I work in an open office plan. My “office” is three sides built on 120 degree angles. Since we have moved into the new building there have been people who leave their office for a phone call only to walk over by my office or sit in the empty one beside me and make their phone call. It has been distracting for others besides me so our question is, “Why if you don’t want others around you to hear your call do you think it’s ok for us to hear your call?”
My other observation that made my head turn. Yesterday I walked in the restroom where two women were speaking in a different language—Russian I think. They continued talking as before; however, when a co-worker came in they seemed to continue their conversation but in English. As I left the two were standing outside without the co-worker and were speaking in the other language again.
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I have noticed things like this with my parents being truly bilingual. If you ask them about a previous conversation they had with each other, they can't remember if they had it in English or Cebuano. They have even turned to Jason and accidentally asked him something in Cebuano, which we laugh about.
One thing my dad does strictly in Cebuano is to pray. He was used to that from growing up, but did not do it out loud when he got here to the United States in English, so if he leads grace for us, he does it in Cebuano.
And growing up, when he would discipline us (not often, as I was pretty obedient) he would do that by choice in English. He said it made him wait a half second longer to choose his words, so that he could stop and think just a little bit longer about what he wanted to say.
Must be why I love language so much and think it's so interesting.
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