It's rude because many people use it as "code" when gossiping about others within earshot. Even if that's not what they're doing, it raises that suspicion.
That was always my explanation to them....that it was rude.
Yes, that’s exactly right.
I have a funny story to tell. I once had a friend that was originally from panama. He was wealthy. We used to go to bars once in a while. ONe time his relative from panama was visiting him and the three of us were out. There was a woman in the bar that was a body builder, I mean steroid use big time. My friend and his buddy started making fun of her in spanish. I don’t know spanish so I didn’t know what was going on or what exactly they said. But it must’ve been pretty raunchy because the muscle chick turned around and said “ I know spanish” plus a few other things in spanish that I don’t know what it was, and then beat the hell out of him right there in the bar. I mean she thrashed him really good. The bouncers came over and dragged the three of us out the front door.
I asked the two of them what the heck they were saying. THey wouldn’t tell me. So it must’ve been really bad.