Who thinks it is very rude for other nationalities to speak their own language whilst being in a public place?

Answer 1

Happens in the coffee room at work. Epitome of rudeness.

Answer 2

No, cause I've never been that situation before. And well to tell you the truth, I am Asian (Chinese, as you can see in my avatar) and yeah I do know Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese and also English. I study university abroad in Taiwan (I come from Macau S.A.R.) and I need to speak Mandarin Chinese everyday. And owing to the fact that my tongue is Cantonese and I'm in English major, I just mix these two languages up when I am talking to my classmates who come from Hong Kong. And yeah my Taiwanese friends feel so annoyed when we are speaking Cantonese because they don't understand what we are talking about and they would only wonder if we are talking behind their back or not. And I think this happens all the time and you just can't avoid this. Just ignore them. If they are talking about you and you don't know that, why should it bother you? It's better to not knowing anything than knowing too many things. And if I were in the same situation like you always have, I'd just ignore them. Well I mean if the people are speaking like French or Spanish, it's the same to me that I don't know what the heck they are talking about and why should I bother myself listening to them and getting angry by nothing really important? I don't even know that language so I'd just let it go. Well this is just my thought though. Thanks for sharing your question and I'll be aware of this problem. Thank you.

Answer 3

In general, no, but this depends on what you mean by "public place". If you mean like at a restaurant (at a different table, of course) or the bank or the mall, then heck no; you're the one who's rude if you try to listen. If you mean semi-private places like the work cafeteria or at a wedding, then yes, it's slightly rude. Basically, if you don't know the people from Adam, then they can speak whatever language they wish; but if you're expected to have some connection to them, then they should make the effort to speak the common language.

Note that this means that people who expect government offices to cater to them in their native language are quite rude, because the common language in those places is English. If they can't make the effort to learn the common language, then they should at least make the effort to bring along a relative who does speak it.

Answer 4

Of course not. As others have said, when abroad with your friends or family, obviously you speak together in English. Even those who live abroad, and the minority that bother to learn French, Spanish or whatever, would still find it more natural to speak their mother tongue with one another.

It can be rude to cut someone out of a social situation by speaking a language you know that person can't follow - but then again, sometimes it just happens, especially if their English isn't that fluent. It has happened to me, but usually I find that people are very conscious of not being rude like that.

Answer 5

No it is not Rude,

In what way can you say it is rude. OK If you say that the other person may be talking about you, how do you know you cannot even understand them,

DON'T JUMP TO CONCLUSIONS!

If you went to another country, which was not an English speaking country, and the only language you new was English,

Your flippin stuck then ant you, because you ant going to be rude and speak English are yah.

Don't be stupid

O I Forgot your an Idiot

Answer 6

Don't be a moron... even English is a foreign language, remember "English" = "England" (?). Maybe you should ask the native Americans if it's rude we all speak other languages besides any of the native languages to the Americas. But no it's not rude, why should it be? Someone always has to complain about something one way or another...

Answer 7

It depends on the context. I've lived & worked in France and Germany, and whenever I've met up with English friends in those countries I've spoken English with them. It doesn't mean that I can't speak French or German, or that I'm talking about French or German people. I don't think that's rude at all. It's only rude if you exclude people. If I were with a group of English friends (who speak French) and French people (who speak no English), I'd just speak French to everyone.

Answer 8

No, I think it's rude for people to want to know what other people are saying to each other.What you are suggesting is that everyone should speak English in a public place so that you can understand -Typical English attitude.Otherwise what would you do if you were in a public place with your friends> Stop speaking English?? I very much doubt it. It's one rule for the English and one for everyone else.
I am incensed about this because I was actually in a pub,in MY country, speaking to MY friends, when an Englishman came over to OUR table and asked us to stop speaking Welsh.
What would YOU have done in a similar situation in England?

I said some choice Welsh words to him then 'All I can say is"Thank God for Snowdon"'
'Why?' he asked.
'Because it kills dozens of you bast**ds every year'. I said.

Answer 9

It's not - it's normal.

It is different though if you are with a group of people who insist on talking in their mother tongue while you are struggling to understand. Or if you go to a foreign country and speak to everyone in your native language expecting them to all adjust to your bloody needs. Or if you force everyone else to listen in because you are shouting rather than speaking. Then again, that goes for everybody, not just for foreigners.

But as long as no outsider is involved or disturbed, no. It's not rude but perfectly fine.

Answer 10

At the end of the day we all need to respect each other and the values of one anothers countries! Untill we start doing this no one is going to respect anyone, and more importantly you wont respect yourselves! There is no need for ignorance towards one another in todays world we are all the same "were humans" (allthough not very humane towards one another) so have a good hard think about youselves until you start making judgment on other people!

Answer 11

This all depends on the situation. If you are not with the other people then it is not rude at all but I personally would not speak my "mother tongue" if the people I was with could not speak it as then that would and does seem very rude to me.