is this a form of racism what do you think?

Question

take this how you like but i was with a mate who had bought some trainers from a market stall ..the shoes where just two week old and the sole was coming apart you could tell the trainers looked like they had hardly been worn but any way the market stall is ran by pakistan folk when we got there and my mate told them about the trainers the sales man shook his head these are not from here he as good said even though there was another exact pair at the side of us where we stood then another pakistan chap came over took a look then they both started talking
in pakistan lingo looking at us and this pair of trainers then the one who came over said have you got the reciept but my mate didnt have it so the salesmen again tuned to each other and talked again
in pakistani lingo for ages i looked at my mate and shook my head they can both speak english it felt like we where both being slagged off but had no idea then eventually they offered an exchange he took the exchange

Answer 1

That is not racism but it is very bloody rude what i think if someone comes to your country at least speak the same language as everyone else

Answer 2

Your mate should have got his receipt as he was entitled to a FULL refund - Sale of Goods Act 1976. If its faulty they HAVE to refund you if you wish OR if you are happy then they can offer you an exchange!!! BUT, they were within their rights to refuse to even exchange them as your friend had no receipt so in that respect they seem pretty fair!!

I suppose really, you should be grateful that a market stall gave a receipt as most (that I know) don't.

Yes, I find it rude, especially if you pick up a 'dodgy' tone in their voice, but at the same time, they gave you an exchange and they didn't have to do that so maybe they weren't slagging you off but were simply discussing what to do.

I tend to agree with the view of 'when in Rome' and I too would be offended, but at the same time, if I were in Pakistan I would (if I could) talk pakistan to the people there but would talk good old English to whomever I was with, so maybe that's just what they were doing!

As long as they respected you (which they seem to have) and respect our country then I wouldn't worry about it.

Answer 3

Some respondents have used the term, "their language", without realising the irony of this comment. If they are in Britain, speaking to a British subject, why isn't English their first language, or, at the very least, that is the language that they should use. I don't understand why the second person was involved anyway, which gave rise to this conversation.

If you use a different language, you are underlining the fact that you are different and are not fully integrated.

Answer 4

I'm confused do you think you were a victim of racism? First of all everyone knows no receipt no return, secondly its their shop they can speak any language they wish, and thirdly the long pause was them probably trying figure out if they should make an exception for you. You are the one who seems racist , or at least intolerant of other people's culture to me "pakistani lingo"reflects such a tone.Hey maybe you're just having a bad day everyone's entitled, but you were definitely not wronged in fact I think it was nice of them to offer you an exchange. Oh and I'm not a shop owner or a minority. I'm a very white American girl, so no bias here.

Answer 5

You don't know what they were saying. Therefore, you can't say it was or it wasn't. As they were both pakistani they were probably more happy speaking their language.

Is it a form of racism if you go on holiday to India and talk english in a shop? I bet you say no.

It could have been racism, let's not forget that blacks can be racist to whites like whites can be racist to blacks.

On a stupid english point, racism is were they take an action against you - they did give you the refund so this was only prejudice- and every human being has prejudice against something.

Answer 6

You got ripped by a STALL VENDOR!!!! Go figure!!!!

Trust me, them being Pakistani only meant they could speak a different language infront of you. Any STALL VENDOR would have done the same thing. They sell cheap items at cheap prices and you get what you pay for. NO refunds, NO exchanges.

Go to a legitamate store if you want legitamate recourse.

Answer 7

Market stalls have "wide boys" of all races. It was a bit rude, but not racist. Talking in Urdu or whatever may be easier for them. Of course they can also talk about excuses to fob you off with without letting you know. It was just rude at worst.

Answer 8

See if you'd have gone to my school, you'd have learnt back-slang, which is a way of mixing up words but is understandable to others who know how to do it, then you could have stood there conversing in b.slang, waving the shoes about and looking those two up and down, bet there'd be a few confused stares from your two market trader friends and you'd have got your maoney back.

Answer 9

I personally do not think it is rascist. Even though the people were speaking in another language, you have no solid proof that they were insulting you and your friend. Also, people find it easier to make to another person in their first language, especially if the two people were related. I always see people in school talk to another friend in another language even if there are other people in their group that don't understand. Not exactly rascist but it an make you feel awkward.

Answer 10

It may have been somewhat rude, but certainly not racism for them to speak in their own native tongues.

Although I used to speak French when living in France [rusty these days] I would revert back and forth to English amongst groups of mixed folk [it was just easier]