Tell me about your nail salon

[Deleted]

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. 

So what is your experience with this? 

[Deleted]

What are you asking exactly?

[verycontrary247]

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.

[Deleted]

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.

Eta. @misoangry

[Deleted]

I don't care what the fuck is going on around me as long as the place is clean, and my nails look good.

[Deleted]

Apr 2, 2013 22:26:25 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

I don't care what the fuck is going on around me as long as the place is clean, and my nails look good.

Confession: It is not as clean as the last place I went to, but my nails look so much better. I realize this makes me very vain. 

[Deleted]

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?

[Deleted]

FWIW, here is where I got my nails done for a few years.

And I don't understand Vietnamese either.

I'm sad I can't walk to this place anymore.

[zoidberg]

Well, I have this pair of nail clippers in my drawer in the bathroom. I do not know what language they speak.

[Deleted]

Apr 2, 2013 22:42:11 GMT -5 zoidberg said:

Well, I have this pair of nail clippers in my drawer in the bathroom. I do not know what language they speak.

If you don't know their language, they are clearly rude.

[zoidberg]

I do not deign to speak to them.

[zoidberg]

Apr 2, 2013 22:44:25 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

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.

Are you sure this wasn't Seinfeld?

[Deleted]

Apr 2, 2013 22:44:25 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

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.

[zoidberg]

Apr 2, 2013 22:47:36 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

Apr 2, 2013 22:44:25 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

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.

[Deleted]

People don't need to speak your language to make you feel more comfortable.

If you don't understand, tough shit.

[Deleted]

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.

[blackcat]

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.

[ralphlauren]

I don't care what language they speak. I like to read a magazine or play on my phone while I am there.

How clean the place is the most important thing to me. A$16 manicure means nothing if I have a fungus to cure. KWIM?

[lime]

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.

[ralphlauren]

www.youtube.com/watch?v=SsWrY77o77o&feature=youtube_gdata_player

[adhdfashion]

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.

[open24hours]

Apr 2, 2013 22:55:24 GMT -5 blackcat said:

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.

[Deleted]

Apr 2, 2013 22:57:14 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

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.

[zoidberg]

Is it rude if they don't speak English?

[azurely]

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.

[Deleted]

And what if they don't speak English well enough to hold full conversations in English?

Are you saying they should remain silent?

[Deleted]

Apr 2, 2013 23:29:51 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

Apr 2, 2013 23:22:03 GMT -5 zoidberg said:

Is it rude if they don't speak English?

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.  

You didn't answer the question.

Try again.

[Deleted]

Apr 2, 2013 23:28:05 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

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.

[Deleted]

Apr 2, 2013 23:32:29 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

Apr 2, 2013 23:30:33 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

You didn't answer the question.

Try again.

Uh.. No?

It's rude if you're Russian, in a salon in Russia, and the nail technicians speak Dutch to each other.

Is that better?

ETA How is my answer not answering the question?

I'll let zoidberg field this one.

[Deleted]

Apr 2, 2013 23:34:53 GMT -5 nicbreeful said:

Apr 2, 2013 23:32:45 GMT -5 @misoangry said:

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.

Wait, are you trying to say that when my manicurist is holding a 15 minute conversation with the manicurist next to her, it's all about manicures?

What?

I am saying if manicurists are having conversations with each other, why does it matter whether you can understand?  They are not speaking to you.