Lise wrote:
I would like to know as a Canadian citizen, what are my rights to speaking another language in my workplace? I'm just curious to know because my co-worker was told not to speak another language to the students because it is offensive to those around her. I'm really annoyed with this because I cherish other languages and think it is wonderful if you can speak another language. It should be encouraged... not the other way around.
I've never heard of "rights" to speaking another language in a workplace. If people in your workplace speaks primarily English and English is the communicated language, spoken and written, then it doesn't make sense to me to speak another language to students. I speak Cantonese and I find it discourteous when someone else is speaking Cantonese around me at work (even though I understand it). I know my colleagues who don't speak Cantonese or Russian don't appreciate that they are talking together in another language.
It's different if the chit-chat is in another language outside of work but when your Employer expects everyone to speak English, then speak it. I feel that it is rude when another colleague is speaking in another language around me or others who don't understand it. It's an English speaking working environment. Just because I feel uncomfortable doesn't mean that I don't embrace multi-culturalism. I'm just saying that if English is the primary language that is communicated to Staff, then that should be the spoken language by all.
If her Employer told her to stop speaking in another language, then she should. I don't find it professional and I'm sure others around her who don't speak her language feel uneasy.
On the other hand, I understand that this may offend some people and I know it is irritating to some people who cannot understand what is being said. However, Canada is a land of cultural diversity and we should learn to accept each other's cultural diversity.
Yes, but this is at work, not in the public. It doesn't bother me when people are speaking other languages in the skytrain or malls, for example, but in an English speaking/written work environment, that's different.
Your Supervisor has to act on the general feeling of other colleagues who felt uncomfortable when she spoke another language. It's not because they're feeling insecure that perhaps she was talking about them in another language, but if it were me, I find it flat out rude and inconsiderate.
On another note, I would never let my mom speak Cantonese to me when MrPL is around. He doesn't understand the language. It's rude!! If she accidentally slipped some phrase, I immediately translate it to him, even when she wasn't talking about him. It's just not nice to make him feel left out or uneasy.
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