Vietnamese ‘nail chat’ leaves some customers wondering what is being said

Julie Luu, right, gives a pedicure to Annie Backenstose at Sun Nails in Silver Lake. Of the 8,000 nail salons in California, about 75% are owned or operated by Vietnamese Americans, according to Nails magazine. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

July 18, 2013 6:30 AM PT

In Vietnamese-operated nail salons across Southern California, there are generally two conversations. One is the gentle back-and-forth between customers and stylists. The other is the running commentary among workers, sizing up and critiquing their clientele in a language those folks often don’t understand.

Tuyet Nguyen removes the gels from the nails of Los Angeles Times reporter Anh Do during a visit to Sun Nails in Silver Lake. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

An array of gel colors on display at Sun Nails. As thousands of nail salons opened across the country, what once was a luxury has become affordable. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

Vincent Truong, left, gives a manicure to Jihan Zencirli at Sun Nails. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)

An array of colors is on display at Sun Nails. The murmuring of manicurists in Vietnamese is another fixture of the mani-pedi world. (Anne Cusack / Los Angeles Times)