A. Vinokuras shared an uncomfortable experience at a Norfa store in Lithuania involving a Russian-speaking employee's response to his inquiry in Lithuanian.
A. Vinokuras recently recounted an uncomfortable encounter at a Norfa store in Pilaitė, which he shared on Facebook and elaborated on with the news portal Lrytas. During his shopping trip, he approached an employee to ask where he could find a specific product. To his surprise, the employee responded in Russian while clearly understanding his question in Lithuanian. This led Vinokuras to inquire whether she spoke Lithuanian, to which she responded in a stunning manner.
The employee's reply shocked Vinokuras as she stated, 'You know, talking in Lithuanian gives me a headache.' He noted that her Lithuanian was quite fluent and lacked any accent, which made the situation even more perplexing and led him to initially believe she might be joking. Vinokuras described the employee's intonation as off-putting and questioned whether her response reflected a genuine sentiment or a flippant remark.
The incident has drawn attention, prompting a response from Norfa, where a representative provided additional details about the situation. Vinokuras's experience underscores ongoing sensitivities surrounding language use in Lithuania, especially considering the historical and cultural tensions between Lithuanian and Russian speakers. This story highlights not only a personal encounter but also broader societal issues related to identity and language conflict in the region.
