A Global Language?


There are over 400 million speakers of English as a first language in the world, with about the same number of people using it as a second language. However, over 700 million people speak one of the many dialects of Chinese. The world also contains almost 300 million Spanish speakers, and about 180 million speakers of Hindi and Arabic, respectively. (And undoubtedly included in these figures are a good few thousand gifted people who speak all these languages.)

However, English speakers can take comfort from statistics that say 75 percent of the world s mail, telexes, and cables are in English, that it is the medium for 80 percent of the information stored on the world s computers, and that it is the language of over half the world s technical and scientific periodicals. In fact, it can be said with justice that English is on the way to becoming the first truly global language.

The need for a language in which people from Siberia to Santiago can communicate directly with each other has long been acknowledged , and the establishment of artificial languages such as Esperanto has tried unsuccessfully to fulfill this need. Now, due to a series of accidents of history, it looks as if English is likely to step into the breach. But if a language is global, it is no longer the exclusive property of its native speakers. Indeed, it is claimed that there is a European variety of English, sometimes called Euro-English , which is already evolving, and some people believe that it will eventually become the European language of business. It even has an official name : English as a lingua franca in Europe (ELFE). This version of English regards as acceptable some mistakes that most teachers of the language spend their careers trying to eradicate. For example, He go to work every day at 8:00 o clock would be accepted as correct, as the meaning of the sentence remains clear.

Some academics believe that this modified version of English, which would turn increasingly to continental Europe rather than to the U.S. or the U.K. for its standards of correctness and appropriateness, is the future. Whether that is true remains to be seen, but whatever happens, the message is clear: English is a useful tool for international communication, but it is no longer the exclusive property of people who speak it as a first language.

And what about this privileged group : Those of us who by an accident of birth have learned to speak the global language of business and industry without effort? Can we just rest on our laurels secure in the knowledge that our customers, suppliers, and even our employers will communicate with us in our native language, rather than in theirs ?

That might be a mistake. I know of at least one international company of management consultants that will not employ anyone who does not speak at least one foreign language fluently. The reason given is that each language gives you a new perspective on the world, and if you are going to work with people not from your own culture you need to be able to shift away from your native perceptions from time to time, because language affects how you think.

LETTERS 81 “82

It s inevitable that when speaking English as a foreign language you will make mistakes, and these mistakes can take many forms.

Rude writers Letter 81

FROM SPAIN ABOUT SWEDEN

In the office where I work we have often had visitors from Sweden, and we ve been very impressed both by their English and by their pleasant and friendly manners. However, we have received some letters from these very same people lately and have been amazed by the poor standard of their English and by the tone of the letters, which we find rather arrogant .

You ll be wiser to trust your first impressions . There s a major difference between how we speak and how we write, and whether we re using our native language or someone else s. For example, Swedish children learn English from about the age of eight and quickly become fluent and accurate speakers, but there isn t the same emphasis on written skills (the reverse is true in Japan and South Korea, where writing is prioritized).

When they write in their own language, Swedes are often very informal and rather blunt; this reflects their egalitarian approach to their fellow citizens . When they transpose this style into written English they can unintentionally sound very rude, especially as there isn t a Swedish equivalent for please as there is, for example, in Spanish ( por favor ).

It is often difficult to establish the right tone in written communication when body language and tone of voice are missing from the communication equation. I have noticed when people from French-, Arabic-, and Spanish-speaking counties write to me, although the grammar and vocabulary may be less than perfect, the tone is extremely polite and rather more formal than letters and e- mails from the U.S. or the U.K. This is because the writers are imitating the more formal and courteous written styles of their own languages and transposing them to English.

Misunderstandings such as you describe, which arise from the tone of a letter or written material, are often the result of first language interference and can be hard to identify and correct. It s easier if you make the wrong impression during a face-to-face encounter, because then you get immediate feedback from your listener s body language or facial expression.

The moral is that when writing in any language you should be more formal than when you re speaking, and most importantly, ensure that the tone of the letter is polite and friendly. This is hard to do in a foreign language, but it is even more important than getting the grammar or vocabulary right. If you feel that you cannot judge the tone of your letter yourself, try to get a native speaker to read it before sending it off to ensure that you re not going to offend anyone by appearing less charming than you actually are!

