[AlphaFrog]

I'm playing devil's advcate....

Ok, here's my (admittantly biased) 2 cents (or more, because I feel a long expination coming on).....

My very first point is that the United States of America has no offical language....true about 90% of the population speaks English, but it is against the consisitution to declare an offical language.

Ok, that said, I work in a restaraunt and the cooks are all Mexican. Only one knows much English and so we speak in Spanish. (OK, yes, my boss allows this because she hires only Mexicans to work in the kitchen.) I know this is a different situation then most, but it still somewhat applies. She does not tell us not to speak around customers because they only speak Spanish. I also date one of the cooks, and so I speak Spanish in public quite often. I know that it feels weird because for years I always thought that if someone was speaking a different language, then they were talking about me....but then I realized anyone who thinks they are being talked about needs to get over themselves because we have better things to talk about....unless something out of the ordinary is happening, then it would probably be discussed in English, just more discreate.

I agree certain things should not be discussed at work no matter what language they are discussed in. Rather then simply say "English Only" they should have a code of conduct...maybe no speaking other languages while helping a customer, and certain subjects that should be avoided. Other then that, I don't think employers have a right to tell their employees what language to talk in, especially if it isn't affecting their work.

Ok...some of this isn't exactly the most cohearnt thing you've ever heard, but it's like 2:30am....maybe I'll come back later and fix things...probably not, but it's always nice to have the disclaimer.