Foreign Languages in the Work Place

[SuperZ]

Don`t go at him with both guns, that`s the worse thing you could do. If it bothers you, have a quiet word with him/them but word your talk carefully.

I've worked in a team of Indians and they did the same sometimes but it never bothered me at all. I respected them and they did me so I assumed they would communicate in English when talking work related stuff that I might have input on and they used their natural tongue when having personal conversations with each other.

Maybe there is an issue other than just the language spoken?

[Not So Wise]

I am going to give it to this guy with both barrels fairly soon, but what are the odds that he plays the racist card?

Just tell them "if you want to have a private conversation, then go somewhere private, otherwise speak in English"

[Churchill]

Just tell them "if you want to have a private conversation, then go somewhere private, otherwise speak in English"

Hark at the Welsh boy!

Oh the irony!

[Dong]

It does seem a bit mean and rude to cut everyone out of the conversation. In my previous work place it was policy to speak in English (we had numerous nationalities.) We found that in a team environment, if some members spoke in their native tongue, not only did it go against the whole team building thing by segregating the group, but it also meant that some people were aware of things going on that others didn't.

Cheers

[Not So Wise]

Hark at the Welsh boy!

Oh the irony!

Huh?

Edit: Oh the Dragon? Not welsh, just like dragons

[Churchill]

Huh?

So, you lot don't change language to Welsh when someone you suspect to be English walks into the corner shop?

[cojak]

Was always brought up to believe that in mixed company always speak the common language (if there is one), anything else is just pure bad manners and downright rude

This is definitely considered rude on the continent.

Even today I was asked for permission from one delegate to explain in German the technical detail of the course I was running to the colleague next to him.

As soon as the explanation was given they returned to speaking English.

[threaded]

Make a great show of learning about 3 words of Hindi
("shukriya", thank you, is handy, as is "bahut khub", nice job!). That should shame them into using English more.

If not, Hindi has some of the most imaginative swear-words and phrases in any language, e.g.:

Teri maa ki chut mein chatri leke ghus jaunga aur khol dunga.

Mein teri maa ko teri bahen ki choot mein chodoonga aur tera baap laltern lekar aayega.

In your mothers what? Oh dear.

अपनी माँ को एक हम्सटर था और अपने पिता झाड़ी का जंगल की बदबू आती थी.

[Slumdog]

and here we are complaining that no-one speaks English in the rest of Europe/Asia/World when we are on holiday/working overseas.

Move on with your petty moaning and deal with it.

[OwlHoot]

Just tell them "if you want to have a private conversation, then go somewhere private, otherwise speak in English"

Maybe first have a word with an HR drone, if it's that kind of company (e.g. large enough), and ask what the company policy is regarding work-related discussions like this. If there isn't one, you can bet there pretty soon will be.