Thin skin Letter 82

FROM THE NETHERLANDS ABOUT FRANCE

I made a mistake the other day when a French visitor used a wrong word when he was speaking English. He told a group of us when we arrived at this office to Please sit down, and I ll enjoy you in a minute. We Dutch laughed a little about this, and thought he would too, for we know him well and have always worked well together. However, he was extremely offended. We are sorry for our tactlessness but also surprised at his sensitivity.

His reaction is not hard to account for. There is a lot of prestige involved in how well you speak a foreign language, and if the corporate language is English but it isn t your native language, you can feel threatened if you are concerned that your English isn t up to standard. And when people feel threatened, they can become both defensive and aggressive . Speaking a foreign language means that, like it or not, you have to give a public display of how well you command one of the most important tools of your profession, and that can be a nerve -wracking experience.

The standard of English in the Netherlands and in Northern Europe is extremely high, and this fact may have made your French colleague s reaction worse . Until relatively recently the French have not taken English-language learning seriously (although they have not been as bad as the British and Americans about learning foreign languages). He may have been able to accept a native speaker s superiority, but to have another non-native speaker laughing at his errors was humiliating.

LETTERS 83 “84

There are many countries with more than one national language and most nations have linguistic minorities. To forget these facts is to show an unacceptable degree of ignorance of the culture you are dealing with.

One country ”two languages Letter 83

FROM BRAZIL ABOUT CANADA

I ll be going to Quebec soon but speak only English. How important is it to be able to speak French as well?

I d take at least a few lessons in French if you intend to do a lot of business in Canada, for this is one country where English is not regarded simply as an efficient tool for international business communication. Instead, it s regarded by some of its French-speaking citizens as a symbol of the oppression by the English-speaking majority of the French-speaking minority.

Canada is divided into ten different provinces, and they have both French and English as their official languages. Today you will find both languages on maps, tourist brochures , and product labels. Historically there has been friction between the French-speaking Qu b cois and the English-speaking people who have surrounded them for centuries. The Qu b cois have seen French speakers in other provinces become assimilated into the English-speaking culture, and they take great pains to preserve their language and culture so the same thing doesn t happen to them. So if Quebec is your destination I suggest learning as much French as possible before departure , both as a goodwill gesture and as a survival measure in case you meet some of the Qu b cois who can t or won t speak English. But be warned : The French they speak in Canada is not the same as that spoken in France, and even some of the English you hear in Qu bec may be unfamiliar, as many French words have been incorporated into the English they speak there.

One country ”several languages Letter 84

FROM AUSTRALIA ABOUT BELGIUM

I will probably be traveling to Belgium in the near future. I speak elementary French and my native language is English. Will that be enough?

A lot depends on where in Belgium you are going, for despite its small size and population of around 10 million, there are two completely different languages spoken. In Flanders, the northern part of the country, the people speak Flemish, which is a variation of Dutch, and all employers in Flanders are required by law to use Flemish in the workplace.

In Wallonia, the southern part of the country, they speak French, as do many of the inhabitants of Brussels. For Belgians, which language they speak is very much a part of their national identity. The situation in the country is made even more complicated because many Walloons cannot speak Flemish and some Flemish people are reluctant to speak French!

However, in the capital about a quarter of the residents are non-Belgian, so there English is increasingly accepted. Be grateful that English is your native language, because it can be regarded as a sort of neutral territory outside the political and historical issues that otherwise make the language question in Belgium such a hot potato.

LETTERS 85 “86

There are many different Englishes, two of which are described here.

British versus U.S. English Letter 85

FROM FRANCE ABOUT THE U.S.

I ve recently come back from the U.S. where I attended a conference. One lecture dealt with different human resources issues, and I was surprised to hear the term attrition used in this context. The only time I ve heard it before is in war of attrition , meaning a war involving total destruction of the enemy. When I got home I checked in my English dictionary and found attrition means the state of wearing away. I m none the wiser!

