How do you feel about people who can speak English but speak in a foreign language in front of you?

Question

I went into a store and made a purchase. I put my bags into the car and remembered that I did not get the main thing that I entered the store for. They require you to spend at least $10 if using a credit card. I explained to the young lady that I just left and now I needed to purchase something else which only amounted to about $7. She said sorry...you must spend $10. While I was waiting to speak with the manager, they began laughing and speaking in What I believe is Korean. It was very humiliating.

Answer 1

alright, my daughters family speaks another language, they are from another country, but they also speak english.
Im american I speak english and I find its so freaking rude when they speak to eachother in another language in front of me, I mean sure there not talking about me, but its still rude. This is America and our primary language is English.
If you cant speak it, learn it!

Answer 2

Sorry that your experience was so humiliating, seriously. But you must understand, technically the U.S. has NO official language, so how can we get mad at others for wanting to speak whatever language they want. We shouldn't be able to dictate to others as to when they are allowed to speak their native language and when they can't. I mean, of course it makes sense for them to speak to you in English if the are talking directly to you, but if not, why should they have to switch. Plus, it's not like we as Americans don't have the ability to learn their languages either. There are formal classes, self-help books, dictionaries, and audio cd's for practically every language under the sun to help one learn a language (especially Korean).
I wouldn't necessarily view this as a humiliating experience if I were you. For one thing, they were following store policies. But secondly maybe you should see this as a reason for why it is important to learn more than just English. Learning other languages can be a very fun and rewarding thing that can teach you a lot about another culture.

Answer 3

I can speak many languages fluently, but, generally I try to keep my conversations in a language everyone can understand if we're all having a conversation together. meaning, I won't have a side conversation with a friend who understands, say, japanese, and have another friend standing there not understanding. however, if I'm in a public place and I don't much care for anybody else there, I see nothing wrong with speaking in another language. There's nothing wrong with being ABLE to speak english, but not feeling as comfortable with it as another language.

Still, in terms of customer service, I wouldn't do that while i was at work. Granted, they aren't exactly in suits and ties, and I suppose you were visiting an ethnic supermarket..

Answer 4

Hi. If the purpose does not look to be aimed toward insulting others round, I do not believe angry while individuals talk a overseas language round or in entrance of me. I paintings at a situation wherein there are a few Spanish audio system, and aspect of the activity is utilising our Spanish in view that we manage purchasers from Central and South America at the cell. But frequently those individuals begin sporting on or talking Spanish both to exhibit off or in view that they do not desire others to grasp what they're pronouncing. I believe dangerous approximately this for those who do not appreciate. You can see their uncomfortable by way of the appears on their faces. I talk Spanish, so I emerge as translating for the others who have no idea what the heck is happening. In some way, I'm happy you advised the ones men what you probably did. That used to be very disrespectful, making feedback to his buddy in Spanish. But additionally, I could watch out... you do not desire them pulling out a weapon and utilising it on you.

Answer 5

Odds are, they were NOT talking about you. I know it is intimidating, but my husband and his family do this all the time. Rarely is the topic someone nearby. It is just easier for them to speak in their native language to each other.

The $10 thing is pretty common. It gets annoying, but the store gets charged a fee for cc transactions. There is a min amount of charge, and then it goes to a %, depending on their agreement with the bank. If they run a cc for a small amount, the store might actually be losing money because of the fee.

Answer 6

I know what you mean -- it's kind of like when you do/say something to someone, and then s/he starts whispering with someone else and laughing. It's a situation in which you don't know what's being said or what's so funny, and you're human, so you can't help feeling like it's about you. Totally embarrassing.

Part of what makes these situations difficult to analyze is that the "personal interaction" issue gets tied up with value judgments made about "foreign" languages, you know? I always have to ask myself whether I'm reacting negatively because someone's actually being rude (I'm with friends who know I don't speak French -- and they suddenly veer our conversation off into French for ten minutes! Hey!), or if it's just that I'm uncomfortable in a situation where I'M the language (or race, or sexual orientation, etc.) minority/"outsider.," because I'm used to thinking of MY language/race/orientation/etc. as the "normal" or "dominant" one.

In the situation you're talking about, I think there's no way to know what was being said. Those two people could have been jerks and they might have been laughing at you, or they could just have been talking about what they plan to do this weekend.

While I think it CAN be rude (like in the situation I mentioned above with my French-speaking friends), I don't think it's INHERENTLY rude for people to speak another language in front of people who don't speak that language. Ultimately, it's not other people's fault that you or I don't speak whatever language they happen to be speaking, and if they're not specifically in a conversation WITH US, why should they have to be limited by our limitations?

Answer 7

As an american I think that it is ok for people to speak in a foreign language in front of someone. It is not the worlds fault that most americans cannot speak a foreign language.

Answer 8

Why was that humiliating? It was likely store policy, and it seems unlikely that the workers were laughing at you. For most people for whom English is a second language, I'm sure it is a great deal easier to talk in their native language, I wouldn't be insulted.

Answer 9

I personally don't feel anything. It's really no big deal, EVEN if later on I find out that they were saying bad things about me.

One observation, though. You may want to evaluate/analyze your feelings. They are a barometer of the degree of personal security/insecurity towards yourself. In other words, it gages how insecure you may be in life.

Hope it helps.

Answer 10

English is not my native language. But if I was in the same situation, I would feel ok about it. I'm not linguaphobic.

Answer 11

Get over it. It is a not worth worrying about. If you don't like the treatement you got at the store, then don't go back. Don't try to get people to dislike Koreans because of your bad experience.