To think you should never assume someone does not understand you?

[dilemma456]

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That told them! How rude of them

good for him! how very rude of them

Marvellous. People really shouldn't talk about other people in a language that they think the other person won't understand. My dd was fluent in Thai when we moved to Switzerland, she overheard the women who own the Thai restaurant in our town talking about somebody else in a very unkind way. She let them know that isn't a nice thing to do. They were very and that a six year old could do that.

Ha, this happened to my uncle about 30 yrs ago. He was in a Chinese restaurant and the waiters were being less than complimentary about him. Unfortunately for them he had a degree in Mandarin and a very hot temper. I wouldn't have thought they would make the same mistake again.

Bet they shit their pants just a bit, good for him

My neighbour sat opposite three students on a train who discussed ehr appearance in minute detail in Russian for the entire journey.

She didn't tell them she had understood because she didn't want to hurt their feelings...

God on him, oh theres been many a time ive wished i understood the random language being used in many a place.

Hope he isnt to bothered by the old bats!

what did he do to them crackfox?

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He completely went berserk and flipped the table over. Apparently he wasn't a very nice person at the best of times. My Dad calls him a cunt (excuse the language) and coupled with the fact he was 6ft6 it was terrifying. I do feel a bit sorry for the waiters, it is unusual even now for non-chinese to speak Mandarin but then it was completely unheard of.

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I've had this - a group of us were on a school art trip to Venice, sat in San Marco all painting different views.

A group of British tourists were wandering around behind us saying things like 'that one's really good', 'oh, that one's awful, she can't paint' etc etc.

I just said 'we're English you know, don't be so bloody rude' - cue red faces and muttered apologies

YANBU, obviously - This happened to me/my mum when I was little - we'd moved to Wales when I was tiny and some of the locals weren't too friendly to the english. I went to a bilingual school and one day when we'd lived there a few years, and one day mum went for a haircut and the two hairdressers were basically slagging her off in welsh while poor mum sat there quietly. Mum noticed me getting upset, and when we got outside she asked what was wrong, I told her and she went back in (alone) and gave them a right piece of her mind! Bitches.

This happened to my friend in theatre once, two asian doctors were being rude about my friend and the student she was training. The student understood every word but didn't tell my friend until after they had finished, she was too scared too, unfortunately my friend didn't get the chance to vent her anger (which she would have done!) as they had already left. Its bad enough in public but they were supposed to be professionals

Years ago my Aunt was trying to keep her dc's entertained in a cafe, and started a people spotting game.
They decided that a certain lady waiting outside for a bus was a bank robber, and she was waiting for the next bus to take her to Barclays so she could take some money to buy a new coat.
The lady walked in, smiled sweetly at them all, and told she was actually a lip-reading teacher, and she was very happy with the coat she had on

Someone I used to know vaguely went to work as a missionary (yes they still have them!) in I think the Phillipines. He was on a bus one day and a couple of lads started discussing his appearance in an unflattering manner, paying particular attention to him having a [to them] a large nose.

His Tagalog was coming on a treat, so he was able to listen in, then as he was getting off, say to them with a big smile: "Well I don't think there's anything wrong with my nose!" at which they fell about laughing.

I had the same on a Tube, 2 portuguese lads were discussing the entire carriage, and I was sitting opposite them, reading my paper, just waiting for my turn to come, which of course it did.

I waited until they'd finished, just as the train pulled into my station before reminding them that many people are more than what they seem to be...

Their faces were priceless...

I've messed with brits tho too, trying to guess the language. we weren't saying anything bad, just chatting about everyday stuff... My friends and I spoke portuguese with other accents, just to mess with them, and I only revealed that I was as british as they were upon leaving the train... that was a laugh too...

Also you shouldn't assume that no-one will know who you are talking about.
My friend and I were on the park and ride bus the other day chatting about a local doctor who does a lot of work for charity when the man next to me said " oh I know who you are talking about - he is a great friend of mine!"
Lucky we were being so complimentary!

When I was about 14 and on a tube train, two middle ages Portuguese women had a conversation about how I looked like a whore. Was wearing a mid-thigh length summer dress. Nice!

Unfortunately my MIL does this all the bloody time, chattering in Hindi about people. She usually isn't mean (which is why I don't pull her up on it) but does comment on their clothes etc which could potentially be hurtful.

Once she was talking to her son (my dh) in the tube about the girl sitting opposite them, wondering whether she was pregnant or just fat. She finally decided the girl was just fat as she was lacking in the bust area. Two stations later, the girl got up and told MIL in chaste Hindi, "actually, maam, I am pregnant, but I'll take your confusion as a compliment" and walked out of the train. MIL had a red face for weeks!

I was having dinner in Paris once and the German woman next to me kept a running commenary on what we ordered, what we got, how it looked like and so on.
After we finished we had to squeeze past their table and I asked in German if to please move her chair a bit.
I still remember her face.
The cow.

Similar thing happened to my mum, where two Swedish ladies were character assassinting the room full of people. After a while she just quietly said to them in perfect Swedish 'you should be more careful, the walls have ears'.