I m not surprised. This is an excellent example of what George Bernard Shaw meant when he wrote England and America are two countries separated by the same language. I imagine you learned British English rather than American, and there is a little area where the two don t correspond . Don t be alarmed: Attrition doesn t refer to a particularly drastic (and permanent) way of getting rid of unwanted staff! It s a human resources term describing the process by which people leave their jobs at a company when they move to another position, retire, decide to study, and so on and are not replaced . The term for the same phenomenon in England is natural wastage (which most Americans think sounds like some sort of sewer-age system).

Don t blame your dictionary. Apart from the British-English and American-English differences, the English language is in a constant state of change and dictionaries cannot possibly keep up with all developments.

International English for presentations Letter 86

FROM THE U.S. ABOUT THE REST OF THE WORLD

I m used to giving presentations in the U.S., but I will soon be going abroad for the first time. I ll be presenting information in a number of different countries where I guess most people do not speak English as their first language. Are there any changes I should make to my presentations to adapt them?

Speaking to non-native English speakers certainly requires extra thought, although in certain parts of Asia, for example, Singapore and Hong Kong, which are former British colonies, people may speak English as a first language.

To give a clear message speak slowly and clearly and pause often. In addition, use a tape recorder or ask someone not from your own home-town to establish whether you have a strong accent and if you do, try to tone it down. It s important to be confident and believe in what you are presenting, but make sure you don t come over as too loud (aggressive) or too relaxed ( causal ). In the more restrained cultures of Eastern Asia or Northern Europe you could appear to be trying to dominate your audience.

To give non-English native speakers a chance to absorb the key facts, repeat your main points in different ways. Try not to use sports metaphors . Violent metaphors are also inappropriate, especially in cultures that value gentle and controlled behavior, so don t use phrases like bite the bullet, twist your arm, or ride roughshod over someone.

If you want your listeners to understand you, avoid the latest buzzwords , idioms, and slang. The use of initials and abbreviations can also be confusing, so use the full form instead. Two more things: don t use even the mildest swear words, and be careful in your use of humor.

It would also be wise to avoid using hand gestures to illustrate a point as they may not be interpreted the same way internationally. One example would be the way a Mexican speaker brought a presentation to a speedy halt in the U.K. by indicating the number two by two raised fingers with the back of his hand facing the audience. He had inadvertently told his British audience to f*** off. (For more obscene gestures, see Letter 93.)

What you should do is to make sure that you take plenty of visual material, as this can remove the need for words, and clarify points for people whose native language is not English. Another idea is to distribute written information (in English or the home language) before the meeting so participants have time to read it and translate it if necessary. Remember that it is hard work listening to a foreign language, so keep your presentation shorter than you would at home and make sure you have lots of breaks. This also gives people the chance to ask you questions, something they may not wish to do in front of a large audience if their English is shaky, or if they feel such questions would entail a loss of face by revealing they haven t followed everything you have said.

And a final word of advice: If you don t already speak a foreign language, start to learn one. It will give you an insight into what your Asian colleagues are up against.

LETTER 87

Native speakers of English have an enormous business advantage, but they should not misuse it, or they will cause resentment.

Sensitive speakers sought Letter 87

FROM MEXICO ABOUT THE U.K., THE U.S., AUSTRALIA, ETC.

Why can t native English-speakers show a little more sensitivity in their dealings with non-English speakers? They often use their superiority in the language to dominate meetings, and if there are two or more present they speak far too fast and use words and expressions we are not familiar with.

Your question is a useful reminder to everyone who has English as his or her first language. People who speak no foreign languages themselves , and this includes many British and American people, often forget what a strain it is listening to a foreign tongue, and when speaking to foreigners they make no concessions when it comes to their choice of words. Not only that, they forget that their listeners may have learned to speak British RP (Received Pronunciation) or Network Standard American English at school and are not used to strong regional accents. Ironically, it s when non-native speakers speak really good English that the worst problems arise, for it s then that Aussies, Kiwis, or Brits forget they re talking to a foreigner and speak in exactly the same way they would to someone from back home, while their poor listeners struggle to keep up.

One of the most important things for native speakers to remember is to listen. Don t treat a person s silence as a sign for you to continue to speak, but wait. Your colleague has to formulate his or her ideas in a foreign language, and that takes time.

LETTERS 88 “89

As long as there are different languages there will inevitably be problems with translation.

