office!

johnart said:

Genesia said:

Dammit, I forgot to pick up my hood at the cleaners again.

The cleaners??? You don't have a Mexican at home doin your laundry??

Damn I just lost a $20 bet.

Nah. I might want to run for office someday. I can explain the hood, but an "undocumented worker?" I'd never get past that.

Genesia said:

johnart said:

The cleaners??? You don't have a Mexican at home doin your laundry??

Damn I just lost a $20 bet.

Nah. I might want to run for office someday. I can explain the hood, but an "undocumented worker?" I'd never get past that.

STOOOOPPPP!

Genesia said:

johnart said:

The cleaners??? You don't have a Mexican at home doin your laundry??

Damn I just lost a $20 bet.

Nah. I might want to run for office someday. I can explain the hood, but an "undocumented worker?" I'd never get past that.

Being bilingual helps a person understand that many who speak English as a second language think in the primary language.

So in a workplace it is to be assumed that most of a conversation that is not in English is usually

"How do you say so and so..."

this is what I came across all the time in my work experiences with people who spoke English as a second language...

the other converstaions would be of people mostly catching up with eachother or speaking of work related issues because they have limited use of the language and it is imperative that no confusion happens when the job has to be done right.

Language is a form of communication and if you can not speak English well, then you may botch up a job if you misunderstand, mislabel or miswrite any corespondence related to your job.

Most people speak English well enough, but they will call on their co-workers to double check their understanding/translation on any job so that no confusion happens until they are confident enough to go it alone.

If you think someone is talking about you, relax... the world doesn't neccessrily revolve around you, they may not even be thinking about you. If someone gets in your face, THEN you deal with that.

I thought the first post was pretty clear. The company has an orientation video which apparently prohibits the use of other languages in the workplace. The OP should suggest that the supervisor show the orientation video to the ladies.

Secondly, the OP says that their collaboration is negatively impacting his sales totals. If that's the case, it's unfair.

I'd sure as hell say something.

I'm a District Manager...

the drivers in my team are mostly of Hispanic descent and when they're loading up in the morning it's all Spanish...

I would never get "butthurt" about this fact because when it's time for them to get on the road I just yell, "Hoer jetzt auf mit den ganzen Scheiss und mach jetzt ran an die sache!!!"

fair's fair...

RenHoek said:

I'm a District Manager...

the drivers in my team are mostly of Hispanic descent and when they're loading up in the morning it's all Spanish...

I would never get "butthurt" about this fact because when it's time for them to get on the road I just yell, "Hoer jetzt auf mit den ganzen Scheiss und mach jetzt ran an die sache!!!"

fair's fair...

Te quiero mucho, pendejo.

[Edited 5/3/11 19:12pm]

johnart said:

RenHoek said:

I'm a District Manager...

the drivers in my team are mostly of Hispanic descent and when they're loading up in the morning it's all Spanish...

I would never get "butthurt" about this fact because when it's time for them to get on the road I just yell, "Hoer jetzt auf mit den ganzen Scheiss und mach jetzt ran an die sache!!!"

fair's fair...

Te quiero mucho, pendejo.

[Edited 5/3/11 19:12pm]

Te amo demasiado perra pequeña

RenHoek said:

johnart said:

Te quiero mucho, pendejo.

[Edited 5/3/11 19:12pm]

Te amo demasiado perra pequeña

RenHoek said:

johnart said:

Te quiero mucho, pendejo.

[Edited 5/3/11 19:12pm]

Te amo demasiado perra pequeña

My butt hurts from all the foreign languages that I don't understand!

You are so rude for making my butt hurt!

CallMeCarrie said:

RenHoek said:

Te amo demasiado perra pequeña

My butt hurts from all the foreign languages that I don't understand!

You are so rude for making my butt hurt!

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/6784.jpg[/img:$uid]

Vendetta1 said:

RenHoek said:

Te amo demasiado perra pequeña

That really shouldn't turn me on.

johnart said:

Any time that English (in this case, applies to any language) speaking folk choose to speak to each other in another language in a social/work situation where another is out of the loop, and they are not doing so to help out someone who does not speak English (at all, like not enough to get by)...it's not just rude...it's fuckin rude as hell.

