I have been going to the same nail salon for awhile now. They always speak to each other in Vietnamese. This doesn't bother me. I have never really given it much thought.
Today, there was a new guy who did my manicure. He kept translating the conversations happening around us and apologizing. He said he thinks it is very rude to speak in Vietnamese when the clients do not speak the language.i told him it was fine and he did not need to continue translating their conversations. Anytime he was addressed, he answered in English.
He told me he has a job interview in two weeks at a salon where they only speak English. He also said it was much more "upscale", which kind of made me feel like a loser lol.
Post by verycontrary247 on Apr 2, 2013 22:23:56 GMT -5
Whenever I go somewhere to get pedicures they are always talking in another language. I don't mind because I'd rather not hear them chatting about how gross my feet are.
Do the nail technicians in other salons speak to each other in other languages than English in front of clients? This guy seems to think it is rude and should not be happening. In my experience, this is normal. However, I have limited experience.
To address the issue of conversations in other languages:
No, I don't think it's rude. These people are not speaking with customers. They are speaking with each other. Why should it matter whether people with whom they are not conversing understand?
I once read an article where a white person (that was fluent in Vietnamese) went to a salon where the technicians spoke in Vietnamese to each other, and then the person translated it. Well, and jumped into their conversation when they were talking about the person in their language.
I once read an article where a white person (that was fluent in Vietnamese) went to a salon where the technicians spoke in Vietnamese to each other, and then the person translated it. Well, and jumped into their conversation when they were talking about the person in their language.
Basically, it's rude to speak to another person in a foreign language in front of someone that doesn't understand. For example, if you're out with your friend/husband/whatever with a few people that speak French or Russian or something, and at some point they turn to each other and start speaking in their native tongue, it's rude. Etiquette would dictate that you always keep a conversation going that anyone could join in with.
Basically, though, it depends on how you like how your nails turn out. Sometimes you have to put up with what wouldn't be considered good etiquette.
Not the same thing at all.
This is not family. These are not friends.
They are providing a service. You are receiving the service.
I once read an article where a white person (that was fluent in Vietnamese) went to a salon where the technicians spoke in Vietnamese to each other, and then the person translated it. Well, and jumped into their conversation when they were talking about the person in their language.
Basically, it's rude to speak to another person in a foreign language in front of someone that doesn't understand. For example, if you're out with your friend/husband/whatever with a few people that speak French or Russian or something, and at some point they turn to each other and start speaking in their native tongue, it's rude. Etiquette would dictate that you always keep a conversation going that anyone could join in with.
Basically, though, it depends on how you like how your nails turn out. Sometimes you have to put up with what wouldn't be considered good etiquette.
Not the same thing at all.
This is not family. These are not friends.
They are providing a service. You are receiving the service.
Would you be included in their conversation if they were speaking English? If the answer is no, then they are not being rude.
I don't care what language they're speaking unless they're talking to me. The chicks at my hair salon all speak English and 99% of the time I'd rather not listen to the stupid crap they talk about.
I actually kind of like going to a salon where the person doing my pedicure speaks limited English and is chatting away with his/her co-workers, I go to get a pedicure to relax, read my trash magazines, and keep to myself, I hate it when a nail technician tries to get real chatty with me. The nail salon is just not a place where I go to engage in socializing, same with getting a massage, I'm there to relax and decompress.
Eh, the place I go to is like this. My pedi is relaxing and my toes leave looking good, so I'm happy.
Part of my reasoning for going to a salon, as opposed to just doing this at home, is that I get to tune the world out. It's easy for me to do that when people are speaking a language I don't understand.
Post by adhdfashion on Apr 2, 2013 23:07:12 GMT -5
No one speaks english in the salon except the boss man. He always does my pedicures. I could care less what they are talking about. I just want to be pampered.
I actually kind of like going to a salon where the person doing my pedicure speaks limited English and is chatting away with his/her co-workers, I go to get a pedicure to relax, read my trash magazines, and keep to myself, I hate it when a nail technician tries to get real chatty with me. The nail salon is just not a place where I go to engage in socializing, same with getting a massage, I'm there to relax and decompress.
This is how I feel too. I feel like I am a good customer - I'm nice, polite, and tip well - so I don't they talk smack about me. Every once in a while there is a really rude customer. You don't need to understand the language to figure out what they're talking about then.
Anyway, as they are supplying a service, they should do everything to make their patrons comfortable. And that may include not speaking in a way that the customers might become self-conscious that they are being spoken about.
I'm just saying, etiquette would dictate that you don't do that, regardless of situation (friends, providing a service, etc). It's equal to whispering to someone in front of others. It's rude, plain and simple.
I vehemently disagree.
This is not "etiquette." This is an American monolingual hang-up.
I don't care what language they speak, and I don't think it's rude to speak another language in front of customers.
I don't get manicures, but at my pedi place, only a few speak decent English. They talk to each other in another language while they do my pedi. I don't mind. I don't like when they talk to me honestly; I would prefer to just sit and read my book.
No, it's rude if they speak a language that their customers don't understand, and/or makes them feel uncomfortable.
Like I said, I couldn't, frankly, care less. All my salons, they speak a different language, it's never bothered me. I'm just speaking etiquette-wise. That's all.
It's etiquette that those around you are able to join the conversation, or understand what you're saying. You don't have conversation that others can't join.
This is ludicrous.
When baristas are chatting away at Starbucks, there is no expectation of customers to join in those conversations.
This is not "etiquette," and there is no obligation whatsoever that manicurists speak English.