Language mistake Letter 88

FROM SOUTH KOREA ABOUT BRAZIL

My company employed an agency to translate our material for the Brazilian market. We d already sent away the material when we discovered that it had been written in Spanish and not Portuguese. Our Brazilian agents have told us that it s useless and they require new material. Are the languages really so different?

As well as being the language of Brazil, Portuguese is widely spoken in Venezuelan cities, and elsewhere in South America that Spanish isn t the primary language. It was lucky that your agents spotted the mistake before the material was printed, for national language forms a vital part of national identity, and not respecting this is asking for trouble. Spanish and Portuguese are closely related languages but they are far from being identical, and Brazilians dislike foreigners who do not appreciate this fact. I can imagine that a similar assumption about the inter-changeability of Swedish, Norwegian, and Danish or the different Chinese languages would cause the same sort of resentment. You really have no choice but to recall the Spanish version and provide a Portuguese version as quickly as possible. If you are interested in doing business in Brazil it would be wise to show an interest in, and a certain background knowledge of, the country so you avoid putting your foot in it again. You can consult appropriate books, and the Internet is a great source of useful information.

Interpreters Letter 89

FROM MEXICO ABOUT JAPAN

I m going to be traveling to Japan with a small group of other managers. We don t speak Japanese and were wondering if we should take an interpreter with us, which would be very expensive, or if we can ask the Japanese firm if they can arrange one for us.

It depends on how much money is at stake. If you re hoping to build a solid long-term relationship that is going to earn your company a fat profit, then it s worth thinking about developing a working relationship with a fluent Japanese speaker (preferably a native speaker) who is bicultural as well as bilingual and knows what your company does.

You can hire an interpreter from an agency in Japan, but then you d have to make sure you allowed sufficient time in Japan to get to know each other before you met your potential partners . She (most Japanese translators are female ) needs to know in advance what ground the talks are going to cover so she can prepare herself. She also needs to become familiar with the communication style of the person or people she s translating for. One more thing: if you do decide to hire an interpreter in Japan, book her well in advance as there are not many Japanese-Spanish translators, and you may have to accept a Japanese-English substitute.

Asking the Japanese company to provide an interpreter may not be a good idea, because even though you can be quite sure she will translate the Japanese side s message correctly (she will probably know their business very well), there s no guarantee your message is going to be expressed as you intended. For example, she may not want to take on the responsibility of delivering a message from you that will not please her fellow citizens. They may not have heard the expression Don t shoot the messenger, but many interpreters are only too familiar with the meaning behind it.

To minimize the possibilities of misunderstandings, have a written summary of the points you are going to make at the meeting translated and distributed before the meeting, and get a written summary of the proceedings translated into Japanese shortly after the meeting.

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IN A NUTSHELL: A Global Language?

GLOBAL BUSINESS STANDARDS

For native English speakers: learn at least one foreign language as well as you can.

For non-native English speakers: learn English as well as you can.

For everyone: learn a few words of the language of any country you visit and of any foreign visitor you are going to meet.

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  • Argentina: The official language is Spanish, but it is influenced somewhat by Italian. (See Letters 81 and 88.)

  • Australia: The language is influenced by both British and American English, but it has a distinctive accent and a special Aussie vocabulary. (See Letter 87.)

  • Austria: German is spoken with a distinctive accent.

  • Belgium: Official languages are Flemish (similar to Dutch), French, and German. The language spoken is closely tied to a person s ethnicity , and group loyalty is strong. (See Letters 81 and 84.)

  • Brazil: Portuguese is spoken here ”not Spanish like the most of the rest of South America. (See Letters 81 and 88.)

  • Canada: There are two official languages: English and French. The language spoken is closely tied to a person s ethnicity, and group loyalty is strong. (See Letters 81, 83, and 87.)

  • China: The official spoken language is Mandarin, a language based on tones. It is also the only form of written language. In some provinces people speak one of four major dialects, but these aren t understood by speakers of the other dialects. (See Letter 86.)

  • Denmark: Danish is almost indistinguishable to Norwegian in written form. Norwegians, Danes, and Swedes can often understand each other.

  • Finland: The language is similar to Hungarian (!). In some areas Finns also speak Swedish.

