Lost in translation..
Observer March 26th, 2008
Most of Easter in the mountains, in the good company of German speakers. And as a minority of one, obliged to speak German as well as able. An interesting experience, and reminder of that less-remembered fact among native English speakers that so many colleagues working globally have to formulate a thought in a second language to bring of their ideas and contributions. That demands a lot of energy, in keeping up with the gist of a conversation, let alone the nuance and looking out for the break in the flow. In the cut and thrust of English dominated business life, one can wonder how many brilliant half-formulated thoughts are lost to the brisk pace of the assertive global firm. Add the confusion of slang, idioms and jargon and heads may well reel. While there’s a lot of cross-cultural content by now in the development programs of global leaders, does the resulting behavior accommodate those few moments of extra time to gather all available contributions? Trying to function effectively, let alone excel in a foreign language, is a humbling experience, in which pulling one’s punches can easily become the default norm.
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