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"post_content": "Only non Indian guy on my team. They keep switching to Hindi. One of them jokingly said \"we should be able to speak freely.. you need to learn Hindi.\" Wtf? Is it just me or was that arrogant af",
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Indian here. I always make it a point to respond in English even if the other guy is speaking in hindi if there is someone around who does not speak hindi even if the conversation is not work related. I feel its disrespectful of your indian co-workers to behave like that. That being said, as an Indian who knows so many indians, I do think that the group does not mean to be direspectful and they don't realize how uncomfortable it makes you feel. Just talk it out to them and tell them how you feel.
Indian here. Not sure how many of you all aware this. Even in India, english is the official language, and most of the people at work speak english. Generally even if one or two south Indian (who generally does not speak in hindi natively) teammates are in team, entire team is expected to speak in english (at least as a courtousy). Hindi is an official language in India but not the national language and for most of the office works (including public sector & private sector) ENGLISH is the first and official language is in use in India. I am sure a ENGLISH-ONLY speaker in India can survive very easily in many parts of India better than HINDI-only speaker. So, even if all are Indians in the team and the team is in India, it is still considered as RUDE to ask someone to speak in Hindi. So OP, in nutshell you are with dickheads! I can speak Hindi, English and my native language Telugu (Indian language) but never insist someone to speak in some particular language.
Yes but we are working in the U.S. and on a U.S. client. I'm an immigrant but I don't go about chanting Spanish to everyone.
Them speaking Hindi is not arrogant. Saying you should learn it is.
I do not think work related conversations should happen in hindi
That was rude if them. And know you shouldn't have to learn Hindi. If you were in India then that statement would apply.
D1, are you serious? I think the whole we are in America is why we speak English...
D1 is delirious AF
I'm sure they only said that in jest. Don't take it seriously.
Hire American
It's you. How do you think internationals feel when they're the only one in the group?
Instate a "only English in the team room" norm. Anytime someone slips, they have to pay a $5 penalty to the team drinks fund.
Alternately, respond in Spanish whenever they switch to Hindi.
As clarification, 99% of our conversations are work related.
They should definitely speak English in a work environment. In fact, I think it's rude to speak any other language when you know someone in the conservation doesn't speak that language.
Speaking Hindi is rude itself if you are in the conversation or the conversation is work related.
I'm Indian, and I agree - work related conversations should always happen in English. In fact, if the team frequently hangs out after work, I think those conversations should be in English too, so as to not alienate the non-Indian persons on the team, because we work in an industry where our team camaraderie is very likely to affect our work product. Since they chose to come to the US , they should speak the local language at work and work-related events.
I think it's rude too. Work related conversations should be in English - the problem is you won't be able to tell work related convo apart from non work related convos anyway, so it's only sensible for them to switch to English. I had a colleague who'd always want to have reviews in Hindi - I kept trying to switch to English and he'd lecture me that I'm not proud of my heritage. It's nothing to do with that - if English is the official language of work in N. America, just stick to it. If you are not comfortable in English, then either learn it or work somewhere else :(
Seems like a career limiting move on their part.
I am surprised this happened at Deloitte. If this was Cognizant, I'd believe it.
Indian here. OP is 100% in the right. They are being total dicks if they are speaking in another language (whichever it might be) while you were around. You really should ask them firmly to speak in English. While working in Bangalore, there were folks who would constantly speak in a language foreign to me during work and it was really super fucking annoying. It's not professional at all
Interject with "Abbe chootiye, angrezi main baat kar bhosdi ke." That should help.
D1: The constitution of India designates English as the official language. So let's no go around making this seem like it's okay.