The English Language and Scientific Process
I recently attended a "respectful workplace" course for my employment here. Aside from the fact that it was wholly unhelpful, providing no solutions directly but attempted to solve scenarios using the Socratic Method, it brought up an interesting scenario which I, unfortunately, had actually experienced.
The use of foreign language in the workplace in the United States. Let me preface this by stating that I admire bilingual+ people, the ability to understand two or more languages is a fantastic one. I also have zero tolerance for racism or ethnic discrimination, the more variety the better because it provides for more variety on how to interpret and solve problems.
When I was in the military, I was deployed to a foreign country. I was sent from my parent unit to assist soldiers from another US unit, in this case, a reserve unit from a US territory. These soldiers were all US citizens but they all primarily spoke this territories common language. I was the only English only speaker on the team and the rest of the team spoke 95% in the other language, they said because it was quicker but that effectively shut me out of what they were doing and I was assigned to do the paperwork because they didn't want to bother dealing with English. THIS IS A US MILITARY UNIT in an area of WAR. This was inexcusable. In a wartime or laboratory setting, it is imparative that all members be able to work together efficiently and communicate effectively. Calling out orders in another language in a conflict situation could have put me at serious risk because that pause in remembering that I was there or that they had to take the time to grab me and do the motion game to communicate ideas could have gotten me killed.
In a civilian setting, this is less important. But I still think that some guidelines should be adopted by laboratories regarding the use of foreign language for two simple reasons; safety and problem solving.
If two people are discussing a potential life or injury related procedure and those around them cannot understand what they are saying to either dissuade them from performing it or be aware that they might be at risk so as to take care while the procedure is being performed, then that is a major safety hazard.
If two people are discussing a problem that they are having or one is teaching the other how to solve a particular problem in a foreign language, then they are effectively shutting out those who do not speak that language. The other people in the laboratory may have already had a simple solution to the problem and they wouldn't know to volunteer that info if they didn't know it was being discussed. Or, if the foreign speaker had solved the problem the other members of the laboratory wouldn't know to ask about the solution.
Speaking different languages is fine on the bus home, in the cafeteria, on breaks, in non-working social situations but in the military and in laboratories or areas were there is significant health risks for accidents, then one language should be spoken, English. I am not arbitrarily choosing English but English is the language of the United States, it is also the most commonly spoken second language for those that move to the United States, and it is a language most commonly used for scientific discussions.
The use of foreign language in the workplace in the United States. Let me preface this by stating that I admire bilingual+ people, the ability to understand two or more languages is a fantastic one. I also have zero tolerance for racism or ethnic discrimination, the more variety the better because it provides for more variety on how to interpret and solve problems.
When I was in the military, I was deployed to a foreign country. I was sent from my parent unit to assist soldiers from another US unit, in this case, a reserve unit from a US territory. These soldiers were all US citizens but they all primarily spoke this territories common language. I was the only English only speaker on the team and the rest of the team spoke 95% in the other language, they said because it was quicker but that effectively shut me out of what they were doing and I was assigned to do the paperwork because they didn't want to bother dealing with English. THIS IS A US MILITARY UNIT in an area of WAR. This was inexcusable. In a wartime or laboratory setting, it is imparative that all members be able to work together efficiently and communicate effectively. Calling out orders in another language in a conflict situation could have put me at serious risk because that pause in remembering that I was there or that they had to take the time to grab me and do the motion game to communicate ideas could have gotten me killed.
In a civilian setting, this is less important. But I still think that some guidelines should be adopted by laboratories regarding the use of foreign language for two simple reasons; safety and problem solving.
If two people are discussing a potential life or injury related procedure and those around them cannot understand what they are saying to either dissuade them from performing it or be aware that they might be at risk so as to take care while the procedure is being performed, then that is a major safety hazard.
If two people are discussing a problem that they are having or one is teaching the other how to solve a particular problem in a foreign language, then they are effectively shutting out those who do not speak that language. The other people in the laboratory may have already had a simple solution to the problem and they wouldn't know to volunteer that info if they didn't know it was being discussed. Or, if the foreign speaker had solved the problem the other members of the laboratory wouldn't know to ask about the solution.
Speaking different languages is fine on the bus home, in the cafeteria, on breaks, in non-working social situations but in the military and in laboratories or areas were there is significant health risks for accidents, then one language should be spoken, English. I am not arbitrarily choosing English but English is the language of the United States, it is also the most commonly spoken second language for those that move to the United States, and it is a language most commonly used for scientific discussions.