  • France: You are judged according to how well you speak French, and your command of the language is seen as an indicator of your education and intelligence. There is a big difference between using the familiar tu (informal) and the more formal vous . (See Letters 81 and 82.)

  • Germany: There is a big difference between using the familiar Du and the formal Sie .

  • Hong Kong: English, Cantonese, and Mandarin are widely spoken. (See Letter 86.)

  • India: There are eighteen official languages and about as many dialects distributed geographically (e.g., Hindi, Punjabi, and Gujarati, and Urdu, which is spoken mostly by Muslim minority). English is widely spoken by educated people. Many people are bilingual or multilingual.

  • Indonesia: There are more than 300 ethnic languages. Bahasa Indonesia, the major unifying language, is adapted from Bhasa Melayu (Malay). (See Letter 86.)

  • Italy: About 60 percent of Italians speak a dialect , which may be impossible for other Italians to understand. The vast majority also speaks standard Italian.

  • Japan: Spoken Japanese and Chinese are quite different. Basic literacy requires mastery of three alphabets, one of which is derived from Chinese and contains about two thousand characters . (See Letters 86 and 89.)

  • Mexico: Spanish is spoken by 98 percent of the population. (See Letters 81 and 87.)

  • Netherlands: Dutch is spoken. It is almost identical to Flemish, which is spoken in Belgium. It is also the ancestor of South Africa s Afrikaans. The Dutch are some of the best speakers of English as a foreign language in the world. (See Letter 82.)

  • Norway: There are two distinct and rival versions of Norwegian. Norwegian is almost indistinguishable to Danish in written form. Norwegians, Danes, and Swedes can often understand each other.

  • Poland: Polish is a Slavic language, but unlike Russian, it uses the Latin script.

  • Russia: Russian uses the Cyrillic alphabet. Words are pronounced as they are spelled. Russian is spoken by most people, but Russia is made up of about a hundred ethnic groups, many with their own languages.

  • Saudi Arabia: Arabic is the official language of the country and is widely spoken in the whole region. (See Letter 81.)

  • South Africa: There are eleven official languages. English, Afrikaans (related to Dutch), and Zulu are the main ones.

  • South Korea: Compared to Chinese and Japanese, the alphabet is easy to learn. Foreign (English) words are readily integrated into Korean. There is much pressure on young Koreans to learn English. (See Letters 86 and 88.)

  • Spain: The Castilian dialect is the accepted standard. There are also three regional languages. Catalan (as well as Castilian) is spoken widely in Barcelona, Spain s second-largest city. There are some differences from the Spanish of Latin America. (See Letter 81.)

  • Sweden: A sharp intake of breath can mean yes . Norwegians, Danes, and Swedes can often understand each other. (See Letter 81.)

  • Switzerland: There are four official languages and most Swiss speak at least two fluently. The result of the most recent census shows the breakdown of first language speakers as follows : (Swiss) German 63.9%, French 19.5%, Italian 6.6%, Romansh 0.5%, others 9.5%.

  • Taiwan: Mandarin is the official language, but 70 percent of the population speaks Southern Fujianese, often called Taiwanese. They do not use the modernized Chinese script currently used in China.

  • Thailand: Like Chinese, Thai is a tonal language. The written script is based on ancient Indian languages. Fellow Thais usually understand regional and ethnic dialects. (See Letter 86.)

  • Turkey: Turkey is an oral culture. What is said and heard is taken more seriously than what is written.

  • UK: Differences between British and American English may lead to misunderstandings. (See Letters 81, 85, 86, and 87.)

  • US: Differences between British and American English may lead to misunderstandings. Spanish is widely spoken by Latin American immigrants in southern states and California. (See Letters 81, 85, 86, and 87.)

  • Venezuela: Spanish is spoken. There is a distinctive Venezuelan accent, and some specifically Venezuelan vocabulary exists. In major cities Portuguese is quite common. (See Letters 81 and 88.)




When in Rome or Rio or Riyadh..Cultural Q&As for Successful Business Behavior Around the World
When in Rome or Rio or Riyadh..Cultural Q&As for Successful Business Behavior Around the World
ISBN: 1931930066
EAN: N/A
Year: 2004
Pages: 86

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