It may be silly, but it often sets off folks' radars (understandibly IMO) and I equate it to little kids putting their hands to the other's ears to whisper secrets while looking at you to be sure you can't hear. This might not be what is happening, but it is what it feels like when out of the loop...so why consciously do that to another person?

My favorite is when folk don't realize I speak fluent Spanish (my accent creeps out now and then but isn't obvious) and I catch them saying something about someone else in the group or myself. It's always a pleasure to make a comment to them in Spanish.

These rude ass heffas (male or female) need to see your company's video bien pronto!

johnart said:

CallMeCarrie said:

My butt hurts from all the foreign languages that I don't understand!

You are so rude for making my butt hurt!

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/6784.jpg[/img:$uid]

FLAVORED?!!!

SUPRMAN said:

johnart said:

[img:$uid]http://i68.photobucket.com/albums/i9/jgascot/6784.jpg[/img:$uid]

FLAVORED?!!!

If someone's ass needs flavoring it need not be licked.

Imayte said:

johnart said:

That's exactly what makes it rude and inappropriate (not cute) for the workplace.

whatever. why get butthurt over it.?

ever heard of sticks and stones?

Thats the same thing as when your standing in a group of people, and tow of the people stand there and whisper. It's rude, akward, childish, and annoying. How old are you?

paintedlady said:

Being bilingual helps a person understand that many who speak English as a second language think in the primary language.

So in a workplace it is to be assumed that most of a conversation that is not in English is usually

"How do you say so and so..."

this is what I came across all the time in my work experiences with people who spoke English as a second language...

the other converstaions would be of people mostly catching up with eachother or speaking of work related issues because they have limited use of the language and it is imperative that no confusion happens when the job has to be done right.

Language is a form of communication and if you can not speak English well, then you may botch up a job if you misunderstand, mislabel or miswrite any corespondence related to your job.

Most people speak English well enough, but they will call on their co-workers to double check their understanding/translation on any job so that no confusion happens until they are confident enough to go it alone.

If you think someone is talking about you, relax... the world doesn't neccessrily revolve around you, they may not even be thinking about you. If someone gets in your face, THEN you deal with that.

In which case, you'd be hearing, "Como se dice..." a lot.

I could be wrong, but something tells me that ain't the case here.

Genesia said:

paintedlady said:

Being bilingual helps a person understand that many who speak English as a second language think in the primary language.

So in a workplace it is to be assumed that most of a conversation that is not in English is usually

"How do you say so and so..."

this is what I came across all the time in my work experiences with people who spoke English as a second language...

the other converstaions would be of people mostly catching up with eachother or speaking of work related issues because they have limited use of the language and it is imperative that no confusion happens when the job has to be done right.

Language is a form of communication and if you can not speak English well, then you may botch up a job if you misunderstand, mislabel or miswrite any corespondence related to your job.

Most people speak English well enough, but they will call on their co-workers to double check their understanding/translation on any job so that no confusion happens until they are confident enough to go it alone.

If you think someone is talking about you, relax... the world doesn't neccessrily revolve around you, they may not even be thinking about you. If someone gets in your face, THEN you deal with that.

In which case, you'd be hearing, "Como se dice..." a lot.

I could be wrong, but something tells me that ain't the case here.

That's it, now I'm cancelling all my plans for the 21st.

I didn't take it as that being the case either.

johnart said:

Genesia said:

In which case, you'd be hearing, "Como se dice..." a lot.

I could be wrong, but something tells me that ain't the case here.

That's it, now I'm cancelling all my plans for the 21st.

I didn't take it as that being the case either.

[img:$uid]http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g216/rebecca8273/emoticon/075.gif[/img:$uid]

Genesia said:

johnart said:

That's it, now I'm cancelling all my plans for the 21st.

I didn't take it as that being the case either.

[img:$uid]http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g216/rebecca8273/emoticon/075.gif[/img:$uid]

johnart said:

Genesia said:

[img:$uid]http://i57.photobucket.com/albums/g216/rebecca8273/emoticon/075.gif[/img:$uid]