Is this racist ?

Shopping in Asda this eve and paying at checkouts, lady serving me was having a full blown chat with her fellow worker on the next till in their native language that wasn’t English.

I’m not sure what to make of it… I couldn’t care they that they were having a good natter though I’m sure it’s frowned upon by management as it’s bad customer relations, but having it in native language just didn’t feel right.

I’m far from racist so please don’t go down that road.

Discuss

Were they eating rice cakes?

They were probably talking about open water swimming or some such.

You weren’t in Wales by any chance, were you?
It’s got bugger all to do with you what language they were talking in.
Their conversation, full stop, has bugger all to do with you ( but might be considered poor practice when there are customers to deal with).
Raising it as a topic is something I do consider racist.
You need to get out and travel more to educate yourself.
Chao!

No popadoms

Try living in Wales.

No in a word.

Trying to work out how that could possibly be racist…..

so which country were you visiting? Clearly the staff were talking about open water swimming.. not for the faint hearted!

It could be considered they were being a bit rude, but that said, if they weren’t serving anyone and having a private conversation.. not really a big deal.

As I reside in London I was in London

, lady serving me

Transphobic!

Newcastle?

Was it eggy-peggy?

They were probably just talking about you.

I think I heard the word handsome fellow mentioned so I guess they were talking about me

All is okay then

I am confused op are you asking if they may be racist (no) or are you asking if you being bothered about it is racist?(maybe)

Where is this place ‘London’?

unfitgeezer – Member
I’m far from racist so please don’t go down that road.
Discuss

You are not racist.

Just different cultural understanding.

The world has changed and is now coming even closer to you that’s all.

British culture or the western culture dictates that it is good manner to speak in the same language everyone understand.

I have No Such concept until I came to BritLand. People keep telling me it was rude for me to speak to me mates in our language but I Did Not get it in those days. Honestly, I did not have such concept as having to speak to everyone in the same language.

Where I come from we speak so many different dialects and languages nobody give any concern to how one speaks. For example, sometimes when we are out drinking with mates we may speak in various languages that not all can understand. If fact we feel odd to speak a 3rd language so that everyone can understand. Normally we just translate for the other person if s/he wants to know what we are on about.

dmck16 – Member

My hero Peter Griffin … 😆

Are you asking if they were being racist?

Because they were talking?

Reverse the situation. You’re English, you live and work in Spain and your English colleague asks you something in English, does it matter if you respond in English or Spanish?

No, it does not.

I’d say it was pretty unprofessional to be chatting (regardless of the language used) whilst serving a customer, but then how professional do you expect a checkout attendant to be?

Me being bothered

As I said I couldn’t give two hoots that they were having a chat, just that it was in different language

Anyway I was over it by the time I’d paid I was just asking if it would bother anyone else ?

Where is this place ‘London’?

I think it’s near the Nationwide in Swindon?

I’m far from racist

But

I am confused op are you asking if they may be racist (no) or are you asking if you being bothered about it is racist?(maybe)

The inevitable poppadom joke helps tilt the balance though.

Anyway I was over it by the time I’d paid I was just asking if it would bother anyone else ?

I love hearing different languages, even Scouse, on our streets and seeing people from throughout the world visiting and living on these shore. It’s one of the few things that makes this country good.

“having it in native language”

English, Welsh, Gaelic? Or were you outside the UK?

‘Discuss’

Plonker

Does it matter if they were just grunting at each other? Their private conversation, what does it matter what language it was in?

As I said I couldn’t give two hoots that they were having a chat, just that it was in different language

I’m trying but I really dont get this. I would think it a bit rude if someone serving me in a shop was chatting to someone else but cannot see how doing it in another language makes it worse or how it can be racist.

Would it be any different if the checkout staff were just talking to one another in english whilst serving?
Or are you highlighting people from other countries working in an Asda in London that can equally be unprofessional as english speaking checkout staff?

Not really.Bit moronic?Pretty much.

personally i think its a bit rude to use a language in this country that is not native when you are fluent in the native language.

Relatives who live in germany have the rule of english in the home german in public at all times

I was once at kids art thing in the local library when a lady was speaking in an other language. She then asked me in the broadest local accent to pass her a pencil for her son. Seems daft to use another language to her son in that case.

It does not really bother me but one should speak the language if one is able to do so

I only ever use welsh or my flimsy arabic so that others cannot understand me,this may skew my opinion of it.

Is this racist?
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I’m far from racist so please don’t go down that road.

You’ve asked a question, then denied us the opportunity to answer it!

It does not really bother me but one should speak the language if one is able to do so

Sounds like it does bother you!!! Cant see why I should expect someone to speak any language if they are not speaking to me.

Where is this place ‘London’?

that place wher mrs windsor has told the serfs theyre going to have to pay 365 milion to repair the house she doesnt even own.

Would it bother you if they were two white people speaking french, or German? Or two geeks speaking Klingon? Or were you annoyed because they were Asian?

I think I’d be a little miffed that they were busy chatting to each other instead of doing the polite thing and acknowledging me the paying customer. That’s just rude.

And yeah I can see how the fact that it was in another language would make it feel even more so.

It does not really bother me but one should speak the language if one is able to do so

Except.

personally i think its a bit rude to use a language in this country that is not native when you are fluent in the native language.

Evidently it does.

Yeah I think it’s endearing to make an effort, people respect you for it, I spend a fair bit of time in Spain, and always speak spanish (very badly) unless I’m truly stuck, people appreciate it and even give you pointers when you get it terribly wrong.

That said in a social situation, with other english speakers we speak english to each other, and bad spanish to the spainish. Leads to some hilarious conversations, especially with some Lithuanian friends doing the same thing.. both english and Lithuanians trying to have a coherent conversation in spanish as a second language.

But it’s true most communication is non verbal, so you can usually get the jist.

I bet they were talking about the op too. 😆

fin25 – Member
Would it bother you if they were two white people speaking french, or German? Or two geeks speaking Klingon? Or were you annoyed because they were Asian?
POSTED 6 MINUTES AGO # SHARE

Ive not stated what language or where they may have been from for the record as I don’t know so I can’t comment .

If it was 2 white people speaking German or what ever in the supermarket I’d feel the same I guess

It does not really bother

What language do i need to explain this sentence in ? 😉

Clearly i care enough to express an opinion on stw but its like whispering in public
I think its best avoided but it does not really bother me I just think its a wee bit rude

I was rather hoping folk might engage on the point rather than play the man via not really understanding what the addition of really meant