to tell my colleague she acted like a bitch and should apoligise?

[Climbingthewalls12]

Obviously a little more tactfully. And really WIBU rather than AI.

One of my work mates has a tattoo reading something in Latin along the lines of Love always endures, followed by his daughter's birth date. It obviously means a lot to him and he like to show it off. Another colleague today said really loudly in front of everyone that the word order is technically incorrect and why would he do that as he is anal about other things etc. He was obviously very hurt by her remarks but she just kept on about how she has a degree in latin and can't believe he was so stupid.

IMO it doesn't matter, he loves it and its a bit late now isnt it so I pulled her aside, had been a part of the convo not just butting in, and said I thought she should apologise. For this I got a fair bit of shit from other peopl. But really WIBU?

I think she was horribly rude and tactless for pointing out so loudly, so YANBU.

paxtecum the difference is that regardless of what I think I wouldn't vocalise it to her because I understand that to her her morals aren't silly, even if IMO they are slightly over the top.

Yes, of course she was being bitchy, particularly the fact that she kept going on about it and saying she couldn't believe he was so stupid. Since word order in Latin isn't important, she actually comes out looking the more stupid given that she was also going on about her classics degree. I suggest you discuss that with her and suggest that it would be decent for her to own up publicly that in fact she was the one who got it wrong.

Word order is important in Latin composition especially poetry.

But a single quote on a tattoo - who cares as long as it means something to the bearer? So your colleague WBU.

Word order is important in Latin composition especially poetry.

Isn't that more about the metre, though? That wouldn't necessarily be an issue for a phrase taken out and... er... used on someone's body.

Good on you Climbing for standing up for the guy and being the only one to have a pair of balls and pull her! WTFs it got to do with her anyway, it's not tattooed on her so I'd tell her to STFU!

The colleague should just have kept her gob shut.

But then you must also not interfere either. Keep well away!

Yanbu op... Sometimes people should just try being kind instead of being right... My dad always used to say "nobody likes a clever dick"

I always think in these situations, what's to be gained by saying that?
The tattoos already done, no-one is in doubt as to the latin education of the colleague - it just doesn't need to be said and causes hurt - what kind of person would want that?

Ok, maybe it's funny or whatever in private circles but to the blokes face it's just mean - it serves no purpose other than to make him feel stupid and shit, not good if ask me.

It's nice you said something. Hate these people who hide behind the 'I'm just being honest' mantra in order to be cruel and belittle.

5yr olds are 'honest' as they have little social skills - it's not something to be proud of sometimes. right cause, right fight and all that.

I'm with the OP on this one. There was no need to point it out once it was there and permanent on his skin. He obviously did it to mark the birth of his child and it will have spoiled it for him now.

I'd consider it cruel to take the piss out of someone's new haircut for example, and at least that's not permanent or sentimental!

How come tattoos are sacrosanct? Is it because every tattoo must, by default, be 'special' and meaningful and hence immune from criticism or teasing? I think your male colleague needs to grow up!

Every man and his dog has got a tattoo. They can't all be deeply personal and meaningful. Many people seem to get them to make themselves look more interesting, e.g. blokes with sleeve tattoos apparently celebrating incidents from their grandparents' lives who appear to use them as an "I'm really sensitive, me" pulling tactic!

I'm with the poster who noted that male colleagues or friends would joyfully and openly have taken the rip out of another bloke's wonky tattoo, at which nobody present would have turned a hair. Your so-called bitchy female colleague simply had the misfortune to be a woman, and to be right!

I imagine it was the first time since she graduated that she got to use her utterly pointless degree and the occasion went to her head.

Is she a MNer? I think she would fit right in

What your colleague said was completely tactless; I'm sure she's aware there's nothing to be done now.

YABU to tell her to apologise, but YWNBU to point out that it wasn't a very nice thing to say and perhaps the man might be upset by her comment. If you did the latter and she didn't feel the need to apologise of her own volition, clearly she doesn't give a shit whether or not she hurts anyone. In that situation, there's nothing to be done except make a note that she is, indeed, a bitch, and stay away from her.

There is a difference between a person who says things tactlessly without thinking, and those who say things to feel superior/to be a bitch. The former usually apologises if they hurt someone because they usually don't mean to, while the latter never do. Sounds to me like your colleague is the latter.

This thread has summed up why I really didn't 'get' Latin...

If this man is adult enough to go and get a tattoo of his own volition then come to work and display it, I would be inclined to allow him to fight his own battles if he's really that upset.

It isn't like you are going to forget that you have kids is it?

That made me hoot.

People who get tattooed, insist on showing all and sundry then coyly simpler that it's 'private, personal, precious' are berks.

If its that private, keep it to yourself please.

I feel sorry for him and the colleague should have kept her own council.

I once walked behind a girl in Caden Market who had arabic writing tattooed onto the back of her neck. My friend was gawping then started giggeling. Apparently it said something like 'stinky donkey poo face' (like something a child would use as an insult). I suspect she didn't ask for that wording.