I had to go to my bank today (I usually do my banking online, so it’s rare for me to see a bank teller) and the guy serving me was from Pakistan. He reads my name asks me if I am from Pakistan - I answer yes and then he proceeds to chat with me in Urdu.
I answered back very politely in Urdu (he complimented me on how fluent I was ) But, later I thought, isn’t it a little weird speaking to someone in Urdu in a work/professional setting when there are others around who wonder what it is you’re saying (they might wonder what you’re trying to be cryptic about, whether you have a prior acquaintance with another, etc.) and why you’re not speaking in English.
Would you speak to a professional stranger in Urdu/Punjabi or would you stick to English (or the language of business in your jurisdiction)?
I don't see the problem with speaking Urdu with someone.
I see lots of ppl here speaking their languages...Russian, Spanish, etc....
what I DO find rude is when there are people hanging out in a group and if onej person doesnt speak the language or 2 ppl do and they go off into their own conversation..
I don't see the problem with speaking Urdu with someone.
I see lots of ppl here speaking their languages...Russian, Spanish, etc....
what I DO find rude is when there are people hanging out in a group and if onej person doesnt speak the language or 2 ppl do and they go off into their own conversation..
No I wont. It make other ppl uncomfortable.
No one speak their language at our work, so I wont speak mine :)
This is where my concern comes. I love speaking Urdu and if I'm speaking to someone one-on-one I'll speak in Urdu. But it's the idea that do other people think I'm trying to hide something or exclude them when I speak to someone else in Urdu?
What if I'm doing a transaction with a guy and we're speaking in Urdu and his manager wanted to do quality assurance on the level of service he's providing or what if the manager's concerned he's giving me a deal/discount - I'm concerned with the lack of transparency.
I did not pass GO, therefore I cannot collect the $200. And as bank staff, they’ll tell me I should have known better and that it was my responsibility to notify the bank of any errors and not take advantage. I might get $200, but be out of a job altogether
There’s some irony in that statement since I provide occasional advice to the businesses on the necessity of proper client ID procedures arising from our obligation to root out anti-terrorist financing risks.
Would you speak to a professional stranger in Urdu/Punjabi or would you stick to English (or the language of business in your jurisdiction)?
I'm a little uncomfortable doing so to a professional stranger, but that's probably because my urdu sucks. I have no problem talking in my tooti pooti urdu on the phone to people I know when I'm at work cause I don't want my co workers to know what I'm talking about. :D
I'm a little uncomfortable doing so to a professional stranger, but that's probably because my urdu sucks. I have no problem talking in my tooti pooti urdu on the phone to people I know when I'm at work cause I don't want my co workers to know what I'm talking about. :D
I have a girl in my office and when we're talking about our own lives, I'll speak to her in Urdu. When we discuss work, it'll be in English - but it's because our colleagues know us and our dynamic and they know we're not hiding anything work-related.
And absolutely, when I'm talking to my mum or sisters on the phone, just to be more discrete, we speak in Urdu (everybody doesn't need to know our ghar kai masallay).
I guess I felt like a stranger was trying to personalize a formal working/professional interaction and I did not feel comfortable with his actions.
I guess I felt like a stranger was trying to personalize a formal working/professional interaction and I did not feel comfortable with his actions.
If he was asking you personal questions just because he knew you spoke urdu, then yes, that is very unprofessional. It would make me feel uncomfortable as well.
It happens too often for my liking, just because you're of Pakistani descent it doesn't mean you're fluent in Urdu. I understand Urdu and Punjabi fine but I can't speak them....so whenever a Pakistani, after discovering I'm one as well, proceeds to talk to me in the mother tongue I have to politely say I'm not comfortable speaking the language. Now, I don't mind that they've made a genuine mistake because how were they to know that I can't speak Urdu? What gets me is when they then proceed to look at me like I've just grown two heads or something :(
It's not just with Urdu speakers though, I've had people start talking to me in all sorts of languages so I guess it's just a familiarity thing. Perhaps speaking in the mother tongue makes a person feel more comfortable...and in a business setting maybe they want to make the client feel as comfortable as possible? Personally, I would just stick to English in a professional environment.
In a position involving customer relations, i.e. a bank teller or an account specialist, they actually want their employees to be bilingual and be able to converse in their customers native languages. It's all about the customer! Retaining business yo!
But then again, if two desis in a team start speaking their native language; yes then its highly unprofessional.
Vijay: 'arey bhai yeh zenar diode ka faaarwaard biaaas voltage drop kyoon itna nahamwaar hai'
) But, later I thought, isn’t it a little weird speaking to someone in Urdu in a work/professional setting when there are others around who wonder what it is you’re saying (they might wonder what you’re trying to be cryptic about, whether you have a prior acquaintance with another, etc.) and why you’re not speaking in English.
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