Speaking in Tongues

Over the past few years, I've been noticing a cultural shift in language around this area. I know for a fact that such things aren't so foreign in cultural aspects especially in the NY/NJ, Chicago, Toronto and other multi-ethnic based metropolitan areas, but here it's really changing.

With the gradual influx of Hispanics/Latinos the past few years I have been seeing dual signs posted in many places of business. Where you once had an English-only speaking clientele, you now have even a Spanish speaking one. Also, I often overhear a conversation taking place in Spanish whenever I visit a store nowadays. It's become a common thing.

Likewise with the Indian community growing here day by day, the cultural language impact is changing some of your typical norms. One place I've noticed this is at work. Being in IT, you naturally will come across the 'Desi' diaspora, especially the ones who have migrated here recently. And with the offshore projects my company handles, there's more to the speaking in different tongues than usual.

Case in point, was just the other day where I was in the office, and the guy behind me started speaking in Hindi and Marathi with some colleagues over in India on the phone. They were surely talking about work cause he was using the typical jargon that we use in our IT projects. Then a cube just on the other side I could hear a conversation going on in a South Indian language. I couldn't tell what the heck they were saying, but it had to do with work.

Later I got up to go out for lunch and as I was passing by, I could hear a project team speaking in Hindi and some South Indian language discussing the milestone on a project.

It was totally turning into a culture shock for me. A few years back I didn't have the "luxury" to listen to people speaking in different languages at the workplace, especially Indian, but now its commonplace at my office. Even the English-only speaking crowd doesn't find it odd anymore. It's the part of the business they say.

For me though, it's cool. Sometimes I can imagine I am working from India.