"I read somewhere..."

[BrilloPad]

A recent job I was in a team of 9. 6 Hindi speakers. They would often speak in Hindi. Which is fine for personal stuff(if they want to exclude others). But for work it was quite frustrating.

[Kraut]

I am a foreign national, and I wouldn't take any offence whatsoever in such rules. If you live/work in a different country, you of course try to speak the local language whenever you can!
In fact, I would find it rather rude to speak my native language in the presence of Brits in Britain, because they obviously won't understand.

[original PM]

I am a foreign national, and I wouldn't take any offence whatsoever in such rules. If you live/work in a different country, you of course try to speak the local language whenever you can!
In fact, I would find it rather rude to speak my native language in the presence of Brits in Britain, because they obviously won't understand.

Wow showing some respect for the people and culture of a country you are a guest in - a novel concept which sadly will get me called a racist for being a tub thumping nationalist

[darmstadt]

Wow showing some respect for the people and culture of a country you are a guest in - a novel concept which sadly will get me called a racist for being a tub thumping nationalist

I wouldn't, I do exactly the same thing here. I speak their language to them, I follow their customs (mixed naked bathing and beer drinking) and respect their culture (tulip pop music and crap television). It should be natural to do this...

[BrilloPad]

I wouldn't, I do exactly the same thing here. I speak their language to them, I follow their customs (mixed naked bathing and beer drinking) and respect their culture (tulip pop music and crap television). It should be natural to do this...

It always amazes me when people go to Arab countries then moan when they do things allowed in the UK but not allowed locally and then moan.

[Kraut]

Wow showing some respect for the people and culture of a country you are a guest in - a novel concept which sadly will get me called a racist for being a tub thumping nationalist

Now that is something a foreign national might find offensive, who has been here for almost a decade, has permanent residence, got married, and has paid much more in taxes to HMRC than the average British tax payer. It implies that the welcome is time limited.
I've got a thick skin though, so no worries.

[Bee]

This is difficult to apply because in a conversation, if there is no other nations involved we feel stupid if we don't speak our language. It's not related with lack of respect and I believe that it's difficult for a native English speaker to understand because English it's the international language.

I worked in an American company (with many nations) for more than 10 years in Portugal and one day our project manager came up with a dumb idea that everybody had to speak English in the office, result, we start laughing with each other and nobody gave a tulip, in addition, we feel that was a lack of respect regarding us, was a scandal and the guy hid in the following days.

[original PM]

Now that is something a foreign national might find offensive, who has been here for almost a decade, has permanent residence, got married, and has paid much more in taxes to HMRC than the average British tax payer. It implies that the welcome is time limited.
I've got a thick skin though, so no worries.

Interesting point - I was not having a go I was actually agreeing with you.

I am off to Germany next weekend - although my German is pretty rubbish I will make sure I can say the basics in the native tongue thats for sure - it's embarrassing if you ever go to a country and cannot say some basic phrases..

Anyway know any good bars in Cologne?

[Bee]

This is difficult to apply because in a conversation, if there is no other nations involved we feel stupid if we don't speak our language. It's not related with lack of respect and I believe that it's difficult for a native English speaker to understand because English it's the international language.

I worked in an American company (with many nations) for more than 10 years in Portugal and one day our project manager came up with a dumb idea that everybody had to speak English in the office, result, we start laughing with each other and nobody gave a tulip, in addition, we feel that was a lack of respect regarding us, was a scandal and the guy hid in the following days.

[DodgyAgent]

I wouldn't, I do exactly the same thing here. I speak their language to them, I follow their customs (mixed naked bathing and beer drinking) and respect their culture (tulip pop music and crap television). It should be natural to do this...

And you also spend much of sad sorry existing pouring scorn on the UK