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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

Just because I speak a different language with my kids, it doesnt mean I dont understand what you are saying, so get your judgey pants off!

95 replies

QuintessentialShadow · 16/09/2008 17:38

Had some errands after school, had to buy ds1 crocs sandals for school (it was a letter home instructing us what to buy), and went for a meal in the food corner after. They had sausages and chips. I had a chicken salad. THEN they had an ice cream each. My treat for them. We had a horrible day yesterday, as I spent most of it in tears and hysteria (rare occurence).

So, this couple next to our table, started discussing how I could give my children ice cream at tea time. Bad mother, I should be home with my kids and feed them a healthy nutritious meal.

They obviously thought I was clueless, as I spoke English with my kids.

Till my son piped up in Norwegian "Mum, why are those people talking about us eating ice cream?" To which I had the pleasure of replying in Norwegian "Because some times people are rude, and conern themselves too much with other peoples business when they shouldnt."

Was I rude or unreasonable?

OP posts:
WelliesAndPyjamas · 16/09/2008 17:54

at the blue mohair. I'm thinking she is not a very happy person. Bitter, perhaps...

hecate · 16/09/2008 17:55

frockhorror Get back on that thread and tell me all about it!

solo · 16/09/2008 17:55

I think you are great QS, just great! You are definitely not unreasonable!

MmeLindt · 16/09/2008 17:58

They sound completely bonkers, I am so glad that you said something. Did your DCs laugh about it?

PeaMcLean · 16/09/2008 18:06

Brilliant OP. I wish i'd been there.

cyteen · 16/09/2008 18:11

ha ha, brilliant! Well done QS, I'd imagine that was very satisfying

A (white English) friend of mine speaks fluent Cantonese after living in Hong Kong for several years, and she often has fun eavesdropping on HK tourists on the Tube. She heard one couple giving everyone else on the train a right slating, cussing their outfits/shoes etc. - said it was very hard not to crack up laughing!

misspollysdolly · 16/09/2008 20:12

OP - Well done, you! Fabulous!

Touche away!

Original poster
QuintessentialShadow · 16/09/2008 20:13

Yes, it was most satisfying!

But when they left, my son looked most dubious and said "did I do that?" nah, lovely, they just realized they had embarassed themselves. "ok" - Kids are so easygoing - sometimes! lol!

lol at the cantonese...

OP posts:
PinkyDinkyDooToo · 16/09/2008 21:08

YANBU Quint, people just don't think sometimes. Makes you wonder what people think about you though when they know you do speak the same language as them

PinkyDinkyDooToo · 16/09/2008 21:08

YANBU Quint, people just don't think sometimes. Makes you wonder what people think about you though when they know you do speak the same language as them

Bettyboobird · 16/09/2008 21:43

When I was living in Italy, as a student, I used to take buses everwhere. One day, My friend and I was struggling back from the supermarket laden down with bags, having a general chit chat in English. When I reached my stop, I bent down to pick up my bags and one woman remarked to her friend in Italian, 'what a bum hanging out!' (unfortunately, my jeans had ridden down a little as I bent, and my pants were poking out the top-not pretty, I know!)

I was so embarrassed, but decided that I was going to defend myself. So as I went to disembark, I remarked very clearly in Italian 'the next time you want to speak badly about someone, at least ensure they don't understand'. Her face was a picture!!

kama · 16/09/2008 21:49

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn

FairLadyRantALot · 16/09/2008 22:04

lol @ Op and some of the otehr stories on this thread...

have been in a situation like that.
I visited an english friend who was posted in Germany.
Because she could only speak english, we conversed that way...
went to a bakers to get some cakes....germany has a vast variety of yummy cakes, so, had a hard time chosing ....the people in the shop and the people behind the counter were slagging us right off...saying things along the lines, stupid ignorant brits and well...

we made our selection and when it was our turn I talked in my perfect germans german and ordered what we wanted...and than just said...that obviously they are the ignorant ones

swampster · 16/09/2008 22:08

Quint - the guy/girl on tube... that happened to my BROTHER in London some years ago. He used to live in Norway so spoke Norwegian. But I'd never describe him as a hunk !

Original poster
QuintessentialShadow · 16/09/2008 22:16

He probably wasnt what you would traditionally consider a "hunk" knowing the taste of my friends. Goths.

OP posts:
matildax · 16/09/2008 22:19

excellent response quint!! a true classic, love how they left all their dinner aswell, they must have got the bloody shock of thier stupid lives lol lol.

all the other stories are hilarious too!! how great you must feel, to be in a situation like that!!
superb

Ellbell · 16/09/2008 22:25

Well done Quint.

I've done this in an Italian restaurant. We were in a big group and were the last ones there at the end of the night. The waiters obviously wanted to go home, and when I went to the loo I could hear them shouting from the kitchen in the direction of our table, stuff like 'Haven't you got homes to go to' and 'Hurry up and piss off' in Italian. I wish I could say I came up with a witty rejoinder, but I'd had a touch of the old vino so I yelled back 'Fuck off, we'll go home when we're ready'. Then we deducted the service charge from the bill and told the manager why! Ha!

Ellbell · 16/09/2008 22:26

Well done Quint. They so deserved that!

I've done this in an Italian restaurant. We were in a big group and were the last ones there at the end of the night. The waiters obviously wanted to go home, and when I went to the loo I could hear them shouting from the kitchen in the direction of our table, stuff like 'Haven't you got homes to go to' and 'Hurry up and piss off' in Italian. I wish I could say I came up with a witty rejoinder, but I'd had a touch of the old vino so I yelled back 'Fuck off, we'll go home when we're ready'. Then we deducted the service charge from the bill and told the manager why! Ha!

Mamazon · 16/09/2008 22:30

oh i would have loved to have seen their faces.

teafortwo · 16/09/2008 22:41

Yeah, I know the feeling qs - I was sipping my first nice tea on the Eurostar in the cafe area while my daughter was playing at my feet. There were two female members of staff. One said in English:

"You are really cute" and smiled sweetly...

I smiled back to acknowledge her having said someting nice to my dd. As we Mothers do!

Then the other said in French - I hope thinking I didn't understand:

"It is disguisting letting her play on the floor. She is so dirty!"

BUT

The best story is my MIL being on a train in Switzerland when she was a pretty young girl. She was blonde and spoke in English with an American accent. Two North African men sat opposite her and spent the journey talking and talking in Arabic about what it would be like to sleep with her.

Little did they know that having been brought up in North Africa the Arabic they were speaking was her first language!!!

She was too shy to say anything but over her life time has come up with many things she would like to have said to shut them up a bit!!!!

moondog · 16/09/2008 22:42

QS, why do yuo speak English with your kids when yuo are Norwegian?

moondog · 16/09/2008 22:42

QS, why do yuo speak English with your kids when yuo are Norwegian?

BreeVanderCampLGJ · 16/09/2008 22:51

Because....... she has moved back to Norway to care for her aged parents and wishes to keep them bi-lingual.

BlimeyThatHurts · 16/09/2008 22:53

Excellent - you were very restrained QS.

Alambil · 16/09/2008 23:05

These stories are hilarious!