Seriously, are you 5 years old??

Why does a grown woman riding the T with her hands covering her ears to block out foreign languages???

On a crowded Red Line rush hour train yesterday, two women were speaking in another language (which I later learned was Swedish). One was standing, and the other was sitting down in front of me. Another woman seated two people away who was probably paranoid for the whole ride suddenly accuses the standing friend of talking about her, because she must've looked at her while she was talking.

"What did you say to me?"
"Nothing. I wasn't talking to you."
"Well, you were looking at me."
"I was looking all around the train"
"Why don't you speak in English?"
"I don't speak it that well"
"Well you should try"
"Whatever."

(And then as she goes back to talking to her friend, the other woman's hands go up to cover her ears.... like a kid leaving a school building in a fire drill)

And all I can think is, REALLY??? I find it highly concerning when big cities become hostile and xenophobic. I get that there's a lanugage barrier, but isn't there a better way of addressing your concerns than by making people think you're an asshole?