The language barrier

[Chilli]

Do you find it a pain? Indian, Pakistani, etc? I've had someone phone me up for a job, and was possibly the rudest person I've ever spoken to! Now, he didn't mean to be rude, I'm sure of that (at least I hope so) but the conversation ended with him TELLING me what to do, and demanding to know when it would be done. He did this with a clearly raised voice, and sounded really angry!!!

"Next..."

[Harris_I]

LOL, brings back some fond memories of Dubai.

I had some work done on my house. I used to be really 'British' with the Indian workers. Polite, softly spoken, cajoling, persuasion, that kind of thing. Realised I was getting shafted.

Gradually I switched into Urdu/Hindi. Then I got more curt. Then I started b0ll0cking them regularly. Eventually it was full on shouting with the earthiest Urdu I knew. Result: every morning the foreman and his crew would be sitting outside the front door 5 minutes to 8am, ultra deferential and ready to put in a proper day's work.

I felt like a b@stard but there was just no other way of getting the job done to the right quality.

Now that I'm back in the UK, I'm the one getting shafted. I've had Polish builders who were brilliant - didn't need to be reminded of anything, cleaned up after themselves, put in a solid day's work, worked weekends and bank holidays. Just wanted to get the job done well and make money. The "local" Brits are a disaster. A 5 week garage extension has turned into a 4 month clusterf***. They lie to my face every day and sit around having tea breaks. You can't do anything about or they kick off in true Brit style.

[IanUAE]

I tell the wife what needs to be done and probably how, then we get the maintenance people in and she tells them in Hindi the problem. They don't like it when she tells them they are talking rubbish.

[Chilli]

I think part of the problem is people's refusal to say "No" in case they are labelled stupid or not upto the job, they simply agree as if they have totally understood. The fact that they go away and do something that wasn't asked of them or completely fk it up, never seems to enter their heads!

Or is this something different...I dunno...What's the time. I have beer to buy/drink this evening.

[Asterix]

IanUAE said:

I tell the wife what needs to be done and probably how, then we get the maintenance people in and she tells them in Hindi the problem. They don't like it when she tells them they are talking rubbish.

Yup - my missus is Indian and I simply say to the blokes, if you don't do what I say when I want it you'll have to deal with the wife. They instantly comply. She may be little and cute looking but she can kick off in a way that makes King Kong's wrath look like a strongly worded email.

Also, looks like we might be building a house in Goa down the line so I'm going to learn Konkani so I can covertly understand what the builders will be going on about and then drop the 'fk me - the white dude speaks Indian!' bomb when they start messing about.

[Asterix]

Chilli said:

I think part of the problem is people's refusal to say "No" in case they are labelled stupid or not upto the job, they simply agree as if they have totally understood. The fact that they go away and do something that wasn't asked of them or completely fk it up, never seems to enter their heads!

Or is this something different...I dunno...What's the time. I have beer to buy/drink this evening.

That's relatively simple to sort out. I just ask them to explain back to me what I've asked for.

I also know quite a few choice words in Hindi/Urdu/Tagalog/Arabic.

[e21jason]

Working on site all the time, tell some they have installed something wrong like drainage that defies the laws of gravity, 15 turn up to say that it is ok. I take one of my Indian colleagues to explain my displeasure. You can spend 22 mill AED on a fit out and the contractor thinks, even argues that this is an acceptable standard to install wiring.

Edited by e21jason on Thursday 12th September 13:07

[IanUAE]

e21jason said:

Working on site all the time, tell some they have installed something wrong like drainage that defies the laws of gravity, 15 turn up to say that it is ok. I take one of my Indian colleagues to explain my displeasure. You can spend 22 mill AED on a fit out and the contractor thinks, even argues that this is an acceptable standard to install wiring.

Edited by e21jason on Thursday 12th September 13:07

I agree, shocking they have used 2 different coloured electrical tape.......

[e21jason]

Wrong a mix of masking tape and insulation tape

[Dusty964]

Drainage laid to a rise, not a fall?
Dodgy wiring?

Are you sure you haven't been to my apartment?