"I read somewhere..."

[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.

[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.

[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...

[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

[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.

[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.

[zeitghost]

Ooooo, once or twice.

https://www.google.co.uk/search?clie...UTF-8&oe=UTF-8

[darmstadt]

Personally I don't see anything wrong in that, especially on the shop floor. In fact using English is a quicker way to help them to integrate into the local society. Hasn't this happened before though?

[vetran]

Speak English won't you?

Sheffield factory introduces ‘English language-only’ rule for European workers - The Star

European workers at a Sheffield factory have been told to speak in English at all times after bosses said employees speaking in their own languages were making other workers feel ‘isolated and intimidated’.

Concerns have been raised the recent introduction of the new policy at Orchid Orthopaedic Solutions on the Parkway Industrial Estate is ‘unfair and discriminatory’ and causing divisions between the firm’s Polish and Slovakian workers and English employees.

But the medical devices manufacturing firm says the suggestion is ‘simply a means to create harmony at work’ and anyone who did speak in a different language would not face any disciplinary action.

oh dear..

[barrydidit]

BBC accused of focusing on 'knickers' of Wimbledon's female tennis stars* | Daily Mail Online

They are wearing shorts......

Sure they didn't mean to type FLC?