Working with Foreigners

[Jack_www]

Originally posted by Adalbertus
You can't dicatate people what language to use. To make it illegal to use some other language is even more ridiculous. --
On the other hand, it is annoying to have seminars etc. in English (!) only because some people don't want to learn German, French, Danish etc.

In order to work togather and get things done you need to be all speaking the same language so that everyone can understand everyone else. If you had you way the work place would be come a confused mess and no one would be able to get any work done because everyone is speaking a different language.

[Zero]

have u ever worked for min wage? You dont need to kno english at all, but if you dont know spanish, work gets real hard for u.

[Jack_www]

Originally posted by Zero
have u ever worked for min wage? You dont need to kno english at all, but if you dont know spanish, work gets real hard for u.

All the jobs I have had and am applying for now, I do need to know how to speak english. Other wise I think the only place I could get a job at Mcdonals. And yes I have applied for a job there too but they did not even brother to call me. Most likely because I cant speak Spanish all that well, and that is just makes me sick.

[Verres]

Hmmm...I personally find it very embarrasing that we (meaning Britain and the US) expect - or rather insist that - everyone speaks english all the time. I know it might be a bit isolating in a workplace if your colleagues are all gabbling away in a language you dont understand...and yeah, you do tend to assume they are talking about you (God, why are we humans so self-obsessed??) but I hate the way they are forced to struggle to speak English all the time in certain jobs, even though most of their colleagues may also speak a different language.

This happened at my school. There were a lot of Indian and Chinese girls and, although they spoke perfect english, they tended to stick together; and the staff always made sure they never spoke their native tongue at school. They got into big trouble if they were caught speaking to each other in any language other than english.

This was horrible. I dont want foreign workers in my country to feel I am some bigoted idiot who is forcing them to speak my language just because I cant be bothered to learn a few basic phrases in theirs. Obviously, when it comes to taking instructions from the boss etc, they should use whichever language is dominent in the country they are in - but around colleagues, I dont see the harm in letting them speak whatever language they feel most comfortabloe with.

If you have a problem with it, try learning a bit of their language. Communication is a two way thing, y'know.

[- Groucho -]

English is the Imperial language. I'll often be on conference calls where everyone speaks French or Spanish except us New Yorkers but everyone is forced to speak English or not participate. It irks all the non-New Yorkers involved but whadda ya gonna do? Make us speak French? Fuhgeddaboutit!

Seriously, it does feel a little odd, but since I'm on the beneficial end of this bit of cultural hegemony I'm not complaining.

[Q Classic]

does it sound really melodic? if so, then it's likely that it's chinese or vietnamese. if there's more sh- sounds, it's likely to be chinese.

does it sound consonantal? as in, syllabic and tone matters not? then it could be east asian. listen carefully, if it sounds as if most of the syllables end in a vowel sound, then it's prolly japanese. if the syllables have a mix of consonantal and vowel endings, it's likely to be korean.

[Jack_www]

Originally posted by Verres
Hmmm...I personally find it very embarrasing that we (meaning Britain and the US) expect - or rather insist that - everyone speaks english all the time. I know it might be a bit isolating in a workplace if your colleagues are all gabbling away in a language you dont understand...and yeah, you do tend to assume they are talking about you (God, why are we humans so self-obsessed??) but I hate the way they are forced to struggle to speak English all the time in certain jobs, even though most of their colleagues may also speak a different language.

This happened at my school. There were a lot of Indian and Chinese girls and, although they spoke perfect english, they tended to stick together; and the staff always made sure they never spoke their native tongue at school. They got into big trouble if they were caught speaking to each other in any language other than english.

This was horrible. I dont want foreign workers in my country to feel I am some bigoted idiot who is forcing them to speak my language just because I cant be bothered to learn a few basic phrases in theirs. Obviously, when it comes to taking instructions from the boss etc, they should use whichever language is dominent in the country they are in - but around colleagues, I dont see the harm in letting them speak whatever language they feel most comfortabloe with.

If you have a problem with it, try learning a bit of their language. Communication is a two way thing, y'know.

Just think what would happen if you went to Japan. Do you think you could get a job their just speaking english??? I dont think so. If they want to talk amoung their friends at work that speak the same language fine, but they have to speak in a language you understand in order to work with you and the rest of the people who work their. How can you under stand them when you dont even speak a word of the language that they speak? Only way is if they speak english and I believe one is not a bigoted idiot for thinking in such a way.

As for the people at your school, maybe the purpose of that was so that they could learn English and get a better feel for it.

[Q Classic]

and if you're going to work here in america, feel free to use your native tongue, but for god's sake, learn english and don't expect everything to be translated for you.

[Verres]

If i wanted to get a job in Japan, I would learn Japanese.

And I actually said the girls at school spoke perfect english.

[Zero]

yIf you want a job in japan you should learn japanese. And germany, german.

ANd in US, english would help. But unfortunately theres **** load of other minorities that speaking languages other than english. So learning those is defintely helpful to you too, not just english.

[Jack_www]

Originally posted by Verres
If i wanted to get a job in Japan, I would learn Japanese.

And I actually said the girls at school spoke perfect english.

I know, but I am just saying that I think they did that for everyone not just the girls you knew. Here in the US anyone can speak any language you want at school or work. Among friends at work, fine. But when you are talking with other people you have to use English to be understood.

And that is exactly my point with Japan. If someone wants to get a job in an English speaking country, they should learn English.

[Jack_www]

Originally posted by Zero
yIf you want a job in japan you should learn japanese. And germany, german.

ANd in US, english would help. But unfortunately theres **** load of other minorities that speaking languages other than english. So learning those is defintely helpful to you too, not just english.

I am trying to learn Spanish.

[Verres]

Precisely
I only wish that was the case in England...for somewhere that claims to be so multi-cultural, what a shame it is that most of the population cannot even speak French

ANd in US, english would help. But unfortunately theres **** load of other minorities that speaking languages other than english. So learning those is defintely helpful to you too, not just english.

[rah]

In many of the management seminars I've attended, they make a big deal about avoiding exclusionary activities. Don't have incentive programs that exclude certain types of employees. Don't schedule off site activities that some people don't do. Don't always go to lunch with the same group of people. Etc. etc. etc.
If people feel excluded they will never become team players and will usually end up feeling resentful which will hurt their productivity.

They also said that speaking in a language not common to the rest of the workers is the most exclusionary thing you could do and should be avoided at all costs except for circumstances where no other choice is available.

[Proteus_MST]

Originally posted by Adalbertus
You can't dicatate people what language to use. To make it illegal to use some other language is even more ridiculous. --
On the other hand, it is annoying to have seminars etc. in English (!) only because some people don't want to learn German, French, Danish etc.

Jep. The really bad part here in Germany is,
that for example before a court, it is the responsibility of the court, to make clear that a foreign immigrant before the court understands everything which is spoken.
It also involves, that the court has to provide translators, who translate everything which is said in the court.
If the court doesn´t do it, or, if the Immigrant claims, that the Translator didn´t translate everything correctly, so that he (the immigrant) didn´t understand everything or misunderstood something important, it can be counted as procedural failure, which my result in an exoneration (if the Immigrant is the defendant before the court) or in he trial having to be repeated.

AFAIK it is better in the USA, as immigrants are the ones who have to make sure that they know enough english to understand everything important (be it a court or anywhere else) and aren´t able to use the claim, that they haven´t understood everything, as a defense.