Co-Workers Keep Talking To Each Other In Their Own Language

[Treacle71]

Should we tell the manager? We have no idea what's being said.  This only started about three months ago when someone new started in the office. Is it inappropriate for them to be like this?

[Old_Geezer]

It's not illegal. Impolite maybe. Or perhaps they just find it convenient. Sad you are left out but I can't see that you have a legitimate official complaint.

[calmck]

What sort of office do you work in. 
where are the employees from. 
Does the new employee speak any English

[THECORBYLOON]

Why should they not speak to each other in their own language?

 

Why can you not just get on with your own job?

[Buenchico]

As long as they're getting their work done, what's the problem?

When I've supervised teams of twenty or more people working on travel surveys in London, the vast majority of them have been young British Asians, mainly of Pakistani or Bengali descent.  I never had any problems with them conversing in Urdu or Bengali among themselves.

[Hazlinny]

Do you feel they are talking about you.  They probably aren't!

Maybe new person does not speak English?

[Hopkirk]

Welcome to our world 

[THECORBYLOON]

TREACLE, would you object if folk were having conversations with each other so quietly you could not hear what they were saying?

[tomus42]

It happens where I work. No one cares.

Those of us that don't understand what they're saying don't assume they're insulting us or plotting to murder us. We think they're clever enough to do that outside the workplace.

[DarceyK123]

There probably isnt much the management can for fear of being called racist but i do think its pretty rude.

[THECORBYLOON]

How is it rude? Is it not rude to want to listen in on private conversations?

[tomus42]

I don't think it's rude. I'm sure there are English speaking workers overseas that will break out into an English conversation every now and then, despite working in a 'foreign' speaking country.

It's just people chatting at work.

[Buenchico]

^^^ Minor typo in my first post above.  The first 'Bengali' should, of course, have read 'Bangladeshi'.  (I do know the difference, honestly!)

However my point remains the same.  If I'm surrounded by people who's first language is Mandarin, I expect to hear Mandarin being spoken around me.  If I'm surrounded by people who's first language is Polish, I expect to hear Polish being spoken . . . and so on.  Indeed, if it was to be a regular occurence, I'd try to learn at least a few words of greeting to use in the relevant languages.  

[Moorea7]

You say "we" so you are obviously discussing them in English with your colleagues -  I wonder if they understand?

 

[douglas9401]

Casts eyes to the sky, not for the first time.

[THECORBYLOON]

CHRIS, Bengali is correct as is Bangla when referring to the language.

[THECORBYLOON]

Apologies CHRIS, I missed the reference to "first".

[Canary42]

Ingawa labda ni ukosefu wa adabu, ninaweza kuielewa - baada ya nini wasitumie lugha yao ya asili kwa wenyeji sawa. Iwapo tu una ushahidi mgumu kwamba suala la mada ni hatari kwa Kampuni ndipo utakuwa na sababu za kulalamika kwa maoni yangu ya unyenyekevu.   

[bednobs]

do you talk to your other english co-workers in your own language?  Shock horror!

[William51]

 They are free to speak their own language but i can imagine it gets annoying, wondering what they are saying without understanding it.

[Redhelen72]

They are probably just talking about how annoying their husbands are and how much it irks them that they have to cook when they get home!

Honestly only start to worry when they sharpen their knives and look in your direction.