Languages and Switching

One thing I've noticed with immigrants is that they sometimes speak their native language loudly in public places (bus, school, work). To natives, is that offensive? Disconcerting? Rude at the very least?

On the contrary, if there's a group of German friends sitting at a bar and one of them introduces a foreign friend into the group who only speaks English, will the whole group switch to make him feel more comfortable? How disgruntled does that make the group?

Personally I don't mind it at all, I enjoy listening to people chatter on in their native tongue, makes me wonder what they are talking about. Unless they are in the library while I'm trying to study or something, but I'd be pissed if anyone did that.

As for switching languages, I've had that experience a lot in these past few months. Most Japanese people learn basic english in high school, so they can understand english to a certain extent and therefore will automatically switch to english whenever I'm around. At first it really bothered me because I didn't want to make things awkward for anyone and I didn't want to be a burden, so I told them to please speak in Japanese and try not to worry about me. I am the only one who speaks a different language, so it isn't really fair for everyone else to switch; I should be the one to do that. However, they assured me that they wanted to speak english, because it was a great opportunity for them to practice and they hardly ever get that chance. So since then, their english has improved immensely, as well as my Japanese! I have no idea if things would be the same or different if it were, say, an English speaking dude coming into a German group, but I think it is fine to just allow the group to include you to the best of their abilities. Let them make that effort if they want to, because they are trying to show that they are good people and they don't want anyone to feel left out. If all else fails, adding a bit alcohol can easily make language barriers disappear

MagicMarker wrote: One thing I've noticed with immigrants is that they sometimes speak their native language loudly in public places (bus, school, work). To natives, is that offensive? Disconcerting? Rude at the very least?

very rude.

and it's not because the language.

if some guy sits behind you at the movie theatre, and he's all quiet at first.
then his bowling team comes to join him then he's loud as a drunken crow at a pig barbecue.
I mean it's the worst kind of group dynamics too
if he's a lout by himself i might excuse it more. instead, he needs that group reinforcement to be the irritating asshole he wants to be. so yeah. es no bueno.