A friend of mine is certainly no linguistic scholar but over the years, she’s learned to communicate in several languages other than English.
The biggest benefit, of course, is that when traveling abroad, she can sometimes talk to people in their native tongue, instead of expecting them to speak English (American English at that!). Another benefit is a greater appreciation of language and its uses — how applying the grammar of one language to the spoken words of another language can sometimes lead to humorous results.
That’s the direction I’m taking here. There may be a few people out there who will think I’m making fun of a particular group, language or culture.
That’s not the case. Just imagine what Americans — a people not known for the ability to master foreign languages — are doing to other languages in similar situations. You should hear me trying to order food in a Japanese restaurant!
Here are some examples of “language mangling:” Read more…
“How much do you think the way we need managers/leaders to "realize" what you talk about is because of the . . . ”
— ENJOYWorkWith.Me on Employee Loyalty? No, It’s Not Dead – It Just Changed Hands, 3 hours ago
“This is the great 21st century challenge for HR, management, and anyone concerned with the long term viability of the . . . ”
— Keisha Jackson on Employee Loyalty? No, It’s Not Dead – It Just Changed Hands, 12 hours ago
“Great point! What else will they want control over?!”
— Eric Gaydos on Relax – You’ll Never, Ever be Asked For a Facebook Password, 12 hours ago
“Derek, great piece. My own work also suggests that recognition is a top driver of employee engagement and loyalty (along . . . ”
— Kevin Kruse on Employee Loyalty? No, It’s Not Dead – It Just Changed Hands, 14 hours ago
“How very true. The positive impact of a leader admitting mistakes (as long as it's not all the time) and allowing others . . . ”
— jonbaker on 3 Steps to Help You Own Up When You Make The Big Mistake, 16 hours ago